There’s a common rule that you can use humor when it’s your life, but not when it’s someone else’s life.  For example, I am allowed to laugh at the absurd moments that Autism creates in our home.  As my family member on the spectrum matures, I relax and appreciate the moments that would have caused me stress and anxiety years earlier.  I can’t joke about life in a busy city, but the people who live in DC certainly can and do laugh about it.  A DC resident created the following two games for visitors and I am just recording them as a memory nudge for the future me.  

The first game is ‘Diplomat or Crazy Person?’  The rules are obvious.  Guess the reason for odd behaviors.  Car parked on the sidewalk?  Probably a crazy person.  Shouting on an elevator?  Diplomat.  I’m sure the game could be altered to work in TN.  The second game is ‘Dress like a Street Person’.  Like the first game, this sounds offensive, but is actually just claiming various pieces of clothing abandoned on the street until you have a complete outfit.  On the way home from one lunch in DC, I claimed a sock, jeans and a flip-flop.  If your streets don’t have mysterious clothing items scattered about, you can play this game at any lost and found in your city.  For example, it’s the third day of the month and the elementary school’s lost and found already has shoes, shirts, coats and a pair of pants.  

Because of the timing of our visit, I made my own game.  It can be played anywhere.  It’s called, ‘Costume or Clothing?’  It’s more difficult when Halloween falls on a weekend and people dress up for several days.  Is he a hipster or is that a costume?  Is she wearing her work clothes or is she just dressed up like a professional escort?  One can only guess.