On the way home from Grandma and Grandpa’s tonight, I
laughed pretty hard. It started out with Miss E asking to play "The
Guessing Game," which is her name for out simplified version of 20
questions. The rules are basically Miss E and me (or the Mr.) go back and
forth: one thinks of an item (that isn't too hard to guess) and the other asks
(mostly) yes or no questions until it is guessed.
The Mr. tells Miss E, "No, not tonight, Miss E."
"Why?"
"Because we're tired."
"But I'm bored. I have to play a game to not be bored."
I say, "How about we play, 'Let's see who can be quiet and not talk for the longest?'"
"That's not fun!"
"Are you sure? I think it sounds fun."
"No! It's not even a game. It's just a thing. A boring thing. It's a rule. You can't take a rule and make it a game. That's not fun."
"She's got you there," The Mr. says.
Miss E continues in the back without us listening too closely, but it goes something like this:
"Rules are not fun games. I need to play a game, or it won't be fun. So you need to play with me. Play a game. Like the guessing game, because that's fun. You or Daddy can think of something, and I'll guess it. I don't even have to think of something. I'll just guess. Then will it be fun?"
"Maybe you can play by yourself."
Miss E is annoyed. "I can't think of something and then guess it. That won't work."
Miss M pipes up then. "I guess! Is it a car?"
"Mom, that won't work."
"Is it a car?"
"But not me and Miss M, me and you mom. It's not a game if it's just me and Miss M."
"Is it a car?"
"You guys play hide and seek all the time without me," I say. "And that's fun."
"But that's not the same."
"IS IT A CAR?"
"No, Miss M! I haven't thought of anything."
"Well, think of something," I tell her.
"Okay, I thought of something. Guess, Miss M."
"Is it a car?"
"No."
"Is it a guessing game?" Miss M giggles.
"No!"
"Is it a driver?"
"No." Then, excitedly, "It's an electricity line!"
Miss M joins in the excitement. "I guess!"
"Yea, Miss M!" I say.
"Mom," Miss E says, "Now you have to play. You have to play or I can cancel guessing. We can play or we can cancel guessing. Those are your choices. Play or cancel guessing."
"I choose to cancel guessing."
"You can't choose that."
"You gave me the choices, Miss E. I can pick 'cancel guessing.'"
"But I don't want to cancel guessing. I don't want you to pick that one. Oh all right. I'll play with Miss M again."
"I guess!" Says Miss M.
"No you didn't."
"I guess!"
"Nah-ah."
"I guess!"
"I didn't even think of anything yet."
"Oh."
"Okay, I thought of something."
"Is it a car?"
"Augh! Miss M! Don't guess a car."
"Is it..."
"Nevermind. It's too late. There's our house."
The Mr. tells Miss E, "No, not tonight, Miss E."
"Why?"
"Because we're tired."
"But I'm bored. I have to play a game to not be bored."
I say, "How about we play, 'Let's see who can be quiet and not talk for the longest?'"
"That's not fun!"
"Are you sure? I think it sounds fun."
"No! It's not even a game. It's just a thing. A boring thing. It's a rule. You can't take a rule and make it a game. That's not fun."
"She's got you there," The Mr. says.
Miss E continues in the back without us listening too closely, but it goes something like this:
"Rules are not fun games. I need to play a game, or it won't be fun. So you need to play with me. Play a game. Like the guessing game, because that's fun. You or Daddy can think of something, and I'll guess it. I don't even have to think of something. I'll just guess. Then will it be fun?"
"Maybe you can play by yourself."
Miss E is annoyed. "I can't think of something and then guess it. That won't work."
Miss M pipes up then. "I guess! Is it a car?"
"Mom, that won't work."
"Is it a car?"
"But not me and Miss M, me and you mom. It's not a game if it's just me and Miss M."
"Is it a car?"
"You guys play hide and seek all the time without me," I say. "And that's fun."
"But that's not the same."
"IS IT A CAR?"
"No, Miss M! I haven't thought of anything."
"Well, think of something," I tell her.
"Okay, I thought of something. Guess, Miss M."
"Is it a car?"
"No."
"Is it a guessing game?" Miss M giggles.
"No!"
"Is it a driver?"
"No." Then, excitedly, "It's an electricity line!"
Miss M joins in the excitement. "I guess!"
"Yea, Miss M!" I say.
"Mom," Miss E says, "Now you have to play. You have to play or I can cancel guessing. We can play or we can cancel guessing. Those are your choices. Play or cancel guessing."
"I choose to cancel guessing."
"You can't choose that."
"You gave me the choices, Miss E. I can pick 'cancel guessing.'"
"But I don't want to cancel guessing. I don't want you to pick that one. Oh all right. I'll play with Miss M again."
"I guess!" Says Miss M.
"No you didn't."
"I guess!"
"Nah-ah."
"I guess!"
"I didn't even think of anything yet."
"Oh."
"Okay, I thought of something."
"Is it a car?"
"Augh! Miss M! Don't guess a car."
"Is it..."
"Nevermind. It's too late. There's our house."
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