I Declare War

“On the sidewalk during the long summer months, we played a new game called I Declare War using a cheap rubber ball and a piece of chalk.”  The purpose of the game was to call a country’s name and bounce the ball at the person standing in that country’s square.  If he caught the ball, he would call “Stop! Everybody now allied against him would have to freeze in place, and the victim country would begin the counterattack, trying to eliminate one aggressor country at a time by throwing at those closest to him and advancing his position with each murderous thwack.”  It was not being called on first that was the harsh part of the game.  It was the counter attack that really hurt.  You were confined to your square with no place to run.  It did not matter where in your square you were, there was no avoiding the ball.