Games

The big game is upon us, a.k.a. Super Bowl, and all throughout the land there is much hype and purchasing of chips, dips and big screen televisions. I know enough about football to fill an eyedropper and that might even be a stretch. I am completely baffled by men grabbing, grunting and banging heads for the sake of getting a ball across a certain line. I am also shocked at how much money folks are willing to spend in the name of the game. My Calvinistic frugality cringes at such extravagance but I am going to hope some portion of the gajillion dollars spent goes to a good cause, somewhere, somehow.

With limited resources, few televisions, no electronics and little fear of safety, the playground games of my youth were a bit different from those found today. Our merry-go-round was a death trap to those pushing on the interior spokes, frantically trying to goad centrifugal force into action. The tall slide with open steps and no guard rails begged for climbing and crawling unrelated to the purpose of the slide. Somehow, we survived but I do think our merry-go-round should forever rest in peace.

Our group games were simple in nature and usually required little or no equipment. A favorite was Red Rover. Two teams made a chain, linking elbow to elbow and calling for a runner from the opposite team to break through the arm links. "Red Rover, Red Rover, send so and so right over." Of course, the so and so called was always the scrawny kid who had the heft of a mosquito. But, mosquitos have their own strategies. Look for the weak link along the chain, get a good run going and flail with all your might against the entwined arms. I always had a chance for action in this game because I was weak. Sometimes I had to run and always I was attacked by a runner. I don't remember if I was ever successful, but odds are I just finished the game with a sore abdomen.

Dare Base was another popular recess event. The rules were quite complicated. Suffice it to say, the primary objective was putting kids from the opposing team in "jail" and rescuing your own team members from their captors. I also enjoyed this game because I could be a part of the game without ever being too productive. Being in jail meant that I could just stand there with my hand outstretched waiting for someone else to do all the work. Staying out of jail meant keeping a low profile and not venturing too far out into enemy territory. Sign me up for that gig.

Fox and Geese was a winter weather game. Elaborate paths were tromped out in the snow to resemble the spokes of a wheel. I have no memory of the rules of the game. I think we spent more time stomping out the perfect design than we did playing the game. I know for sure that I was never the fox. The hapless goose was most likely my designation.

Recess games taught me a lot about competition and myself. It's okay to lose. You will find friends who have also made peace with losing. You will find strategies that help you avoid games. And, most of all, you will enjoy games that allow you to be yourself.

Forgive me for not wearing any particular colors for the big game this weekend. I will enjoy the grocery specials on snack foods. I love chips and this is my weekend.

Go, team, go!