subject: When We Were Very Young(we Didnt Possess Computer Games!) [print this page] Not long ago I was visiting a mate whilst he was baby sitting his grandchildren who were staying for a few days. They had brought all sorts of things to keep theirselves occupied (and out of Grandads way!). Aside from the old favourites of books, board games and puzzles they had at the same time brought a computer games machine with which they were now engaged in some sort of battle against the forces of darkness. Outdoors the sky was a lovely blue and the sun was blazing, excellent for a stroll or a nature ramble so we put a time limit on the game making it clear that when the time was up we would go out and take advantage of the sunshine. The little ones were fine with this because they likewise get pleasure from being out of doors, most of all with Grandad and his old mate.
We enjoyed a cuppa when waiting for the agreed twenty minutes to pass by and started to reminisce about the games we used to play when we were young ones, when things were much less complicated. To begin with we very rarely used to play in the house, if we did it would be school or house with our big sisters, hoping the rainfall would soon finish. Even so, the greatest games we played were always outside where we ran, clambered and climbed, filling our lungs with healthful fresh air.
We lived near to agricultural land and so when the crops were high we could crawl about without being noticed, make dens or sneak up on each other. After the harvest we would pile up the straw into enormous mounds and then dive into it, we never seemed to get in trouble with the farmer at all.
The street we lived on was small; there was very little traffic and rarely any parked vehicles. There were plenty of children on the street therefore we were hardly ever short of friends or enough people for team games. From time to time we would not be permitted beyond the street and some of the games became fairly pointless, for instance recording all the house numbers, this did not take long because they only went up to 29! A paper chase was really fun, a scrap of paper was hidden in a wall in front of a house, on it was written the number of the next house to search at and so on. On the very last slip would be a sign as to where to discover the first team.
Because it was a quiet street we were able to play team games that were played out across the roadway. Many of their names are now lost to me nonetheless I can remember Jolly Tomato Men we must have misheard the right title because it was properly Here Come Two Jolly Men Out of Work. One gang mimed a job and the other team had to work out what it was. Another was Red Rover; yet again two teams faced each other across the road, this time with joined hands. A member of one gang had to run at the other and break through the joined hands, Once I snapped a finger at this when my hand connected with the next childs head oh happy days!
Before long the 20 minutes was passed and outside we all went into the sunshine getting puzzled looks from the youngsters as we continued our conversation about What Time is it Mr Wolf and Bung Off.
