For the Love of Boo

I mentioned a long time ago on my little spot here on the world wide web that I love to play Boo, but I never fully elaborated on it.  Boo is a game that my mom and I have played for years.  From my teen years forward, at least--is as far back as I remember playing this wonderful little game.

It's a very simple game, really.

It goes like this: If you have the wonderful and grand chance to scare someone as they walk into a room, come from around a corner, walk past a doorway, etc., you take SEIZE that wonderful opportunity to scare. them. silly. 

My sister and father do not share this same love of Boo.

No matter how hard my mom or I try. 

So you can imagine my delight when Hubs and I got married.....as I now had a whole new victim player to add to the game.

To put it kindly:  He thinks my mom and I are deranged. Sigh.  But I force him to play anyway.  Not too often though--because a) He doesn't scare too easily.  Hmph!  and b) If I press my luck too much, he just might leave me.  I am so kidding on that last part, but why press it, right?  ;)  

Several years ago (well, gosh this was pre-Peanut, so this was at least three years, probably closer to four or five) I got him REALLY good.  And he was none too happy about it either.  I still can't decide what was better--scaring him OR telling my mom about my glorious success--it's STILL is my best Boo to date. 

Circa 2006 or 2007:  It was bedtime for Hubs and I.  I was doing my nighttime ritual in our bathroom--brushing my teeth, washing my face, putting on pajamas, and getting settled in bed.  Hubs was on the other side of the house in our "office" on the computer, probably watching SportsCenter highlights or shopping for music on iTunes.  By the time he came to bed, I was "asleep" on my side, and with the way our room was arranged, he couldn't see that I was actually still wide awake.  He went into our bathroom and proceeded with his nighttime ritual....brushing his teeth, taking out his contacts, etc.  He walked over to our bed and I could hear him putting his glasses in their case on his nightstand and then I felt his weight as he climbed into bed.  He fluffed his pillow and proceeded to settle in.  And mind you, he still had no idea I was wide awake.  So I gave him a minute or two to get comfortable and then the moment came that I was waiting for. I turned around as fast as I could and grabbed him and yelled "BOO!!!!" into the darkness of our bedroom.

Somehow the man managed to jump two feet in the air (while still lying flat) as he whipped around and rather angrily asked me, "WHAT on earth is wrong with you?"

Of course, I was laughing.  And that of course just irritated him further.  His irritation just caused me to laugh even harder, to the point of tears.  (And I don't cry easily--at least when I am laughing I don't.)  

Several days later I was on the phone with my mom and I could barely get the words out, I was laughing so hard.  And my mom, on the other end, was giddy and laughing in anticipation as she waited for me to get to the "punchline." 

Because she gets it. 

You see, it's never as fun for the Boo-ee.  The Boo-er always gets the biggest laugh and while those Boo-ees (that ones that appreciate it, at least) get a small amount of thrill from it, the Boo-ees know that their time will come.  It may not be that day or even that week, but if the Boo-ee is patient, they will get an even bigger thrill as Boo-er the next time.

And that my friends, is the beauty of the game.

I can count on one hand the number of times Hubs has scared me in our seven+ year marriage.  And half of those were unintentional (I am the polar opposite and scare VERY easily).  As I am recovering from his scares I try to explain to him See?  Wasn't that fun?  You know you got a kick out of that....?  Along with all other sorts of words of encouragement to keep the game going.

It never works though.

Besides, I have Peanut.  And I have been slowly breaking her in.  And you know what?   

She LOVES it.  She doesn't quite "get" it yet, but she LOVES it.

Case in point:  Several weeks ago I was cleaning the kitchen after a late dinner and Hubs had taken Peanut upstairs to start getting her ready for bed.  Somehow Peanut wandered downstairs and while I can usually hear her coming, I didn't this time.  I had my back turned as I was cleaning the stove and she walked in the kitchen and started to ask me a question.  Now it was my turn to jump two feet in the air and scream.  And Peanut just stood there like a deer in headlights.  And then I started laughing as I told her, "You scared me!"  Then she started laughing.  And she laughed and laughed and then she walked around the corner towards our living room and said to me, "Mommy!  Get Ready!  I'm gonna scare you again!"

It's like a dream come true.