Eat It!

Finally I am updating my blog after a long hiatus. Eat it occurred several weeks ago. I was on duty for recess and a small child asked me to play four square with him and some friends. I said, "Sure, what could it hurt"? Boy was that the wrong question to ask.

I remember four square as a young child and all the different tricks you could do to try and get the head person out. There was the good ole cherry bomb where you slammed the ball as hard as you could to send it flying away from your jittery adversary. Then there was bubbles where you basically bobbled the ball in your hand while you patiently plotted your plan of attack. Those were my two favorite.

The small child decided to review the rules for me as to what you can and can not do. A staple in any four square game. He sad Pac Man was legal. I was a little confused and had the child explain it further. Pac Man is where you stay on the lines of the four square box and walk around them avoiding the person with the ball. I thought that was genius! Why hadn't we thought of that in the olden days?

After a few rounds it was evident the kids were out to get me, but I showed no mercy. I am pretty sure there was a little smack talk. The server call Pac Man and everyone in the square jumps on the line and scatters about. I saw the child with the ball give me a devilish grin before jumping on the line and heading to me. He was quite the scurrier. I took off in the opposite direction.
Before I go on, let fill you in on a few details of our environment:

1. I was wearing a brand new pair of boots that went up to mid calf.
2. We were playing on a black top right next to a gravel playground.
3. There were a few moms there covering other classes.
   
4. I am a whole lot of man.

As I rounded the corner I stepped on a patch of rogue gravel that took residence on that particular corner of the four square that I approached. I swear that my legs flew up and I was parallel to the ground for what seemed like minutes. I just remember thinking in my head as I was flailing through the air, "My boots! Please don't be scratched"! I hit the ground on my knees and hands. I don't think it would have hurt that much if there wasn't gravel littered about and now embedded into my palms and knee caps. It also would not have been so bad if there wasn't a group of moms watching our game. Seriously, shouldn't they have been watching the kids?