Mind Games

I’m playing this game with my son this morning. It’s one of those games that take place entirely in his imagination… I just have to approve a course of action now and then or maybe declare war or express a preference for one type of weapon or strategy over another. At least, that’s what I thought I was playing. After his second or third, “You really don’t know how this game is played, do you?” I suggested he explain the rules in detail.

“Well first,” he says, “You have to understand what time this game is set in.”

Sounds like information I should know before playing the game.

“It’s back in that time when women were clean.”

Huh?

“And Neanderthals were not extinct.”

Double-Huh?

“You know. Back in the old days when women always dressed up. Like even when they cleaned house and stuff.”

“Are you talking the vacuuming in pearls era?” I ask. “I’m not sure that ever existed anywhere but television.”

“Yeah, that’s it.”

“And the Neanderthals?”

“Well in this game, I’m a Neanderthal, and you’ve been shipwrecked on an island, and you didn’t know we Neanderthals still existed, but we do. And we watch human television and stuff so we know how to speak human.”

“Oh. Do humans watch Neanderthal TV?”

“Nooooo, Mom. Neanderthals didn’t make television shows.”

Later he asked if I thought he got his imagination from me.

“Yes," I answered, "And then some."