The playground is practically overflowing with happy beaming children. Many different groups are here today. The monkey bars have been taken over by some lively dirt faced boys. Over by the jungle gym a game of castles and knights is taking place between the girl's half of the kingdom and the boys. The slide and teeter-totter are swarmed by all of the smallest children who can't play with the bigger ones. All around each of these structures a number of other game are simultaneously taking place with little ones of all ages and sizes. At the edge of the playground stands Thomas. He would be considered an older kid, but that was mainly due to his size. His feet are planted less than a foot from the edge of the playground dirt where he looks on with animated expressions, reacting to the different playground games as if he was involved himself.
A boy slightly younger but much smaller than Thomas comes up to him.
Boy:
Would you like to be on our team?
Thomas:
What game are you playing?
Boy:
Foxes and hounds.
Thomas:
You'll definitely want Jon and Eli,
whenever we play that game at my house
they're always the fastest.
Boy:
Okay, but...
Thomas:
Michael can be a good guarder, but that's
just because he's so big.
Boy:
You're kinda big;
are you a good guarder?
Thomas:
I'm not that big...
You should pick Jordan too.
He knows all the best hiding places.
Boy:
Are you going to play?
Thomas' face drops at the question, but tries to recover by giving a look of superiority and boredom.
Thomas:
I don't think so. I've played that game
too many times.
The smaller boy turns and runs back into all the organized chaos to relay all this news to his playmates.
Thomas looks down at his slacks and brushes them off furiously. After straightening his slacks he turns his head to look behind him. Scanning the crowd of socializing grown ups he meets the stern gaze of his father who is shaking his head. He turns back to the playground where he can see the game of foxes and hounds getting under way.
Thomas
( to himself )
Maybe next week.
