joy in the Mornings

I ran into a dear friend’s mother the other day at Target. 
   After we talked for a few minutes, she told me she enjoys reading my column then asked if I could find out something for her.
   She vaguely remembered a game she played as a kid that involved the words “Lemonade” and “What’s your trade” but for the life of her, she couldn’t remember anything else about it.
   She really wanted to know what it was and since I must have super powers at sleuthing out things (thanks to all the Nancy Drew books and Scooby Doo cartoons I enjoy with the kids!) she asked if I could help.
   I was intrigued and told her I’d do my best.
   I love kids games. You know, the ones we all had to do before there was satellite TV and video games - when kids were expected to spend their free time in unstructured play outdoors.
   So as I was using my detective powers to track down the elusive game, I began thinking about some of my favorite - and least favorite - kids games.
   I liked some of the games that involved running, but not many. Because as a kid - just like now as an adult - I can’t run worth a darn - even to save my own life. If the game involved not getting caught I got caught. If it meant I had to catch someone else, I didn’t.  
   I have often thought that if I were being chased by a scary monster or a vampire or something, I’d be easy prey, because I would never be able to get away! I would be the one everybody else would want to hang with in such a case, I’d give them time to run to safety.
   So the classic games of Tag, Duck Duck Goose, and Freeze Tag (all of which involved running from or after someone), were never my strong suit. Hide and Seek wasn’t too bad because I could hide well, but when I had to run from someone to make it back to base, I didn’t do so hot.
   I hated Dodge Ball as a kid, but when I became an adult, I developed a late-blooming love of that game. And now I can play it pretty well - no running, just dodging and throwing. Which, by the way, I can’t do real well either - throwing that is. I’m pretty good at dodging, as long as it doesn’t involve running.
   I always liked Red Light/Green Light and sort of liked Red Rover, even though it involved running.
   Ah, so many games from childhood and so many memories. 
   I did finally discover the game I was sleuthing for. It’s actually called “The New York Game,” and here’s how it’s played.
   The kids are divided into two teams and there are two base lines - one for each team. One team will go first. To play their part, they put their heads together and choose a job to act out - like working in the garden, or mowing the yard, or a lumberjack, or washing dishes, or something. Then the team will approach the other team, who are waiting on their base line. Team One players can come as close as they’d like without actually touching the base line for the opposing team.
   The first team says “Here we come,” to which the second team answers “Where from?” 
   The reply is “New York.”
   The next response is from Team Two, “What’s your trade?”
   Team One responds “Lemonade,” then Team Two says “Give us some.” (I found some regional variations for this response - some would say “Show us.”)
   Then the players from Team One begin acting out - without sounds - the agreed-upon job.
   The players of Team Two now try to guess what they are acting out. If one of Team Two’s players shouts out the correct answer, Team One runs like heck back to their base line while being chased by Team Two. If Team Two players tag any Team One players, then those players now join the other team.
   Then Team Two gets to have their turn approaching.
   So, there you go Sue - I hope this is the game you were looking for. And I hope you have fun playing!
   It sounds like a fun game and I think I’m going to teach it to our homeschooling group when we get together. 
   I’m just glad I won’t have to do any of the running - I’d never win!