Making time to play

[sperfur]

Have you ever tapped a stranger on the shoulder, said "You're it!" and run away?

Ellen Degeneres suggests it on her 'The Beginning' DVD.

I've only had the hankering to do it once or twice. One time I remember clearly, my boyfriend Brian and I had just finished dinner at Chevy's Fresh Mex.

I tapped a guy on the shoulder as we were walking out the door and said, "You're it!" Poor guy - he was sitting there innocently finishing his dinner.

A few minutes later, he and his friend came racing into the parking lot. He ran up to Brian (350 lb former captain of the football team - reminds you of an Ent but I can't outrun him on foot), tapped him on the shoulder, screamed, "YOU'RE IT!!!", and sprinted back inside with his friend, giggling.

I laughed for the rest of the night. That took a lot of guts - Brian is a forboding individual.

Today, as I wore my camouflage outfit (my new camouflage skirt, withaK's army t-shirt and camouflage summer jacket), I played. I played with just about everybody I saw. I'd be walking, then I'd stop, stand real still and say, "Can you see me?" I walked into someone's office while she was on the phone and stood straight up against the wall - she started to laugh so hard she had a difficult time explaining what had happened to the person she was talking with.

I don't know if it was the day, the game, or if I my enjoyment of the joke was just too contagious to resist, but every single one of the people I did this to today smiled (except one, but I don't think he's human). Most of them laughed. Many of them joined in the game - "Where'd you go?", "Oh my - I didn't see you there!", "I almost ran into you!" Several of these are people I wouldn't be able to get to crack a smile if I had a dancing monkey that was handing out $100 bills.

The best comedians don't just tell jokes - they teach. If Ellen had been there today, she would have been proud. I am a good student, and I took her lesson to heart.

[aenea]

Good on ya!

More people need to do this I think.

[Beauty Personified]

Originally Posted by sperfur

Today, as I wore my camouflage outfit ... I walked into someone's office while she was on the phone and stood straight up against the wall - she started to laugh so hard she had a difficult time explaining what had happened to the person she was talking with.

I would have been tempted to lean my whole body against "the wall", or maybe just one strategically placed hand. If you tried to hide yourself against a cork bulletin board, I might have tried stapling a message onto you. If you were hiding in front of a coat rack, you might find yourself a victim of a butt-rub. I need something to scratch my butt against. It's the cat in me.

Anyhoo...

[Dragwyr]

This is why having kids is such a blessing to me. I get to play like that all the time. In fact last night after they got their pajamas on, I had the 3 of them line up behind me and play a spur of the moment follow the leader game around the house, ending up in the bathroom for teeth brushing. They really enjoyed it.

Around other adults I play as well, but since I'm a magician, it usually takes the form of doing some sort of mind bending illusion at a time when people least expect it.