2001-08-02 - 23:52 MDT

THE WONDERING JEW

Like It Was

Boy games had rituals and formalities pretty well set in concrete when I was a kid.

FIRST -- The leaders or captains were ones already established in that role. In choosing up sides the selection was made alternately by the captains. Much of this was a diplomatic power game. Could take half and hour or more.

SECOND -- Any game rules having been set by the grown up world were changed to suit the whim of the crowd. Each rule was dickered over, eventually agreed upon. Then the "what if's" were dealt with in a similar manner. Could take half hour or more to settle.

THIRD -- Then in a Senatorial manner the baselines, goals, net height and all manner of ground rules, all debated and the "what ifs" dealt with. Sometimes it only took fifteen minutes.

FOURTH -- Then came the determination of which side had the first turn. Much debate and loud contention happened there.

FIFTH -- Most often in back lot games it was assumed fair play would ensue and occasionally did happen. When it was assumed by one side or the other that a rule had been broken, heated argument took place taking about a half hour, depending on the impatience of the crowd.

SIXTH -- So about two and a half hours was taken up by just oiling the machinery of Boy Games. Then play would begin.

SEVENTH -- After a period of play came the summons from home for lunch or supper, ignored as long as possible.

EIGHTH -- Then came the chorus of whines all using the ploy as if by rote that the game was not finished yet and it was of world shaking importance to go on with it.

NINTH -- Finally at home, the rebellion quelled, came the table discussion introduced by Dad or Mom by asking, "You kids have been out there for hours, how long does it take to play a game anyhow ?" Usually took fifteen minutes or more.

TENTH -- Then back and forth it would go. The boy struggling to adeqately express himself to get his point across quickly yet leaving nothing out lest his parents would lose patience. Finally accepting the fact that he was on the losing side the boy would fall silent.

ELEVENTH -- Some three hours, and more, had passed then the ferocious sulks made their appearance and the boy tried to amuse himself trying to appear with the face of, "I'm mad and gonna stay that way forever," sometimes not even letting on to himself that fun was being had.

TWELFTH -- Then the final struggle of the day, Bedtime. Quibbling about that was limited to the patience of the parent and the boy assumed the horizontal, sacked position.

THIRTEENTH -- Rinse and repeat tomorrow. Time drug along but, but the Game would go as stated -- by the numbers.

FOURTEENTH -- Rinse and repeat tomorrow.

Back then that is Like It Was . . . . . .

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