Dreamland

Hide and Seek

I am at a family reunion at my parent's house in Connecticut. Nick is outside with his cousins. They're playing a strange game of hide and seek where whoever is "It" must put on a crab costume, complete with large red plastic claws, and go hide. Meanwhile all the other kids cover their eyes and count to fifty, and then go look for him.

The kids are complaining because no matter who is "It", the other kids always find him easily, there's no challenge to the game. I volunteer to play, putting on the crab suit. "You'll have a hard time finding me!" I boast, waving a plastic claw.

The kids have all closed their eyes and are counting while I go looking for a hiding place. I'm shocked to find that the yard is completely open, no place to hide except for a small shrub on the northeast edge of the property. I hide behind it as best as I can, knowing it is futile. The kids finish their count and come running straight for the shrub, finding me easily.