Rock, Paper, Scissors - I have a secret weapon

 

Rock, Paper, Scissors - I have a secret weapon
5 December 2013

Rock, Paper, Scissors – I take no prisoners.  Unless I’m the paper, in which case, I take the rock.

So just the other day, Amber and I were supposedly studying together for her Geography exam.  But, I must confess, that we got a bit bored.  And this is probably to be expected.  Grade 5 Geography, aimed at eleven year olds, is not all that stimulating.  Even for the eleven year olds.

We managed to charge through the work relatively quick-quick.  Me, explaining along the way, and Amber gesticulating wildly that she knew all of her work.  Still, we went through the whole tedious lot.  And it made time dra-a-a-a-ag.

After a while, we decided we were done.  But we elected to continue staying behind closed doors in her room, under the auspices of studying.  It gave us a bit of quiet alone time and was a rather welcome reprieve from the three boys in our home.  Sadly us ladies are outnumbered, and every so often a break from the testosterone floating around is refreshingly pleasant.  Even necessary.

We saw the need for stealth and quiet.  As we knew – the second they knew we were finished, they’d start bothering us.  As boys tend to do.  They’d be hungry (they very often are).  They’d want one of us to throw a ball at them (they have these demands very often too).  They’d want to talk about soccer (this is a dripping-tap-type constant in our home).  They’d want a cup of coffee (okay, that’s all Grant – but still).

We realised, we’d have to surreptitiously, under the cover of “quiet study time”, have ourselves some fun.  However, we’d have to be super quiet.  What to do?  What to play? 

But here’s the thing.  No matter how silly the game is, the second you add an element of secret and conspiracy, the more enticing it becomes.  And hence, we chose “Rock, Paper, Scissors” as our game of choice.

And unbelievable though it sounds, we had a blast.  We muffled our laughter behind pillows and tried our best not to make too much noise.  Once Grant walked past Amber’s window, as he was busy in the garden, and I immediately switched over to “Geography-mode” – in rather believable fashion, if I say so myself – “The capital of Mpumalanga is…..?”  I do believe I also threw in a few keywords like “Eastern Escarpment, plateau, indigenous”, etc.

Anyway, the problem with our little fun game, was the fact that Amber completely and utterly whipped my butt.  It was an embarrassing defeat.  Humiliating in fact.  Which of course just served the purpose of making us giggle even more.  No matter what “weapon” I chose, albeit Rock, Paper or those blasted Scissors, she bested me.

In an attempt to gain back some lost ground, I implored and pleaded with her for a race of “first-one-to-get-10-points-wins”.  With no joy.  I was a gonner.  No hope at all.  We were heading towards a white wash.  I was eight-nil down.

Until…..

I had a wave of inspiration.  A stroke of genius! 

It was time to unleash my secret weapon.  A weapon so potent and powerful, it was bound to rattle even the strongest and calmest of opponents in a cut throat game of “Rock, Paper, Scissors”…..

I swopped hands and used my left hand instead.

Well, quite predictably, it threw the opposition completely.  And to give me my due, I made a valiant recovery.  Even a comeback of sorts. 

And so with a mere seven-five losing margin, I was sure that victory would be sweet.  Imminent.  And mine.

But alas, not even my left hand could save me.

In years to come, this is what I shall remember.  Not the Eastern Escarpment.  Nor the capital of Mpumalanga.  Or the indigenous whatever and plateau either.

I’ll remember my sweetest little Berry and I, having a silly game or Rock, Paper, Scissors.  Giggling.  Laughing.  And being happy.

And how tight my heart squeezed with over flowing love.

And thus I stand corrected - Grade 5 Geography rocks!

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