Ludo Game

I'm sitting under the coconut tree this afternoon, just trying to observe life and think about how to overcome some of the challenges I am facing. I know it won't last forever, just like every phase of life.

Everything just began to make sense around me, especially when I am always reminiscing. It's just for some time. I took out my phone, opened the music player, and then asked Siri to play me an old-school song I so much loved back then as a child.

It's not a song I listened to directly. But we always have fun and a chance to dance when the barbershop next to our compound plays the song. It was nice listening then but it was all for fun. But the more I grew I got to understand the lyrics to the song and I could even relate well.

Only if I could just listen to it like those times only for fun again. It would have been amazing.

“Gbagaun Gbagaun” the sound of the handbell rang and it was time for the students to be out for break time.

When I sat under the tree, I was just observing. Enjoying the sight of the children who have less to worry about and just have life in the simplest form. I was once in their shoes. But not anymore.

“Hey! Hey! Let’s Play Police and thief” a boy screamed at the top of his voice as he ran to join the group.

“Okay okay! Let's pick” One of them responded.

“A, B, C, D…. P. You are the police…” one of them left the circle.

“Q, R, S… T. You are a thief” they exclude another one.

They both had two different gangs. At the end of it they started chasing each other, the police gang were into catching the thieves. And their thieves were running for safety. Once a thief is caught then they join the police custody till all thieves are caught.

I could feel the full happiness in their hearts. I just wondered who invented the game in the first place. At least it put fun on some kids' faces today.

Back in the days when I was in elementary school like them, I also recalled how much we played the games X and O. I don't know why I do not always fantasize about outdoor games, I just appreciate indoor games.

I love it when we play games that will task one brain to brainstorm for answers and also draw fun from it. Maybe I should say the restrictions came from my upbringing. If we have the chance to play games at home after school hours it is most of the time indoors with my siblings.

As a child, we are always trying to make sure we derive fun from every little thing. There was a Ludo board back then. But it was only played by Mum and Dad and some other elders that came to visit. But someday we gave it a trial. And since that very day, we got addicted.

Our parents were out for about two days, so we had to stay in the custody of one of our cousins who came to visit us. She was older than us and could cater to us until their arrival. We were happy to have her with us.

She knew where the ludo board was, so she brought it out and asked us to play. My two other siblings plus her, were perfect for the game. We picked out the four houses and then picked the seed color for our house. It was the first time I would toss a dice.

The first round was odd and strange, we tried to get familiar with the rules and navigation of the game. Subsequent plays were total fun. We played it till nighttime. Then she returned it back to where it was.

I never knew my clever brother had mastered how the board was, not until the day he presented a paper board he hand drew and a paper dice he carved. Wow! Impressive. We all cheered and were so happy to play it again. It wasn't much fun like the real board but we replicated the fun from it.

Last week I got a call from my cousin, I remembered how it was so much fun having her around then. Every time I see people play Ludo games, she is the first person that comes to mind. She is now married and all of those times were just memories.