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Playing Games With Mommy and Daddy

by Lori Crews, Houston, Texas, USA

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Cast of characters:

Mommy and daddy set up the folding table in the garage in the hopes of playing a rousing game of ping pong. Sammy hears the commotion and comes charging in through the cat flap to see what's going on. Daddy takes the plastic ball in one hand, the ping pong paddle in the other and serves the ball over the net to Mommy. Mommy takes a wild swing at the ball and misses. The ball goes ricocheting off the garage wall with Sammy in hot pursuit of the ball and Mommy in hot pursuit of Sammy. Mommy pries the wet ball out of Sammy's jaws, wipes it off on her shorts, and hands it back to Daddy - score: Daddy 1, Mommy 0 - Daddy's serve.

Daddy takes the plastic ball in one hand, the ping pong paddle in the other and serves the ball over the net to Mommy. Mommy swings, hits the ball too hard, and sends the ball flying over Daddy's head to ricochet off the garage wall with Sammy in hot pursuit of the ball and Daddy in hot pursuit of Sammy. Daddy pries the wet ball out of Sammy's jaws, wipes it off on his shorts, and prepares to serve the ball - score: Daddy 2, Mommy 0 - Daddy's serve.

Sammy is now getting the hang of the game. Daddy takes the plastic ball in one hand, the ping pong paddle in the other and serves the ball over the net to Mommy. Sammy jumps up to Mommy's side of the table and bats at the ball with her paw. Amazingly, the ball sails over the net and bounces once on Daddy's side of the table. Daddy is just watching in amazement and lets the ball fly off his end of the table to ricochet off the garage door. Sammy takes off in hot pursuit of the ball and Daddy takes off in hot pursuit of Sammy. Daddy pries the wet ball out of Sammy's jaws, wipes it off on his shorts, and tries to figure out whose serve it is - score: Daddy 2, Sammy 0, Mommy 0 - Sammy's serve.

Sammy knows it's her serve, so she jumps up on the table waiting to be handed the ball. Mommy picks Sammy up and gently places her on the garage floor. Mommy argues that, since Sammy was sitting on her side of the table, it should be Mommy's serve. Daddy knows Mommy's skill level at ping pong, does not feel threatened by giving up the advantage, and hands Mommy the ball. Mommy takes the plastic ball in one hand, the ping pong paddle in the other, drops the plastic ball, and swings at it with the paddle. Mommy completely misses the ball which goes rolling off the side of the table with Sammy in hot pursuit of the ball and Mommy in hot pursuit of Sammy. Mommy pries the wet ball out of Sammy's jaws, wipes it off on her shorts, and hands the ball to Daddy - score: Daddy 2, Sammy 0, Mommy 0 - Daddy's serve.

Daddy takes the plastic ball in one hand, the ping pong paddle in the other and serves the ball over the net to Mommy. Mommy finally manages to hit the ball over the net to make it bounce once on Daddy's side of the table. Daddy, not expecting this amazing development, is in the middle of scratching the back of his head with his paddle and misses the ball. The ball goes sailing off the end of the table with Sammy in hot pursuit of the ball and Daddy in hot pursuit of Sammy. Daddy pries the wet ball out of Sammy's jaws, wipes it off on his shorts, and hands the ball to Mommy - score Daddy 2, Sammy 0, Mommy 0 - Mommy's serve.

Mommy takes the plastic ball in one hand, the ping pong paddle in the other, drops the plastic ball, and swings at it with the paddle. Mommy manages to hit her own hand with the paddle while completely missing the ball which goes rolling off the side of the table with Sammy in hot pursuit of the ball and Mommy in hot pursuit of Sammy. Mommy pries the wet ball out of Sammy's jaws, wipes it off on her shorts, and hands the ball to Daddy - score Daddy 2, Sammy 0, Mommy 0 - Daddy's serve.

Daddy takes the plastic ball in one hand, the ping pong paddle in the other and starts to serve the ball. Sammy, angry at being repeatedly denied her serve, makes a preemptive strike on Daddy's forearm. Daddy, whose serving arm is suddenly heavier by eight pounds, misses the ball but sends Sammy sliding into the net on the end of his swing. Eight pounds of kitten cause the lynch pins holding the net to come loose and the net wraps itself around Sammy. Sammy, startled by being attacked by a green snake, jumps off the table trailing the net behind her. Mommy runs in pursuit of Sammy, disentangles her from the net, gently places Sammy on the garage floor, then sets the net back up on its lynch pins.

Daddy, bemused by the commotion, asks Mommy what the score is and whose serve it is. Mommy tells Daddy that the score is: Daddy 2, Sammy1, Mommy 3 and that it is Mommy's serve. Daddy narrows his eyes and gives Mommy "the look", but doesn't argue the point - score Daddy 2, Sammy 1, Mommy 3 - Mommy's serve.

Mommy takes the plastic ball in one hand, the ping pong paddle in the other, drops the plastic ball, and swings at it with the paddle. Before Mommy can hit either the ball or her own hand, Sammy, angry at the green snake that attacked her, jumps onto the middle of the table seeking revenge. The plastic ball bounces once on the table and then bounces off of Sammy's hiney. Sammy, startled by the sudden touch on her hiney, levitates three feet off the table's surface convinced that she has been bitten by the green snake. The ball bounces once more, Mommy has the presence of mind to hit the ball with the paddle and send it over the net. Daddy, chortling at Sammy's antics, misses the ball which goes rolling off of his side of the table with Sammy in hot pursuit of the ball and Daddy in hot pursuit of Sammy. Daddy pries the wet ball out of Sammy's jaws, wipes it off on his shorts, and tries to figure out whose serve it is - score: Daddy 2, Sammy 3, Mommy 7 - Sammy's serve (according to Mommy, anyway).

Sammy knows it's her serve, so she jumps up on the table waiting to be handed the ball. Mommy picks Sammy up and gently places her on the garage floor. Mommy argues that, since Sammy was sitting on her side of the table, it should be Mommy's serve. Daddy knows Mommy's skill level at ping pong, does not feel threatened by giving up the advantage, and hands Mommy the ball. Mommy takes the plastic ball in one hand, the ping pong paddle in the other, drops the plastic ball, and swings at it with the paddle. Mommy completely misses the ball which goes rolling off the side of the table with Sammy in hot pursuit of the ball and Mommy in hot pursuit of Sammy. Sammy, who is now really angry about being cheated in regards to her serve, thrown across the table, and attacked twice by a green snake, chomps down on the plastic ball crunching it into disservice. There is no other plastic ball available. Game, set, and point, the match goes to Sammy.

Mommy and Daddy head upstairs to get the Monopoly game out of the closet.

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