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Balearic slinging camp (Read 4927 times)
Thearos
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Balearic slinging camp
Sep 25th, 2009 at 9:10pm
 
The late morning was already hot, and sweat beaded on the faces of the thirty men, young and old, who lined up expectantly in the sun. They had paid good money for this stay on a dilapidated Majorcan farmhouse, where they had discovered after a long bus journey from the airport that accommodation was dismayingly austere. Formalities of registration had proven unusually vexing in the heat, but the thought of the week's programme drove them on: Balearic braiding, distance shooting, hunting with slings, duelling, casting lead, and other arcane matters. Now they awaited the entry of the Balearic master slinger who would teach them his secrets, and they were determined to get the most out of their money.

At last he emerged from his comfortable and modern caravan, his hands in the pockets of his jeans. He did not bother to look at the thirty men, who, standing to attention, stiffened with anticipation. At his side, the interpreter and manager of the slinging camp, already much hated by the men for his officiousness, shambled along in a cloud of cigarette smoke. The master mumbled in Catalan, his words translated by his acolyte to the attentive residents:

"Do they all have slings ?"

The men earnestly waved an assortment of straps and cords, self-made in a diversity of materials, modern and would-be ancient, the pennants of their passion, now freely indulged, far from neighbours and spouses.

"Now they will learn the most important secret-- how to sling-- in the authentic Balearic way."

The men nodded and grunted and shifted in expectation and excitement. Now the discomfort of the accommodation, so painful for Americans used to artificially cooled air or denizens of much colder and wetter lands than the island, was forgotten; some already were mentally composing the messages they would later post on blogs and bulletin boards, or imagining the little films that would broadcast their excellence to the world.

"Do they see this pile of stones ? Good. These are all Balearic stones, the special ones for slinging. Do they see the olive tree at the end of the field ? It is one hundred paces away. Now your lunch packs are hanging in the branches of this tree. You must knock these packs off the branches of this tree if you want to eat today. This is the Balearic way, the way of our fathers".

A ghastly suspended moment passed, before the men scrabbled and stumbled over the gravel pile, and started wildly swinging their contraptions in the air-- in horizontal moulinets, in swishing arcs, in odd figures around their bodies. Baseball caps and floppy hats were knocked off heads; there was much swearing and jostling for place, and squinting at the distant olive tree, its leaves alternately green and grey according to the wind. Hunger did not improve their aim, and it would worsen during the long scorching hours.

Pipo and Luis went back to the caravan, to open their first beer of the day.

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« Last Edit: Jun 29th, 2014 at 3:10pm by Thearos »  
 
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Camo-sling
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Re: Balearic slinging camp
Reply #1 - Sep 25th, 2009 at 10:56pm
 
Haaha! That was a pleasure to read!

Well done!

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slingbadger
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Re: Balearic slinging camp
Reply #2 - Sep 26th, 2009 at 5:52am
 
Grin Grin
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The greatest of all the accomplishments of 20th cent. science has been the discovery of human ignorance  The main difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits.-Einstein   I'm getting psychic as I get older. Or is that psychotic?
 
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Curious Aardvark
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Re: Balearic slinging camp
Reply #3 - Sep 26th, 2009 at 7:20am
 
nice - not a bad bit of prose Smiley

I presume that's just the first installment ?
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Do All things with Honour and Generosity: Regret Nothing, Envy None, Apologise Seldom and Bow your head to No One  - works for me Smiley
 
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xxkid123
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Re: Balearic slinging camp
Reply #4 - Sep 26th, 2009 at 9:22am
 
nice Smiley
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There's no break, there's no end, just a-living on;&&Wide awake, with a smile, going on and on.
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Thearos
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Re: Balearic slinging camp
Reply #5 - Sep 26th, 2009 at 11:28am
 
Oh thanks. The idea came from my wife's teasing, as I described to her things I'd read on the forum.
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wanderer
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Re: Balearic slinging camp
Reply #6 - Sep 26th, 2009 at 12:36pm
 
Very nice! You've whetted our appetites now. More please!

This belongs with some of Desert Pilot's prose from a year or so back. Smiley
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Rat Man
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Re: Balearic slinging camp
Reply #7 - Sep 26th, 2009 at 3:16pm
 
Wonderful story, Thearos.  By popular demand please continue.
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Rat Man
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Re: Balearic slinging camp
Reply #8 - Sep 26th, 2009 at 3:20pm
 
I tried to write one for the forum about the battle between David and Goliath using David's thoughts as our perspective.  It ended up really sucking bad so it was never posted, of course.  I guess some of us have it and some don't.  Are you a professional writer of some sort?
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xxkid123
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Hallo, ich heiße kartoffel

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Re: Balearic slinging camp
Reply #9 - Sep 26th, 2009 at 3:52pm
 
Rat Man wrote on Sep 26th, 2009 at 3:20pm:
I tried to write one for the forum about the battle between David and Goliath using David's thoughts as our perspective.  It ended up really sucking bad so it was never posted, of course.  I guess some of us have it and some don't.  Are you a professional writer of some sort?


if he is he's a good one, if he isn't he is now Wink

I'm going to deny i ever said this later, but  i almost want to write a piece using my free time Cheesy...must be improvement Grin
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There's no break, there's no end, just a-living on;&&Wide awake, with a smile, going on and on.
xxkid123 tanma101  
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Fundibularius
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Re: Balearic slinging camp
Reply #10 - Sep 26th, 2009 at 5:31pm
 
Smiley  Cool Very nice, Thearos. Thanks!
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Ferrugo numquam dormit.&&(Nigellus Iuvenis)&&&&

Noch weiz ich an im mere daz mir ist bekant
einen lintrachen  slouch des heledes hant
do badet er in dem blvote  des ist der helt gemeit
von also vester hvte  daz in nie wafen sit versneit.
 
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Jabames
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Re: Balearic slinging camp
Reply #11 - Oct 2nd, 2009 at 12:49am
 
Great! Never read something soo picturesque and enticing; thanks for posting this, it was awesome.
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Fëanor
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Re: Balearic slinging camp
Reply #12 - Oct 2nd, 2009 at 9:02am
 
Very well written, the saying; one born every minute, comes to mind. Tongue
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On the Swedish coast   With Russia in the distance Slinging at the bear. (4accord done it) "Mind must be firmer, heart the more fierce, courage the greater, as our strength diminishes."  The old warrior Byrhtwold during the battle of Maldon in 991 AD.
 
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winkleried
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Re: Balearic slinging camp
Reply #13 - Oct 12th, 2009 at 10:54pm
 
I Loved this!!!!!

Marc Adkins
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The Few...The Proud.....The Slingers&&Sling to live, Live to sling&&I Ain't right
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bigkahuna
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Re: Balearic slinging camp
Reply #14 - Oct 15th, 2009 at 2:24am
 
I almost thought it was real. Thanks for the great first installment???
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Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.
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