Monday, March 10, 2003
The Cup Game
Collaborative confusion seems to be the source and goal of many a fine party (a.k.a. "pointless") game. Witness, for example, Estray Bonajour, or Bernie Played a Game.
For continued corroboration of the collaborative confusion hypothesis, dip into the Party Games collection, wherein you will find, among other salient examples, the Cup Game, a taste of whose instructions follow:
Each player begins with one cup in front of them, upside down. (For those who are unclear, where there to be any liquid in the cup, placing it upside down would cause the liquid to spill on the playing surface.) Extra cups should be stacked or set next to each other to the left of the leftmost player with a few scattered near other players(with Option A), or in the middle of the table (with Option B).
...With your right hand, GRAB the cup from the left. To do this, your hand will likely feel backwards and your elbow stick out.
With cup in hand, move your right hand back to its "natural" orientation, thus turning the cup right-side-up and off the table, and TAP the open end of the cup to your open left palm (be sure your left palm is ready and waiting a little ways above and to the left of the cup). Make sure your right hand holds on to the cup.
Bring the cup back down to HIT the table, where it should now rest, right side up, still held by your right hand.
Lift the cup once more, in a similar motion to the previous grab, this time extending the bottom of the cup toward your left palm. SWITCH hands by grabbing the nearby bottom of the cup with your left palm.
Keep the cup, now grasped by its bottom by your left hand, in the air for the time being. Move your right hand leftward, and use it to SLAP the table.
Leaving your right hand where it is, bring your left hand, with the cup, cross above your right hand, set the cup down near the person to your right, and RELEASE it.
For continued corroboration of the collaborative confusion hypothesis, dip into the Party Games collection, wherein you will find, among other salient examples, the Cup Game, a taste of whose instructions follow:
Each player begins with one cup in front of them, upside down. (For those who are unclear, where there to be any liquid in the cup, placing it upside down would cause the liquid to spill on the playing surface.) Extra cups should be stacked or set next to each other to the left of the leftmost player with a few scattered near other players(with Option A), or in the middle of the table (with Option B).
...With your right hand, GRAB the cup from the left. To do this, your hand will likely feel backwards and your elbow stick out.
With cup in hand, move your right hand back to its "natural" orientation, thus turning the cup right-side-up and off the table, and TAP the open end of the cup to your open left palm (be sure your left palm is ready and waiting a little ways above and to the left of the cup). Make sure your right hand holds on to the cup.
Bring the cup back down to HIT the table, where it should now rest, right side up, still held by your right hand.
Lift the cup once more, in a similar motion to the previous grab, this time extending the bottom of the cup toward your left palm. SWITCH hands by grabbing the nearby bottom of the cup with your left palm.
Keep the cup, now grasped by its bottom by your left hand, in the air for the time being. Move your right hand leftward, and use it to SLAP the table.
Leaving your right hand where it is, bring your left hand, with the cup, cross above your right hand, set the cup down near the person to your right, and RELEASE it.
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