Page 31 of Totally Played
“Oink, oink.”
“Pig.”
“Yes.”
He hangs his arm in front of his face and makes a trumpet noise that makes the table laugh.
“Elephant.”
“Yes. Oh, ummm, Ough, ough,” he says, clapping his hands out in front of him.
“Seal.”
“Yes. We got this. Okay.”
He shoves the chair back and stands, arms pinned to his side, hands out at right angles, he shuffles around in a circle like his legs are stuck together.
“Oh, Penguin.”
“Yes,” he screams, the tension rising as the timer starts to tick down faster.
“Ummm, I’m not a bear, but people call me a bear.”
Tim jumps up from his seat, but Lion pulls him back down and covers his mouth with his hand.
“A koala,” I guess, and while the table debates whether Tim gave it away or not, I dip the screen and try to stay focused on Calvin.
“Neigh,” he sounds.
“Horse.”
“Think stripes.”
“Zebra,” I answer and am already dipping the screen in anticipation of his confirmation.
“Yes. Oh, oh, super tall, long neck.”
“Giraffe.”
“Yes!”
I dip the device just as the buzzer sounds.
“Did we get it?” I ask, turning the device to check the score. “Wooo, eight. Winner, winner!” I cheer, and everyone laughs.
“There’s still a few teams to go,” Calvin says, slapping a hand onto my thigh. “But we’re in the lead, so let’s see if Rachel and Fort can top that.”
***
In the end, Lion and Tim win with nine, and the prize, a giant rubber duck in a funky Monkey uniform.
“Duckie had it made special last year, and it’s sort of become the official prize, that gets passed down to the next winner and so on,” Calvin says as we help collect cans and bottles from the rooftop. “What time is your flight?”
I check my watch.
“I have to be at the airport in about an hour and a half.”
“I can drop you off if you want?”
