Numero Uno!

“UNO, game!” Edrin shouted with full of excitement. He went frantic; giggling and gasping to find words to express. I could see his eyes shimmers even when he said ‘UNO” in the previous turn let alone when ‘UNO game’ was now meant to crown him as a round winner. It was not that Sam had got no chance to “UNO” but more cards piled up on him the time he expected to say “UNO, game”. Hey, I know nuts about the skills and techniques of it but I had once said “UNO”, thought I was about to be a winner, and I did say out “UNO, game” but it broke into laughter by the children when I was actually confused between No 6 and No 9 – ends up me piling up more cards. Fara would just then be happy if she could reduce a bit of those cards in her hands.

Edrin rolled on the rug, once, twice until he was on his back looking up on the ceiling, hands spread wide, smiling, ahhhh! – his way to end the celebration. No one likes loosing; Sam was a little scowl while Fara was just slightly contracted the brows in a sullen and yet no specific reaction registered and I was in my own realms watching all three of them react, smiling, just contented to pass a remark like ‘you are very good, Edrin’. There we were right on the middle of a rug in our living room and their mom in her usual self just sat there on the sofa grinning not having slightest idea on how the game goes. She was just happy to see a girl, two small boys and one big boy forming a circle playing UNO game. May be she was even happier to just replenish their drinks.

The triad of rivalry was established among the three of them in a game perhaps the father came in just to add cheer to it if not make up the number. In fact they should have considered me as their contender as well as fundamentally they know the game better albeit luck that confined to each flip of the cards.

They got engrossed into the game that in the turn of time, winning would mean a lot to them. Being the youngest among the three, I know Edrin would have had withdrawn earlier when he had to succumb to loosing streak for he needs to learn more handling the emotions when loosing – which usually happened when I wasn’t in the game. But today, the winning was heavily on Edrin’s favour. The drums and trumpets staged by Edrin when he marched to celebrate his winning in one round after another had slowly becoming exasperating & infuriating to Fara and Sam. I myself always ended up shuffling the cards after each round ended, looser that was.

And, finally... I saw the last card tossed in by Fara. It was 2-Red, and it was now my turn… A little set back... there was a green card in my hand... and almost simultaneously I then realized it was 2-Green that I was holding. I knew it. This was the chance for me capitalize…. 2 and 2 makes it matched… “UNO, Game!” I shouted loud. Very loud. Fortunately I didn’t wake up the neighbours’ babies. “Numero Unooo...” I added. I had an idea… I hadn’t just copied the way Edrin celebrate his winning but added sillier things like whistling, howling, rolling, squatting and jumping. Fara, Sam and Edrin were laughing like crazy not believing what they see when their father acting foolishly like a mad duck celebrating his first winning round ever; just enough to ease the tense in Edrin to stay as a round winner and to expunge the agony of defeat in Fara and Sam.

Their mom was still in her usual self; still on the sofa… did what she knows best doing …just grinning!!! What a wonderful display of a good mother and wife she has been.



GAB: Mind games are good to stimulate children’s minds and any games can be instrumental to mould & cast children’s characters.