Family Games

Alternate Hellos Anthology 2014

My brother and I played “Blink” growing up. We’d start the game by standing back to back and stepping off five paces. Then we’d turn around and stare into each other’s eyes until one of us blinked. Next, if neither blinked, we’d move forward a step and do it again until finally we were only inches apart staring while complaining of the other’s bad breathe.

Our parents often played “Silence”. They could be sitting next to each other at dinner or family function and not speak a word. Ask them why they weren’t talking to each other and you got the ‘fish eye’. Why the ‘fish eye’? It was easier to make the ‘fish eye’ than to remember why they weren’t talking--that’s why.