L'Etoile Rose

Chapter 3

The first outing, after a theory lesson, was applied and cautiously so. I was with Chantal and Delphine, two rather nice girls who had already done sailing before, and who had left me a little to bar, the Solitaires moved wisely towards the island designated by Dominique and we had to turn around the right to return then to the beach. Dominique was on a motor boat and went back and forth passing his instructions.

Everything worked as if it were easy, between girls, we would even talk about the effectiveness of sunscreens, while sailing straight ahead, and preparing a while in advance of the turn: "ready .... now!" said Delphine laughing as the boom veered aside and turned us in the opposite direction, in a beautiful set. "amazing, girls," Dominique had commented before explaining to us, on arrival, how to drop and tighten the sails, lift the drift, and then push the boat back on the beach.

But from the second day, the wind and the sea had given us a little lesson too. Dominique had changed the crew members, in an attempt to balance the different strengths and know-hows as things had changed. "Wind force 6" had announced the monitor, multiplying the warnings.

I had embarked with Serge and Laurent, and if the departure had seemed normal, the minute we drove away from the beach, the small sailboat had seemed to had gone crazy, turning on itself, the boom changing side without warning, missing bumping our heads at every impromptu turn. Serge, vainly trying to play the captain, had no effect at the helm, while Laurent lay dead in laughter on the boxes of the boat as the jib was banging in the wind.

I was getting cold, soaked by the waves, when Dominique's motor boat had arrived. "You must change your pace," he cried in his megaphone, "you can't keep going straight ahead like that, facing the wind! Betty, you hold the jib, and Laurent, the main sail, but no, not there, on the other side!! What an embarassement you guys are, you're going to end up drowning like this!" he repeated, shouting in an attempt to speak louder than the wind.

The idea of ​​desalination in the rough sea did not tempt us, and each one had therefore tried to take back control of the small rebelious sailboat. And we finally went back to the beach. Phew! The boat and the lifejackets had to be tidied up again, then I dropped on my blanket next to Anne, still dressed in white under her straw hat, a cotton dress openwork this time, living symbol of calm after the storm. She was busy writing in a big black hardcover notebook, which she immediately closed when I arrived.

Mrs. Dupeigne had come with her van and her dogs to bring us the meal, then she had thrown sticks in the water for her Spaniels to play, while Dominique took advantage of the commotion caused by the arrival of the sandwiches to give us his impressions on our first sailing day. Shirtless, dressed in black shorts and sneakers, a cap of the sailing club tight against his black curls, he had come to sit as inadvertently on my briefcase, in the middle of the group, so close to me, so close and so present that I didn't look at him but kept my head down the whole time. He made others laugh, of course, with perhaps too much ease, and drew sketches on the sand to explain the basics of navigation.

Little by little, the conversation had drifted, some had gone to bathe and Laurent, sitting on a canvas seat, had taken out his guitar:

In the clear water of the fountain / she was bathing naked / a sudden gust of wind / threw her clothes into the clouds.

Imitating Brassens, he had sung the first verse of the song by exaggeratedly immitating the southern accent, then Anne had accompanied him with a pretty and clear voice, quickly followed by the others who were there, Julien, Sophie, Serge and

Dominique:

In distress she beckoned me/ to go and fetch her clothes/ Huge heaps of vine flowers / lilies or orange blossoms.

With rose petals / a small petticoat made for her / the beauty that wasnt very big / only one rose was enough...

With the vine branch /the end of a dance made her / but the beauty was so small / that only one leaf was enough

Then Dominique had raised his hand to signal to the others that he was taking over, and finished the last verses alone.

His warm voice echoed in my ears, as if he were singing only for me:

She held out her arms to me, her lips / as if she wanted to thank me / I took it so keenly / that she was quite undressed

The game had to please the ingenue / because often in the fountain / she went to bath naked / praying God that wind be made / that wind be made.

And I listened while looking elsewhere, the sea and the boats in the distance, a little Caravelle who struggled to keep pace with the wind, or a ship coming from the open sea, facing the mighty winds, indifferent to the pressure of the waves.

......

Soooryy!! This chapter took me a while longer than expected because of my exams! Im on a roll tho and wont stop :D

Check this song out!!! Old school french but hey, its gold!