THE QUIRKY GAME WE PLAYED IN CHILDHOOD.

"We didn't realize we were making memories,we just knew we were having fun."

Q is for quirky game of childhood:

How about narrating a quirky game, we played in our childhood. My reflections on the subject took me back in time, when I’s in my primary school years. Then the evenings were wholly solely meant to be indulged in whatever thrilled us. There was  complete surrender to the idea of delight with ‘no care in the world attitude’.

How splendid childhood days were! Wish they could be replicated. Perhaps, they would, “if wishes were horses” and we could ride back in time. The utmost one can do is to wallow in nostalgia.  Well, to pen those moments’ means recreating the repertoire of emotions, excitement, passion and sheer joy, which I think is beyond words. Yet, try I must.

We were a gang of girls and our games were girly. The most popular one was Chupa Chupai (‘Hide and seek’). Though, there were many other games in our kitty, yet nothing could beat the pleasure, thrill and physical workout ‘Hide and seek’ entailed.

Our playgroup consisted of about half a dozen girls, more or less of the same age. We’d gather at a predetermined house of one of the participants at the stipulated time. To start with, one of us had to become the volunteer seeker. She was supposed to go near the boundary of the house, close her eyes and count up to a fixed number (mostly up to ten) slowly and loudly to  allow others to conceal themselves.  On our part, we’d run helter - skelter like maniacs to find the spookiest place to hide. In no time, we would squeeze our small bodies behind cobwebbed Amirah’s, under the low cots, in the farthest dirty corner somewhere, in the congested storeroom behind tin trunks and behind dark bathroom doors. The war like cry of the seeker, 'here I come' used to send chill down our spines. Our hearts would thump in our tender bodies in fear and ecstasy. When the seeker’s footsteps were heard close by, we would even stop breathing to prevent being caught. The suspense would keep us on edge. Finally, after gnawing tense moments, one of us would we found out to the accompaniment of shouts, screams and clapping. Everyone would emerge from her hideout.  The one found out first would assume the role of seeker and the game would start once again.

I wonder why we never had enough of it. Only our parents', admonitions could drag us home.

For a couple of years more, we kept this tempo of playing various games with complete abandon.  Soon life entered a more serious phase with its own problems and shocks and the girly games were played no more.

Friends,welcome here as always! Pl. share your own experiences of childhood games!

 Quote and images: courtesy Google

For :
ABC Wednesday