Looks like we stumbled upon a Rootball game. What's Rootball? Funny you should ask. Three teams are formed with uneven numbers of adolescent neighbors. The game begins when the Captain -- who invented the rules -- passes the ball to any of the teams' members while one player of the Captain's choosing -- called the Rooter -- must try to steal it. In the unlikely event that the Rooter happens to make a steal, they must place the ball against the tree root and attempt to score by running around the tree three times while the opposing teams -- which is everybody, and called the Chuckers -- throw sticks and acorns and shout obscenities. If the Rooter completes three rings without getting beaned, a run is scored and the Rooter has one chance to boot the ball over Old Man Johnson's backyard fence in triumph yet frustration. Fun, right? Let's play again.

11.14.23