Elementary PE long ago. Long, thick rope laying on the gym floor, awaiting 'tuggers.' Teacher would try to evenly divide the class into two teams of weight, strength, #of boys/girls, etc. Ain't sure where you are from, but at Franklin Elementary in Liberty, MO, that tweren't how it happened. In the interest of time (ya only have PE for 30 minutes), perhaps teacher laziness... It was "Count off...the 'odds' are over here, 'evens' over there."
You hoped for the biggest specimen for the anchor spot. You hoped all the 'wiseacres' were divvied up (wiseacres are the conspirators who would prearrange "all let go when Jimmy hollers the key word", thus, laughing, watching as the other team collapses backwards in a huff, banging their heads, potentially becoming concussed before we ever even knew what the word meant.
It, of course, was hoped your team would win, AND finish with all the skin still on your palms. Braggin' rights, maybe raising your hand to your forehead, forming an 'L' with your thumb and forefinger, should you, in passing (lunch, recess, school bus) come across someone on the losing team.
Kinda resembles our life battles. Jets/Sharks ("When you're a jet you're a jet all the way from your first cigarette to your last dying day",), Crushers/Bombers, little league, or maybe more locally, Duncan Oil/Moore's Barber Shop. Ya furrow your brow, show ya' teeth and your lips vibrate spastically like hound pooch ready to fight. Ya don't really know why, but ya do.
We spend a lifetime wading in, thru, conflict. Classmates. Rival city sport's, band, debate, cheer teams. Coworkers. Underlings, management. 'Thought' friends that maybe ain't.
Inlaws, some, maybe. Dem/Pub, young/old, rich, poor, different colors, religion, language, size, likes, wants, needs, haves, have nots.
Patooey.
I love aging. It helps to jump over, sidestep, shake hands, remove these barriers.
Sure, the brain works, saves data like a computer.... but haha, age acts like a processor. Sure, we slip "Victor, I saw what you wrote about DT...KU..management." Forgive me Father, Tug of War admittedly happened, I'm sorry, and I hope, pray, planta do bettter into the future."
Jets/Sharks, share a Yuengling.
You mean we sat on that bank, fishing, talking for three hours and we just learned we're of opposing political persuasion? I'm Fred. I'm Earl, nice to meet you.
Gee, good Facebook friend/classmate, I wish we woulda visited more years ago.
Confucius say "Handshake leave no rope burn." Or, that mighta been Gomer, Goober, Barn, Aunt Bea, Marcia Brady, can't remember.
Evens, odds, have a happy, harmonious day.
Love, Victud
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