The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

PARTY GAME

THIS GAME REQUIRES A MINIMUM OF TEN PLAYERS AND A
GREAT DEAL OF LIQUOR. ALL PLAYERS GATHER INTO A CIRCLE
AND EACH PLAYER SITS WITH HIS LEGS CROSSED. EVERYONE
THEN TAPS, WITH HIS HANDS, HIS KNEES, UNTIL A STEADY
BEAT IS ESTABLISHED. THEN SOMEONE STARTS BY GIVING
HIS IDENTIFYING SIGN. THIS SIGN IS A SIMPLE
GESTURE SUCH AS A HAND WAVE, A NOD, OR PINCHING
THE NOSE, IS SUFFICIENT. EACH PLAYER GIVES HIS OWN
UNIQUE SIGN UNTIL EVERYONE HAS FINISHED. THE MOTION IS
IN A COUNTER-CLOCKWISE DIRECTION. THEN THE PERSON WHO
WAS FIRST TO GIVE HIS SIGN STARTS BY GIVING THE SIGN
OF ANOTHER PERSON. THE PERSON WHOSE SIGN HE GIVES
THEN RESPONDS BY REPEATING THE SIGN AND GIVING THE SIGN
OF YET ANOTHER PERSON. THIS GOES ON UNTIL ONE PERSON
MISSES HIS CALL SIGN. IF HE MISSES HE MUST DRINK ALL
THE BEVERAGE IN HIS GLASS. THE GLASS IS THEN REFILLED
AND PLAY ONCE AGAIN STARTS. DURING THE TIME WHEN
SIGNS ARE GIVEN AND RECEIVED AND TRANSFERRED THE
STEADY BEAT ON THE KNEES IS KEPT UP. THE GAME ENDS
WHEN PLAYERS ARE SUFFICIENTLY INCAPACITATED SO AS TO
BE INCAPABLE OF PLAYING.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: 03-22-1972