A scooter in St. Tropez. Look closely at the sagging object my husband is carrying. Meet Mr. Sacks, Jean-Marc's lovable sidekick. The photos in the following story were taken over the years….
Today's Word: la sacoche (sah-kohsh)
: handbag, saddlebag, purse, bag
from the Italian saccoccia, or "little pocket"
la sacoche en cuir = leather bag
la sacoche d'écolier = school bag
la sacoche à outils = tool bag
une soirée de sacoches (Canadian expression) = girls' night out, evening with girlfriends
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE… by Kristin Espinasse
Ode to Mr. Sacks
I couldn't believe my ears when Jean-Marc, packing for his business trip, mentioned: "I'm not taking my sacoche with me."
Vraiment? My husband might as well have decided to leave an appendage behind–son bras droit, for example, the one he uses to lift his wine glass. That is how vital his trusty, takes-with-him everywhere sacoche is to him.
What with increasing restrictions for carry-on and check-in, Jean-Marc's dear sidekick, Mr. Sacks, is the latest victime of airline cutbacks!
Poor Mr. Sacks! I've never felt sorry for the old bag before. Mostly, I've felt envious. Mr. Sacks is the one who goes on all the business trips with my husband. Mr. Sacks goes to all the local wine tastings while I sit at home guzzling tap water.
Mr Sacks in Paris… the one on the left. (Make no mistake, the other bags mean nothing to Jean-Marc!)
Mr. Sacks in Ventimille, Italy, watching locals play boules, or pétanque.
I do pity, Mr. Sacks, now that his saggy little body is pouting in the corner of my husband's office. This is the first time in his 12-year-old life that he's collected dust. Normally he's on the go….
Mr. Sacks cruising the island of Cres, in Croatia. Just kidding, Jean-Marc would never put Mr. Sacks in this predicament (water). This brings me to the next point…
Regularly I am asked to hold on to Mr. Sacks while my husband sprints off to use a public restroom or when (as pictured above) he is practicing a sport. "Tu peux prendre ma sacoche?" He asks. And I always grumble, not wanting to hold the heavy "third wheel". Apart from tractor wrenches, he even keeps wine bottles (for his tastings) in there…
Mr. Sacks (on the floor, next to the bucket spittoon)
Some refer to Mr. Sacks as a "man purse". That always makes me snicker. Hahahahahaha! Man Bag!!! Sac Homme! I point at Mr. Sacks. But Mr. Sacks isn't laughing…
Me, babysitting Mr. Sacks in Malta in 2017. Jean-Marc purchased the leather bag in une maroquinerie in Draguignan, years and years ago. It was love at first sight.
Jean-Marc's got that guilty look on his face. He's always holding hands with Mr. Sacks instead of with me–and he knows it! While others worry about the other woman, I have to worry about the old bag!
Mr. Sacks is with him on bad hair days…
And on good hair days… at the beach in Sainte-Maxime.
And especially on family days!
Visiting the healing waters at Lourdes. Can you spot Mr. Sacks?
Mr. Sacks in Burgundy… with the winemakers…
But old Mr. Sacks, as you can see, is beginning to sag. I worry that items inside him will begin to fly out of his slouching pockets. I especially worry that money will fall out. For this reason, I sometimes follow close in Jean-Marc's wake as he goes about his errands. I am stumbling along behind him swatting my arms back and forth prepared to catch those banknotes that might come flying out of that sagging bag.
Mr. Sacks is coming apart at the seams, which just goes to show even sacks have middle-age crisis.
Over the years I've tried to get Jean-Marc to consider buying a new bag. Nothin' doin'! "But it's a hazard," I argue (a financial hazard at that! Just think if money really were flying out of that bag).
"I'm keeping my bag!" my husband always argues back.
A couple of weeks ago Jean-Marc announced with an ear-to-ear grin: Je l'ai fait réparer, mon sac. He had brought Mr. Sacks to the leather mender's, in town. The guy did a wonderful job, Jean-Marc told me, adding that the man was nearly 90 years old.
Any ill will or harsh feelings I may have felt regarding Mr. Sacks flew out of the picture (as those bank notes might have…). My heart smiled thinking of the wrinkled man sewing the wrinkled bag, one soul giving life back to the other, each content to be of service for as long as they were needed or wanted.
FRENCH VOCABULARY
vraiment = really
le bras = arm
droit = right
tu peux prendre ma sacoche = can you take my bag?
la maroquinerie = purse, bag, and luggage shop
le sac homme = man purse
je l'ai fait réparer = I had it fixed
mon sac = my purse
Oh dear. Here is Mr. Sacks on the little island of Porquerolles, with Jean-Marc and his formidable mop-spear. I hope you read about this confection–Jean-Marc was very proud of it–in the chapter "Lance".
