The four of us made a break for it when the sun came out a little before 2:00 and headed to the basketball hoop in the parking lot of the neighborhood church. When I say we “made a break for it,” I mean we threatened the kids with taking away their phones if they didn’t get off their screens and get their shoes on right this minute.
Maxine and I were on one team, and Chris and Edwin were on the other because it was fair that way. Chris and Maxine actually know how to play the game. I was fouling, traveling, and double-dribbling all over the place, while Edwin really had no clue what to do other than try to get the ball through the hoop. He didn’t know he couldn’t just grab Maxine and had no concept of out-of-bounds. We decided to play pretty loose, but we drew the line at the kids kicking each other.
After nearly an hour, I was relieved when Maxine declared she had “girl issues” and needed to return home immediately. I suspected the situation wasn’t quite as dire as she suggested, but I was ready to call it quits. We left Chris and Edwin there, and I was pleasantly surprised to hear no protest from Edwin when Chris suggested they play a round of Horse. Will this be the one? Is this the game I’ve been waiting for to bring us even closer as a family? The one we can finally all agree upon? The game that, when suggested, nobody groans, rolls their eyes, scowls, or flat out refuses to be a part of? Probably not, but at least we can continue to threaten to take away their phones if they don’t play with us and pretend to not hate it.
My Corner of the Village 