How to Search for Hidden Treasures Without Your Grandkids

The other evening, I found myself standing in the middle of my family room, in a trancelike state, surveying every inch of the room. I shun the television (aka Netflix and Amazon Prime), focusing instead of the perplexing game that is now afoot. The game of “Find the Treasure.”

If you have seen my profile, then you know that I’m a grandfather. So when I say that I’m playing a game of “Find the Treasure” you would probably assume that I’m playing with my grandkids. Alas, no. I’m playing this on my own. Though I may invite my wife to play, the grandkids are not invited.

Why wouldn’t I invite the grandkids to play? Because when I play this game, I tend to stomp around angrily and say little things under my breath that no one asks me to repeat. I take this version of the game very seriously. An in actuality, I’m thinking about my grandkids the entire time the game is being played.

After what seems likes hours (the wife says it’s actually seconds), I invite the wife to play along. She patiently joins the game in session, smiling her eyes dart around the room, taking in the playing field. By now, I’ve given up and flopped down on the sofa, a steady flow of steam rising from the crown of my head.

Facing the sofa, my wife draws her arm back and plunges her fist into the crease at the middle of the cushions. She hesitates, get’s a quizzical look on her face, then continues rifling in the dark, pillowy shadows. A slow smile draws across her face as she pulls her hand slowly from the cushions.

Holding the prize above her head, she announces, “I found the remote!”

She presents me with the treasure and all is right in the kingdom again. The king is happy. The queen shakes her head and goes back to her queenly activities. The peasants (grandkids) breathe a sigh of relief as grandpa reopens the castle gates and allows them limited access to the castle courtyard.

The end (until they misplace my phone).