Sunday, October 14, 2012

Pitoux - the potters dog.




The annual pottery weekend in a local village. Bright sunshine brings out the crowds. Sixty stalls and three or four hundred people. Temperatures more like August than October. Some of the pottery with truly hefty price tags.

It could have been a disaster. Pitoux - the potters old, grey muzzled, heavily eyebrowed dog - proves to be highly territorial. The flouncing arrival of a large, fluffy, supremely arrogant Persian cat brings out the worst in Pitoux. One minute the old fellows under the table having his chin tickled, the next he's in full chase through the tressle tables. Hissing cat, barking dog, tottering ceramics. For a moment time stands still. Pitoux and the Persian locked in a noisy and risky navigation of the market place. Silence falls, the crowds sharing the same image of broken pots and irate potters.

With a heroic leap the Persian vaults a wall and disappears into the town hall garden. Pitoux , victorious, wanders arthritically back to his place under his masters table. One happy old warrior . Completely oblivious to the near chaos he's caused. A visiting lady in a crimson dress and white hat, probably Parisian, claps . Others join in. Pitoux has a look on his face that says '' this boys done good ".  The potter attaches a rope to Pitouxs collar.

Thank God for dogs. Lifes natural  ( and sometimes ever so slightly grumpy ) jesters.

19 comments:

  1. Sometimes being oblivious to all the chaos around you can be a good thing!

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  2. Well done Pitoux!
    Now I am a bit worried about Gail reading this blog post as I am not entirely sure it supports my case for visiting Nottingham with her next week, despite the jester bit...
    Toodle pip!
    Bertie.

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  3. We would have clapped loudly, too!

    Glad the incident ended so well.

    XXXOOO Daisy, Bella & Roxy

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  4. Pitoux is a mighty serious looking fellow in your picture. Working 24/7 is no picnic but it must be done!

    Jo, Stella and Zkhat

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  5. I have a feeling that Pitoux could teach even the smart Border Collies in your 3rd picture a thing or two!

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  6. Relief all the way around. Good job, Pitoux. Serves that Persian right for being so arrogant.

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  7. It's not enough for dogs to win; cats must fail. So sayeth a New Yorker cartoon!

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  8. Heavy heavy withdrawl symptoms... my newest addition is a mixture of dachshund, yorkie and spitz and has the agility of a cat - so he found a way through the fence (had to be fixed) to go over neighbours garden onto the wall and THROW him off to go and meet his girlfriend puppy buddy nearby - almost had a heart attack when he went missing three times!
    Greetings from the Southern Italy gang Susanne, Daisy, Foxiie and THE KIRI -Arsen Lupin

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  9. Well done Pitoux! He's the bravest dog! Thank goodness no pottery went for a tumble, that would have been tragic!

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  10. YEAH!!! Pitoux, an old no-nonsense bow-wow....chased Ms.Flouncy away from his territory..."not on my watch" he says......the whole scene made me laugh....thanks for sharing.

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  11. and there i thought all parisiennes were like our beloved wilf's notorious vet from there. cool and snooty.
    bravo elderly paris lady! you renewed my faith in your city. in one clapping!
    and yes.
    thank god for dogs.
    love to you lad,
    tammy j

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  12. The little pottery dog would look wonderful in the garden to indicate the path to be followed.
    You sound happiest, Angus, when you are talking about dogs.

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  13. Edward and Apple salute him.
    These are the stories that make the world go round.
    Dogs are heaven on earth.
    xo,
    p

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  14. All pottery festivals should be feline-free!

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  15. IMHO, Pitoux is a potter's dog so he knew how to expertly weave to accomplish his mission w/o dashing pots. Huzzah!

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  16. He looks quite calm in the photo (don't see any cat's tails in the corner)

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  17. I'd have applauded him, too! You have to love an old dog who still has get up and go! :)

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