Thursday, April 19, 2007

Here’s One I Prepared Earlier

Yesterday evening was an evening of trying to appear responsible, sophisticated and mature and failing miserably.

In my capacity as Responsible Youth Group Leader it was my duty to visit and observe another similar group in all their youthful exuberance. Timings dictated that I had to go straight from work thereby ensuring that I was not too sensibly attired in a work suit, as opposed to the more sensible jeans and a T-Shirt, as is my usual wont in those circumstances.

One might think that, so attired, I could have moved around the group holding a clipboard and looking important. Sadly it was not to be. We were playing games and I was to join in. Gamely (sorry) I did so and was soon down on my hands and knees playing a game of snakes and ladders, observing as I did so, dice flying all over the room (we soon put a stop to that) and arguments on whether it might be possible to change the rules to allow players to move up snakes and down ladders (future politicians all).

Our next mission was a craft activity which involved coloured ice lolly sticks, pictures of cute teddy bears and pictures of flowers with, inexplicably, a rather evil looking eye in the centre. These kids might need counselling. In fact, as it turned out, we were making a noughts and crosses game but what we really needed was Rolf Harris on hand to say “Can you tell what it is yet?” I certainly couldn’t even when it was finished and it had to be explained to me.

Have you ever tried to play twister on a business suit? I can now say that I have tried it and it is not a course of action that I would recommend. A business suit strains and stretches with every spin of that twister wheel. And then there are the limitations of your own body to contend with. I thought that I was quite supple, but no, my body just refused to take me to the same places that the bodies of 7 – 12 year olds took them.

Playing twister has another unfortunate side effect. It always gets me humming Man on the Moon by REM due to the line about playing twister and risk (although we didn’t play the latter and to be perfectly honest I have no idea how to play it). Therefore, picture the scene. I’m variously contorting my body in all sorts of positions, falling over, trying to maintain my composure and humming Man on the Moon. And this is me trying to appear important and grown up? Perhaps not an unmitigated success but at least the end of the evening was in sight and I was soon able to skulk away to regain my composure.

This is not, you understand, my official report. In that, I will say that I was the undisputed Twister Champion, winner at Snakes and Ladders and made by far the best Noughts and Crosses game ever seen. Well you’ve got to have some positive statistics in a report haven’t you?

6 comments:

Squirmy Popple said...

You're never too old for Twister.

Gwen said...

I will remind myself of this and repeat it to myself should another Twister situation come my way. Thanks

Cursed Tea said...

throw in some alcohol and twister reaches new levels of silly!!

Best Wishes
Kirsty

Gwen said...

Thanks Kirsty

That's something I will need to try sometime.

Funvill said...

>> it might be possible to change the rules to allow players to move up snakes and down ladders (future politicians all).

That kind of funny since Snakes in ladder was invented to teach Hindu children right from wrong.

Gwen said...

Hi Steven

Thanks for your comment. I didn't know that. That's very interesting especially in the light of the way the kids tried to change it. Hopefully on this occasion right prevailed over wrong.

Please visit again.