Mr. Sacks in Caltagirone, Sicily… can't you see him sniffing the pretty flowers? Voilà, for this edition. If you feel like one more story, read about the time I found a heart-stopping message inside of Mr. Sacks.
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I just read the story about Mr. Sacks to my husband, and he said, “I’d call it a satchel.” Jean Marc can rest easy when someone tells him he’s carrying a “man purse”…it’s a satchel 🙂
Sandy
I just read the story about Mr. Sacks to my husband, and he said, “I’d call it a satchel.” Jean Marc can rest easy when someone tells him he’s carrying a “man purse”…it’s a satchel 🙂
Sandy
Love the story! My son absolutely loved his sacoche until his first day of school back in the US. He never used it again. I was so sad!
Love the story! My son absolutely loved his sacoche until his first day of school back in the US. He never used it again. I was so sad!
I enjoyed this posting on Mr. Sacks & your husband. Enjoyed your humor in telling the story and, as a reader, felt like I was following your husband and Mr. Sacks around on an adventure. Fun post!
I enjoyed this posting on Mr. Sacks & your husband. Enjoyed your humor in telling the story and, as a reader, felt like I was following your husband and Mr. Sacks around on an adventure. Fun post!
Chere Kristin,
Bonjour! So glad to be caught up again with my FWAD and commenting once more. Your posts during the last couple of months have been so beautiful and honest. Thank you for sharing your personal struggles and successes with us.
This story about JM and Monsieur Sac is just delightful. It touched my soul especially the end part about the leather repairman. I have a backpack with a totally broken zipper that I’ve had for over 20 years and I keep meaning to get it fixed. I will never part with it as it went with me to France during my time studying abroad and it has a leather patch on which I wrote my name and childhood address just in case I lost it. It also has a leather bottom and is such a nice, dependable bag. My husband Paul seems to be a backpack “collector” and always buys, trades, sells them for different ones. I guess he’s still trying to find one that is perfect for him. We spent so many years hiking in Vermont that backpacks were always needed and appreciated!
Have a great day and give kisses to Braise and Smokey for me!
Jean Marc-I hope you’re enjoying your trip around the States!
Chere Kristin,
Bonjour! So glad to be caught up again with my FWAD and commenting once more. Your posts during the last couple of months have been so beautiful and honest. Thank you for sharing your personal struggles and successes with us.
This story about JM and Monsieur Sac is just delightful. It touched my soul especially the end part about the leather repairman. I have a backpack with a totally broken zipper that I’ve had for over 20 years and I keep meaning to get it fixed. I will never part with it as it went with me to France during my time studying abroad and it has a leather patch on which I wrote my name and childhood address just in case I lost it. It also has a leather bottom and is such a nice, dependable bag. My husband Paul seems to be a backpack “collector” and always buys, trades, sells them for different ones. I guess he’s still trying to find one that is perfect for him. We spent so many years hiking in Vermont that backpacks were always needed and appreciated!
Have a great day and give kisses to Braise and Smokey for me!
Jean Marc-I hope you’re enjoying your trip around the States!
I’m way behind in my reading, but this is one of my favorite posts so far! I found myself a little jealous of Mr. Sacks myself but the end of the story. Bravo!
I’m way behind in my reading, but this is one of my favorite posts so far! I found myself a little jealous of Mr. Sacks myself but the end of the story. Bravo!
Love this post! Your story & photos are wonderful. It’s great to “hear” your delightful sense of humor.
Love this post! Your story & photos are wonderful. It’s great to “hear” your delightful sense of humor.
loved the story about the bag……so true how we are attached to things that are comfortable to us.
how did yall like croatia????
loved the story about the bag……so true how we are attached to things that are comfortable to us.
how did yall like croatia????
Have you ever heard of Mr. Sacks cousin, Mr. Satchel?
Well, this is one I had custom-made by a leather artisan in Texas about 15 years ago. It looks like a fanny pack but bigger and better (IMO). Mr. Satchel goes everywhere I go (but in bed – yet 🙂 and I feel naked without it. I know how it feels to have it stuffed to the gills too.
I guess it’s an European thing. Americans will not be seen with one. One of my ex-lady friend was afraid I would be attacked in the street by some anti gay redneck. After 15+ years of carrying it everywhere with me, I am proud to say no one made a negative comment about Mr. Satchel. As a matter of fact, I do get compliments on it – mostly by women 🙂
A proud satchel-carrying French man.
Have you ever heard of Mr. Sacks cousin, Mr. Satchel?
