The Game

“Daddy, let’s play Simon Says!” Son #1 said as he jumped up and down.

I used to be a Simon Says expert. I was the Simon of Simons. Son #1 has only just heard of the game and believes he has the advantage over dear old Dad.

He tried to explain the rules to me. As he did, the quote came to mind from the late great C.S. Lewis, “Do not cite the deep magic to me, Son. I was there when it was written.”

So the game commenced with him being the Simon who says.

“Simon says, put your right hand in the air.”
My hand went up.

“Simon says, put your left leg up in the air.”
I’m not as young as I once was, but I accomplished the task. I felt like I was breakdancing.

Then he smiled the orneriest smile. He thought he was about to get me.

“Simon DOESN’T say, put your hand down!”

He almost burst into maniacal laughter, waiting for me to misunderstand what he said.

I kept my hand and foot in the air.

A look of surprise spread across his face, and he gasped, “Dad! You did it!” His jaw dropped, and he shook his head.

“Simon says, put your hand down.”

My hand went down. Then “Simon said,” to put my foot down.

After a few minutes of getting all the commands correct, he was flabbergasted. “Dad, you’re doing SO good.”

Then he spoke the words I had been waiting to hear. “Daddy, you be Simon now.”

Muahahaha!! It was about to get real.

I had him so confused. At one point, I said, “Melvin says, look up at the ceiling.” And he did.
Then I said, “Simon says, don’t look at the ceiling.” But he kept looking at the ceiling. There were times he couldn’t remember what Simon had said, and he just stood there staring off into space.

Finally, I said, “Simon says, go get ready for bed.”

“BUT, DAD!” He pouted. “Simon doesn’t say things like that!”

“Oh, okay. Daddy says, Son #1, go get ready for bed.”

Ahhh, it feels good to win.

to the newbies,
– Caleb