I recently read an article about remembering games we’d played as children.
It only listed 9 but they were not all of the ones I can remember. The most glaring omissions were Hide and Seek, and Tag (not even Freeze Tag). And while it did list Red Rover, Simon Says, and Mother May I, there was no mention of Red Light, Green Light.
Then there were the games I never played as a kid. Namely Four Square and Marbles. Jacks was also omitted. It mentioned Hopscotch but not jumping rope. I don’t remember playing Hopscotch or Cat’s Cradle (both mentioned) but I’m sure I did a few times.
Another one mentioned was Kick the Can, which I had heard of, but only the sense of our parents used to play it. I wasn’t even sure how to play it until I read the article. But reading that I realized it was similar to a game our uncle taught us, Beckon. Similar as there was hiding, but you didn’t have to kick a can, you just had to give a hand signal.
Reading that description I immediately went back to playing it with our uncle. That particular summer day he’d told us not to get into any of the cars parked in the driveway and in full view of the “base”. I did not get into any of the cars. But my uncle could not find me and realized I had to be in view of the base because my siblings kept re-hiding.
He looked all the way around the cars, even under them, and peering inside. I can still remember watching him doing it while I was crouched in my hiding place, very sure he’d spot me. He did not.
Because I was not in or under the cars. And unless you looked between the cars from the front, you couldn’t see me. I’m not sure what to call these models of cars, but they were common in the 60s. There were at least two parked at Grandma and Grandpa’s house, and so close together that their runners (the step at the bottom of the doors) were touching. After these models that step got skinnier until it was nonexistent. These were almost wide enough to sit on, but two together? Tiny little me had plenty of room.
My uncle finally had to call Ollie, Ollie, Oxen-free. He told me later he had assumed we were too big to fit in that tiny space between the cars. I know this was in the early 70s, and I could have easily been my full-grown height already, but I was still at or under a 100 pounds. So not big. I not only fit, but it was very comfortable.
The final game mentioned?
Capture the Flag.
Yeah, that brought back a very specific memory.
I can still see the summer day. The huge front yard perfectly cut in half by the sidewalk from the front gate to the front porch, and wide open between the house and fence line with no real place to hide. I even remember we had a couple of baby blankets for flags, I’m just not sure where we got them from. perhaps my sister and I had them for doll blankets.
The event was our birthday party which had somehow become a block party. I have never had so many guests before or after. It was a blast, especially when it was mentioned we could play some games. The large yard lent itself to a game of Capture the Flag.
I’m sure, our babysitter’s husband, a large bear of a man who loved kids, and games, was the one who suggested it and said my sister and I should be the captains. We picked teams and soon I was standing at the back of my side guarding our flag and watching most everybody else at the sidewalk over near the house attempting skirmishes without getting captured.
My side was losing big time. I watched them for a few then realized with Bonnie and I dressed exactly the same, which was rare, they wouldn’t be able to tell us apart. With her in the middle of the skirmishes, I calmly walked over to where her flag was keeping well away from the skirmishes. I then calmly talked to her teammates for a few after I’d already stuffed her flag into my pocket. Then I calmly walked back to where my flag was.
By that time, they’d captured my entire team other than the two guarding my flag.
Then they noticed their flag was gone. As yells went up, asking where it was, I held it up, waving it in the air. “It’s okay. I have it right here.”
Best win ever.
What’s your favorite “game memory”?
Smile. Make the day a brighter day.
No comments:
Post a Comment