gameboys

Boys.

They rarely lose their innate sense of

fun and games

and

challenges and competition

and

camaraderie and testing of boundaries

amongst their friends.

Fortunately for me, my daughter often regales me with tales of the latest 'games' her boyfriend Mike and his college dorm mates have created.

As of this writing, there appear to be four games which are regularly enjoyed.

Be warned, however.

ALL of these games have components of the absurd and may be considered inappropriate...borderline offensive to some.

But alas...let the games begin...

The first is called, "Get Down Mr. President."

As Mike explains,

"one person in the room touches their finger to their ear and looks around at their friends. Slowly everyone else puts a finger to their ear. The last person without a finger in the ear is the President and gets tackled as they all yell, "Get Down Mr. President."

The second game is called "Blow Darts."

It essentially requires the participants to blow "fake darts" at each other - using the magic of pantomime! Once you have been hit...you MUST freeze. The object of the game is to cause the person to freeze in the most awkward position possible. For example, as they are about to exit an elevator - causing the door to continually hit them in the shoulder!!!!

But wait...there's more...

The only time the imaginary "blow dart" has no effect is if the player happens to be wearing a "mask" - of their OWN making - using their OWN two hands to form upside down goggles (see photo below).

If the player moves when they are supposed to be frozen, other players are permitted 'slap' them on the head. 

Honestly. I couldn't make this stuff up.

The third game is called "Suicide Chess."

It is completely counter-intuitive as it requires the winner of the game to be the player who is the first to purposefully 'lose.'

Yup. You read that right.

The final game is called, "Helen Keller."

(Brace yourself for this description).

This game, which is played exclusively in a pool, bares a striking resemblance to the oft-played Marco Polo - except that none of the players are allowed to see or speak to each other.

I know.

Completely insensitive and inappropriate...and, if truth be told...

a little bit funny in their irony and in-your-face boldness.

I should point out that each of the young men who collectively created these inanely hysterical games come from diverse backgrounds representing various ethnicities, socio-economic backgrounds, religious affiliations and political leanings.

And yet...being politically correct and inoffensive to and with each other is the furthest thing from their minds. 

Instead...

much like the ol' Cyndi Lauper song,

these boys "just wanna have fun..."

and perhaps in doing so push each other's limits along with social propriety.

And perhaps in creating these absurd games of wit and imagination and competition and challenge they are, unknowingly, challenging the absurdity of life in all of its' adult seriousness and political correctness?

And as I listen to the ever growing list of new games, I laugh and shake my head at the wonderful, creative, joyful minds that have concocted them.

I sit in awe of their silliness and apparent purposelessness.

Because on the face of it,

other than being the victor and having fun, there is no true purpose to these games.

But...in having fun...and letting loose...

in ridding themselves of too much seriousness...

they have inadvertently achieved something far more priceless...

connection with each other

and

a lightness of being.

Carry on Boys...hope I haven't ruined it with all of my seriousness. ;))

Subscribe

Sign up with your email address to receive my weekly blog.

Email Address

Sign Up

We respect your privacy.

Thank you!