us methodist kids junior high age
went to epworth league sunday nights
we got the prayer hymn any bit of
program out of the way fast for then
came the games! “poor puss” was a
favorite we sat in chairs in a circle
“it” blindfolded stumbled around till
he – or she – found a lap sat in it the
“sittee” said “poor puss” and stroked
the kitty’s back kitty had to guess
whose lap – ah the physicality! but the
best game was a kind of reverse “hide
and seek” – “it’ hid anywhere in the
dimlit church when you found “it” you
crawled in with him or her the next finder
did the same the site would get more and
more crammed more and more tightly
packed all of us silent except for stifled
breathing a few giggles till only one kid
was still hunting – the last to find the
crowded cache (we’d all then tumble out)
was the next hider I’m sure you recognize
why sardines was a hit – but didn’t we
have adult supervision? well yes but
they’d survived the sport ten years before
and saw no harm in any stolen squeezes
2020 Jacqueline Jackson
This article appears in Going home.
