Summer Games

Although it's still hot as Hades (some folks calls it hell, I calls it Hades), school starting back and football around the corner reminds me that summer is coming to a close. That gets me to thinking about all the stuff we used to do in the summer, as kids. That, in turn, gets me to thinking about all the stuff we used to do as kids. Some of it was pretty dangerous.

For example, games like 'chicken', where you were expected to ride whatever vehicle or bike directly into your opponent. If you didn't, you were 'chicken'. Do you really win that game? Even if the other kid chickens out and runs his or her bike into the ditch, you don't win because the other kid will inevitably rat you out when his or her mom asks how they got so bruised up. After all, they're chickens!

Then, there were the backyard sports. Football being the obvious way to get hurt, I was also injured playing basketball and even wiffle ball! My buddy Byron almost broke his leg sliding into 2nd base. Of course, 2nd base also happened to be a steel clothesline pole.

And then there were the just plain stupid things. These usually start with boredom or a dare. Sometimes both. "I wonder if I could ride the wagon down the side of that drainage ditch."
"Betcha can't."
"Betcha I can..."

Flip. Death.

Childhood was such a blast!