The shout of, “Ready or not here I come!” shook me out of a stupor. I started to panic as I realized all of the good hiding spots were already taken. I knew there was a total of about 3 minutes before I was discovered. You know how it is; your brain isn’t quick enough to think about what to do so your body takes over. My body decided that I was going to hide in what was perhaps the worst spot of all time.

I of course was not playing with just my closest friends, but a large number of kids from school. I was at Century Park Elementary, where I went to school and we played hide and seek for daycare. So of course the games of hide and seek meant a lot more than usual. This was to see who the best hide and seeker was. I usually did quite well, but I was running out of good spots as each new one was discovered. So on this day, which was a Thursday I believe, there was a serious problem. I was in third grade so I knew everything, and I was sure I would be victorious again. I casually sauntered over towards the computer lab, not really paying attention to the time that was passing by quite rapidly. I admired some student artwork on the walls of classrooms. But one thing I didn’t behold was a hiding spot worthy of a champion. I was considering crouching under a table, but the computers were all stationed there and I couldn’t fit! Now I heard the seeker shout and I knew my goose was cooked. Why hadn’t I paid more attention to my hiding place? I looked over and saw the 6 foot tall 6th grader Wyatt crammed under a table. “Looks like I’m not the only one in trouble,” I thought. But at least he had a spot. I was out in the open and exposed.

Then I saw it. It was terrible, but my survival instincts took over. There was a large plastic box sitting in the space between the long, grey, metallic computer tables and the wall. It took up the whole space and even had its Tupperware© style lid lying next to it on the ground. It would’ve been perfect except one fairly important fault. It was clear. One hundred percent see through. Not translucent, transparent. But as they say beggars can’t be choosers, so I leapt in. I considered closing myself in, but I didn’t want to feature in a dumb death news story, plus it wasn’t going to conceal me any better if it were on.

Things looked bleak, but a true hide and seek world champion never gives in! I had to make this work. I took stock of the situation and realized my only chance. Since the box was pinched so tightly between the wall and the table no one could see me from the sides. Still there was the issue that anyone walking down the hallway would immediately see me since I was perpendicular to the hallway. Well now, since being found wasn’t an option I had a moment of brilliance. The lid! It was sitting, discarded  at the boxes front. Now it was going to be tricky but if I could just... Yes I could! I had propped the lid in front of the box effectively blocking the view from the front! Now the only way to see me was to walk all the way around the whole computer lab, which was highly unlikely.
Not a second too soon either! At that very moment the seekers came around the corner. Both of them tromped loudly through the computer lab, scouring under the tables. I became glad that the computers were in the way. Then they slowly crept, no, prowled their way towards the back of the computer lab right at me! But at that moment I was blessed by the Hide and Seek gods. Wyatt was simply too big to be ignored. “Found you!” One seeker shrieked. Wyatt reluctantly untangled himself.

“Is anyone else here?” the other one inquired. You weren’t supposed to rat out other hiders, but it happened a lot, especially when their hiding spot stank like mine. But Wyatt was feeling benevolent and he simply shook his head and they moved on. I sighed a relieved breath. It was all smooth sailing from there. They stalked past a few more times, but the seekers never found me. They simply wouldn’t have thought to look in such a dumb spot, it was a case of so dumb it works.

In the end my mom showed up about ten minutes later and I was a winner by default. I still maintain I would have won outright had she not come and taken me home. No one except Wyatt would have ever thought to go searching in such a silly, obvious, terrible spot. I never attempted it again though. Tempting fate like that would have only ended in an embarrassment for my Hide and Seek track record. Besides, I learned that sometimes the best things are those that are done with the heart and gut, not so much the brain.