Friday, January 11, 2019

Is “Life" just another 
"Escape Room”?

Blind folded... because I was a dangerous outlaw you know - I was taken into an old cell from the 1800’s out in the "Wild West”.
Then I was shackled to the wall and told to sit on the bench below.  
The rest of my “gang” was brought it and shackled too.
Only then could we remove our blindfolds.  
“Escape Room”
And so I was introduced to the game of the “Escape Room”!  Wikipedia describes it as: a physical adventure game in which players solve a series of puzzles and riddles using clues, hints, and strategy to complete the objectives at hand. Players are given a set time limit to unveil the secret plot which is hidden within the rooms.
It’s an opportunity for “team building”, for example, to see how you can work together, listen, think creatively and keep trying other ideas if some don’t work.
Here’s the plan…
My college age grandchildren had chosen a scenario they thought I would like.  Rather than being locked in with zombies or pirates, etc. they decided we would perform a “Wild West” jail break - Time Period: 1800’s.    
Now keep in mind that when I come to visit them I like it really relaxed.  You see, I’ve got enough “adventures” in my regular life keeping up the farm.
   Just let me sit on their couch, with their little dog keeping me warm and a good book in my hand and I just watch them hurry along on all their busy activities.
On with the game… 
But the six of us, including their parents, settled down and scoped out the cell to make our escape.  I was the first one to get out of the shackles around my ankles.  I couldn’t figure out the code locking them that I was supposed to decipher… but I figured I could just slip out of my shoes and out of the shackles.  
I don’t know if that’s cheating but we were planning a “jail break” you know! 
Here’s the plan…
I climbed on the bench and found a loose bar in the cell’s “window”.  Then my son-in-law figured out how to get the key to the cell which was hanging across the room.   
But getting out of the cell was just a part of the scene and we still had to get the outer door opened.  
Actually, when the others got out of the cell into the open jail area ahead,  the “Jailer” stepped in with me for a moment. Now I was standing next to the cell door so I just slid out and snapped it shut so I could lock the jailer inside!   
I’m still smiling.
But the “jailer” had a “heart”…
I think the jailer felt sorry for us though as we heard little “hints” muttered by him when we were stymied.  (Thanks Jailer!). 
Many ideas were tried and failed and some succeeded.
If I had been alone - I think I would still be in the cell.

Even so… it took us almost the full hour time limit to get out.


And finally I could go back
     to the “Escape Room” 
of my regular life.




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