Rat Pucking!

Dearest Lucy,

My goodness, there is much news to be shared as the Festival approaches! The entire village is busy preparing, the merchants are preparing their wares, and the entertainers are practicing – it promises to be an excellent 3 days of festival fun!

Pirate Kitty is very interested in Rat Pucking!

 Mr. Sparsgood, on the other hand, has been playing games. He recently met a man named Emrys Fleet, who introduced him to the “sport” of Rat Pucking (Enunciation is important here, my dear!), and Mr. Sparsgood is quite mad about it! I’m just glad it keeps him out of the house, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to bear it!

 

Emrys Fleet, the originator of Rat Pucking

You will recall that Mr. Sparsgood holds the position of Chandler – as a reminder to you, that is the person who is responsible to sell supplies to ships – but now that the waters have well and truly receded and we are several days from the nearest port, there is not much business to be had. That said, Mr. Sparsgood always kept a hand in, as it were, keeping a stock of supplies on hand that might have other uses. You will recall that I complained quite heartily of his irrational insistence that I too sell wares from a basket – an insistence that he has not rescinded, even though I noted that he himself is spending more time on his new hobby than anything else. To make matters worse, Mr. Sparsgood’s hobby is taking the village by storm, and people (read “certain captains”) who previously spent their leisure time in my company are now finding less and less time for the likes of me!  

Explaining the rules of Pucking

A rat for pucking purposes

Mr. Sparsgood is currently busy planning Dry Bluff’s first annual Rat Pucking tournament, and as it is all he talks about of late, I trust you will allow me some latitude to explain what it is all about. The game is played with a “rat” – artificial, I assure you;    and a stick. The stick must be used to fling the rat towards a specified target, and the person who takes the fewest “pucks” to get there is the winner. To make the game more challenging, the route taken to get to the target is decided on the spur of the moment. For example, yesterday, Mr. Sparsgood and Captain Dampier were playing a “quick round” before dinner. They had decided that the target was my laundry tub, and although they began at the fence line, rather than make the straight shot (a mere 20 feet, to be sure), they decided they would first go over the clothesline, then around the well before they aimed for the basin. This of course results in much merriment, and a few sheets on the line that were previously clean now need washing again. 

Addressing the rat with the stick

Between us, I must admit that the game does look fun, and were it not for the fact that I abhor my husband’s company, I am sure that I would enjoy the game – especially if we could play right after that “so called mayor” put her laundry on the line! As it is, I shall have to content myself with watching from a distance. I do think, however, that I will encourage festival attenders to join in the fun, that way, perhaps I will have more time to myself to pursue my own interests.  

CHEESE!

The tournament will run all three days of the Festival – August 2nd, 3rd, and 4^th, and there will be three different games each day – at 10:30, beginning at the Mud stage, at 1:00, beginning at the Keel Haul Stage, and at 4:00, from the Mud stage. There is a one time adoption fee of $10 for the rat, which you can then name, keep, and reuse whenever you play. There will sticks available for borrowing, or you may bring your own, keeping in mind that they must be wooden.  All puckers are responsible to keep their rats well away from any bystanders, and must cry out “CHEESE” when it is their turn as a warning, so if you hear that, please ensure to keep an eye out for flying rats. Although anyone is welcome to play, please note that there is limited space available, and games may be limited to a certain number of participants.

Well, Lucy, that is all the room I have for this letter – I hope I have amused you with my description. If it sounds a little ridiculous, it probably is, but I hear that ridiculous games are all the rage these days! If you do attend, I shall do my best to overcome my dislike for my husband and endeavour to play a round with you!

Affectionately,

Anthea