Well, this is one I had custom-made by a leather artisan in Texas about 15 years ago. It looks like a fanny pack but bigger and better (IMO). Mr. Satchel goes everywhere I go (but in bed – yet 🙂 and I feel naked without it. I know how it feels to have it stuffed to the gills too.
I guess it’s an European thing. Americans will not be seen with one. One of my ex-lady friend was afraid I would be attacked in the street by some anti gay redneck. After 15+ years of carrying it everywhere with me, I am proud to say no one made a negative comment about Mr. Satchel. As a matter of fact, I do get compliments on it – mostly by women 🙂
A proud satchel-carrying French man.
What a fun little story. I had a pair of leather loafers as a teenager that I had resoled a couple of times by an ancient gentleman who always had a cigar hanging out of his mouth while he worked.It maybe cost 50 cents to have it done. He did it for the visits and to keep busy. He kept those beloved shoes going until they disintegrated.Very few people in this day and age get to enjoy these types of experiences.
What a fun little story. I had a pair of leather loafers as a teenager that I had resoled a couple of times by an ancient gentleman who always had a cigar hanging out of his mouth while he worked.It maybe cost 50 cents to have it done. He did it for the visits and to keep busy. He kept those beloved shoes going until they disintegrated.Very few people in this day and age get to enjoy these types of experiences.
I enjoyed the story of the favourite sac! Don’t we all have something that is showing wear but from which we cannot part? I hoped to see a closeup photo of the repair job. This has inspired me to use more often my favourite Roots leather bag which I sometimes leave home in hopes of preserving it.
I enjoyed the story of the favourite sac! Don’t we all have something that is showing wear but from which we cannot part? I hoped to see a closeup photo of the repair job. This has inspired me to use more often my favourite Roots leather bag which I sometimes leave home in hopes of preserving it.
Loved this one!!
Loved this one!!
Ah, Mr. Sacks! How well I remember that evening when Jean-Marc left Mr. Sacks in the farmhouse we had rented in Vaison. You had come for dinner with Margaret, Mom and me but left Mr. Sacks behind. The next day you were working the last day of harvest in Chateau-Neuf-de-Pape at JM’s uncles vineyard so we dropped off Mr. Sacks at Domaine Rouge-Bleu. I am glad to have the memory of reuniting Jean-Marc with Mr. Sacks.
Ah, Mr. Sacks! How well I remember that evening when Jean-Marc left Mr. Sacks in the farmhouse we had rented in Vaison. You had come for dinner with Margaret, Mom and me but left Mr. Sacks behind. The next day you were working the last day of harvest in Chateau-Neuf-de-Pape at JM’s uncles vineyard so we dropped off Mr. Sacks at Domaine Rouge-Bleu. I am glad to have the memory of reuniting Jean-Marc with Mr. Sacks.
Mr Sacks is part of the family now.
Great story!
Mr Sacks is part of the family now.
Great story!
Kristi… I soooo get it! J-M, I am on your side! I have a camera bag, that is 14 years old and I have had it repaired twice and sewn together once by myself with dental floss! Worked great but looked odd. I cannot buy a replacement as they do not make them anymore. It just withstood more than a month all over France, so it is a real keeper. It holds: my large Nikon D7100 , 2 lenses, small make up bag, my wallet , hair brush, toothbrush and paste, hand cream, pens, Swiss army knife, a small notebook, camera batteries and chargers, passport and tickets and other tiny bits and bobs! I love it and will cry the day it cannot be repaired anymore. I also have a very old photojournalists vest which my husband says makes me look like a ‘clodo’, but I love it and will not give it up. I did buy a new one for our trip, but it was not ‘broken in enough’ so it did not go! J-M will know exactly the moment when and Mr. Sacks must part company… be patient. Judi Dunn, Tallahassee, Fl.
Kristi… I soooo get it! J-M, I am on your side! I have a camera bag, that is 14 years old and I have had it repaired twice and sewn together once by myself with dental floss! Worked great but looked odd. I cannot buy a replacement as they do not make them anymore. It just withstood more than a month all over France, so it is a real keeper. It holds: my large Nikon D7100 , 2 lenses, small make up bag, my wallet , hair brush, toothbrush and paste, hand cream, pens, Swiss army knife, a small notebook, camera batteries and chargers, passport and tickets and other tiny bits and bobs! I love it and will cry the day it cannot be repaired anymore. I also have a very old photojournalists vest which my husband says makes me look like a ‘clodo’, but I love it and will not give it up. I did buy a new one for our trip, but it was not ‘broken in enough’ so it did not go! J-M will know exactly the moment when and Mr. Sacks must part company… be patient. Judi Dunn, Tallahassee, Fl.
La Poubelle!
La Poubelle!