Game for a Neighborhood
A week ago when I posted the modest announcement sign at the bottom of the hill, I had my doubts it would produce results.
It read:
“Neighborhood Board Games … Thursdays, 7:30 p.m. … Here”
“Here” was under a tree on the fringe of our curbless street.
The idea was inspired by Jay Walljasper’s “The Great Neighborhood Book,” published by the Project for Public Spaces.
By 7:45, lured by neighborly competition and the novelty of it all, 14 neighbors—our ages ranged from 10 or 12 to more than 60 — gathered bearing assorted games.
Scrabble, chess and a few games I had never seen.
Laughing and kibitzing, we played past dusk and into the darkness until we could no longer see tile or card.
Finally, reluctantly, we surrendered; we lost only to the night.
Some of us met for the first time, even though we live within a block or two.
Now we feel like neighbors. We know each others’ names — and our opening moves.
We vowed to bring a lantern next week and, if it looks like rain, a canopy.
The sign I made was roughly lettered with a chunky, chisel-tip permanent marker.
Today I spent time at the computer making a formal looking sign. I had it laminated and mounted.
The words are the same but more emphatic:
The new sign, unlike the old, is one of affirmation.
Labels: Jay Walljasper, neighborhoods, Project for Public Spaces
2 Comments:
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WE used to host "Game Night" parties for our old neighborhood! I took lots of photos, and what' really cool is that one of those neighbors was only 43 when she passed away due to ovarian cancer. I was able to give her 3 young daughters a mini-scrapbook with the photos I'd taken.
Thanks for the memories!!!
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