Bocce World Cup

I know what you are thinking: it's bocce. How tense can it be?

Very.

Picture it: last game of the season. The weather is warm with a pleasant dusk cooling of the air. The red wine is deep and rich. We start our game as any other: giggles with a little bit of effort. Our opponents are players, they know what they are doing and they know how to win.

We score the first point, laugh at our secure technique of one point rounds all the way to victory.

The game proceeds, the scores grow.

Suddenly, we break ahead in points, with a strong clear lead. We start to feel victory is a real possibility, we can take this game. As the pressure gets to our heads we allow our opponents a 4-point round, causing us some loss of faith. But we continue to creep forward and stay ahead with points.

Next thing you know: we are one point to victory, our opponents trailing about five points behind.

We lose the round.

We lose the next round.

Points are neck and neck, we are closer to victory but they are only one point behind us. Teams that have finished their games start following us up and down the bocce court, cheering, heckling, yelling suggestions.

Lexie is trembling, Bex is frowning, Maria is saying "It's just a game" and takes another sip of wine.

And next thing you know: point to us.

We win.

The most tense game in bocce history.