Kool and the Gang.

Much tooing and frooing across the village green. The ladies of the Beautiful Byeways Committee preparing for tomorrow nights Christmas gathering in the village hall. This year , the accordionist being ill with the flu, they have hired a DJ from the neighbouring village. He has an old battered Renault van with a hand painted sign across the back : " DJ Florian . New York Disco Sound . Rave on ". Studio 54 comes to France Profonde .

The afternoon school bus arrives by the war memorial while Florian is trying out the sound system. As far as we can tell the sound system only has one setting - Loud. The waiting mothers, a gaggle of toddlers, Madame Bay, her daughters - Sandrine, Nadine, the other 'ine' ( Delfine ? ) -  and all the baby ' ine's ' can soon be seen punching the air and dancing to the sound of ' Celebration ' as sung by Kool and the Gang. Those famous French lyrics ' weir gonha ave ay sell-a-bray-shunn too-nite ' echoing across the fields.

Late in the evening Madame Mayor and her husband arrive and string a single row of coloured lights across the front of the salle des fetes. It's going to be an evening to remember.