PLAYGROUND GAMES

I know it has been a while since I have been on here... life is busy. But
I learned something the other day at work... Since I work at an elementary school with over 1000 students, I overhear many things and observe far more behaviors than I would prefer in the student population. It just so happened that as I was leaving for lunch, the first graders were going outside for recess. Walking down the sidewalk were a boy and a girl. The boy says to the girl, “You wanna chase me?” and you know what she said???? Of course you do... she said and I quote, “OKAY.”

I stopped and looked at the two of them and shook my head as I was struck by an epiphany… we girls just aren’t very bright when it comes to boys. Ok, now I know you are thinking… gee, isn’t she the most brilliant single girl on the planet. I suppose this could be part of why I am single. :o) But that, my friends, I will save for another day.

Back to the playground.... As I look back on my past, I realize that my love life has been a myriad of playground games. It all began in grade school with basically the same words I heard just the other day, “Do you wanna chase me?” Knowing myself as well as I do, I am sure my answer was the completely devoid of thought response that the little first grade girl gave... I am sure I said “okay.” I mean think about it, don’t most relationships truly start out looking like a game of tag? In the beginning, the fun in tag is the chasing (and being chased.) Lets just take a little closer look at the game of tag...

Ok, first, you must have at least two people to play the game of tag.... If you only have one person, they can be running after someone, but if no one else is playing then face it.... it isn’t really a game of tag. (I personally would call it stalking.) Secondly, there are some problems with the game of tag. For instance, when two people are playing tag, one of the players might get tired of the game and just stop playing and goes off to do something else, thus leaving either the chaser or chasee to now be by themselves. Another little problem is that sometimes tag involves not only one other person, but several other players that are also being chased. Tag does not always appear to be real exclusive. Yet another aspect of tag that could go awry is that the object being chased is never going to weary of the game and fully intends to continue running and running ad nauseum. The obvious idea behind the game of tag is that you ultimately catch the target you are chasing... or that you finally stop running so you can be caught (depending on which side you are on.)

There is an element of mystery involved in tag. So many different strategies can be used. For instance, there is the direct approach… this is the no-holds-barred approach. It is the running out in the open as hard and fast as you can toward the desired object. It is no secret to anyone, it’s obvious, even to the casual observer what is happening. Then there is the more subtle approach.... here the chaser subtlely maneuvers their way toward the object by engaging in conversation with those around the object or pretending to do something else all the while they are edging closer to the object. A third tag technique is the reverse psychology approach. This is where the chaser acts like they aren’t playing the stupid game of tag at all. They act as though they are totally disinterested in the object. This typically results in one of two things happening… 1) the object doesn’t notice or doesn’t care that there is no game of tag being played or 2) wonders why there is no game and will initiate the game themselves.... even if they must do the chasing.... Ah yes, the game of TAG!

Then we girls get a little older and graduate to the game of kickball or even worse... dodgeball. We get sooo excited that the boy has asked us to play an obviously potentially harmful game and then wonder why we get hurt? Boys play rough! Sometimes they mean to kick or throw the really hard so that either a) it hurts the girls, or b) there is no possible way the girl could catch the object. But frequently the pain they inflict is just an unintentional unfortunate side effect of the game. Again, really..... so often we girls take one look at the dodgeball court and know good and well that the game can be terribly dangerous and painful, but do we say “NO” when we are asked to play??? Heck no! And why is it that we don’t say no? Well folks, it’s because we girls believe that maybe just maybe this time will be the time we dodge the pain and actually catch the ball.

How often do we actually win at these playground games? Well, I’m not really sure, but me and most of my girlfriends’ think not very often! And why not? Because, players by definition are there to play. They enjoy the game and just like any pro football or baseball player, they like the notoriety that comes along with being a successful player. Age is not a deterrent for the true player..... you know the ones I am talking about, the Brett Farves of the world (no offense to Brett (I personally kinda like him) but he is a good example. Even when they have passed their prime and really should hang up the pads or cleats, they do whatever it takes to continue the game.... even if it means inflicting various degrees of pain on themselves and the other participants in the game.

So is there any hope for this little first grade girl? Why sure there is! At least I hope so anyways! When she gets a little older, all she must do is introduce a new more enticing game. A game that will make the boy leave the dodgeball court and engage in a more fun, less painful form of play.

Now if this grown-up first grader could just figure out what that new enticing game is.............