As all my friends know too well I love to compete. I was never good at any sport for I have split vision... which means I have no depth perception. Competitive sports just aren’t in the cards for me. But just the same I love to compete at silly things. Although I love to win, it is far more important to simply have fun along the way to the finish line. Just about anything can be turned into a competition among friends.
Last summer and the summer before I challenged a good friend of mine while painting murals. We were painting murals at the same time in the same town and of course the challenge was to see who could finish first. Lots of good spirited heckling, water fights, and other silly games were played during the painting days. We even challenged each other to see who could gather the biggest pile of canned goods which were later donated to a local food bank. Who won... well I conceded second place to my friend Jay and awarded him a giant trophy - silver of course. He awarded me third place... which meant the real winner was the food bank - as it should be. This summer we are painting together on the same wall and theoretically we are on the same team... but I just know somehow things will turn into another competition. Lots of good fun will be had... rules will get constantly changed, trash talk will happen and we’ll laugh ourselves silly.
My good neighbor Gord and I are always trying to outdo each other in good fun. My shop is 3,100 square feet. His shop built shortly thereafter is 3,150 of course. We compete to see who mows their lawn the most often. If we mow at the same time it means there is a contest to see who finishes first of course. We even trade a small trophy back and forth... PIG of the MONTH... given by our wives for the most outrageous (and extravagant purchase).
A few days ago I persuaded Gord to accept an old three wheeled stroller (for when he got to be a grampa). Phoebe has now long outgrown it and the stroller had seen better days but I figured better Gord than the dumpster. He graciously accepted my ‘generous’ gift and took it into his shop. But I noticed when I went to lock up my shop after dark that it somehow got back into my yard when I wasn’t looking. I of course took it back to Gord’s yard and parked it right where he would be sure to find it (beside his truck) when he went to work early. When I went out to my shop in the morning the stroller was in the back of my pickup. The latest competition was on for real...
Later in the afternoon the neighbor’s place was quiet. I fetched a ladder and parked the stroller on the roof of their travel trailer. I giggled all day knowing I had upped the ante. Janis & I were out for supper and when we got back I noticed the stroller was gone from the roof of the travel trailer and Gord was happier than ever. I knew the stroller had found its way home somewhere... it took me quite a while to find it - high in the planter on the ‘mountain’ over the dumpster. Gord was rolling on the ground with laughter as I fetched my ladder. I had to think of a place to hide it back at his place.
Today they were out and I set to work. He hadn’t locked his camper and I found by taking off the wheels and partially disassembling the stroller I could squeeze it in, reassembling it inside of course. Gord will discover it tomorrow when he packs for his weekend trip to the mountains. I know he’s already thought of the next place it will end up... but that’s OK for I have my next five or six moves planned out after that...
It’s not whether you win or lose that counts but how you play the game.
-grampa dan