Adult play

OPINION: Watch a two-year-old walk cross the room – they skip, twist, drop to the floor, wave their legs in the air. An adult walks across the room and every step is the same, writes Gerry Forde in this week's Southlander.

Who stole our soul?

Between the kids and the grandchildren is this terrible playless space that I've filled by playing with adults in public.

Play is about setting up a situation where no one knows what happens next.

So at the presentation night for the Quantum Print Boys Only netball I decided to make my point about the importance of support in sport by playing a game. I stood under the hoop and asked the audience if they thought I could make the shot.

They shook their heads.

I shot.

Missed.

There was hooting from the sides.

"Now, I only missed that shot," I said, "because there wasn't enough support from you guys."

So I shot again and this time they cheered.

Missed.

Laughter.

"See, not enough support," I said.

They cheered louder. Now I put on my game face and adopted the stance that can net me 10 in a row from that close.

Missed.

This wasn't proving my point about support winning games.

Missed. Missed. Missed.

I grabbed the ball on rebound and slam dunked it to loud relieved cheering from the side.

Fast forward to Saturday night and a Rocky Horror Show at Waxy's where six guys are dressed down to the net stockings and briefs competing to be the best "transsexual from Transylvania".

They rolled and stumbled about in their high heels to laughter from the men at the bar and hoots of support from the women who crowded close.

The night was going off and because I was the judge, I decided to play.

I had two finalists with the loudest audience appeal in a dance off – performer Mark Colyer against car salesmen Rick Morrell. They played it up and the crowd went wild. At the peak of the laughter and screaming I yelled out, "Do you think they'll kiss?"

There was shrieking as Colyer closed on Morrell who was stunned wordless for the first time ever. The women screamed, the men puked and there was a moment on stage.

Then both "trannies" came for me.

Slam dunked in public again!

But without risk, there's no play and every step is the same.

» Gerry Forde is the Venture Southland regional identity brand manager.

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