Blinde Spy

Our childhood games of hide-and-seek were more than just a bit of fun. There were strict rules of engagement. Anyone who did not play according to the rules was shunned. Even worse, they could be left counting while the remaining players secretly vacated the playing area.

The seeker had to count out loud, and then confirm that the other players were ready, by calling out:

"hier kom ek" (I'm coming)

If the players looking for a good spot had not done so in the alotted time, there was some leniency to take into account the level of literacy and numeracy of the seeker, as this would of course impact on the speed and accuracy of the countdown and indeed in the abillity of the remaining players to understand what he was saying. They could appeal for extra time, calling out:

"Notty" (pronounced "naughty" and implying that they were NOT ready)

Once they were suitably hidden, or a mutually agreeable time had passed, they could say:

"Kom maar" (oh well, alright, you can come)

I believe one of the more innovative rules, which I believe is peculiar to Cape Town, is the Blinde Spy amendment. It was designed to ensure accuracy of identification on the part of the seeker, and meant that well-camouflaged or well-hidden players had the benefit of doubt. If the seeker believed that he had found a player, he had to identify them by name, and if his guess was incorrect, the player could invoke the "Blinde Spy" (translated blind spy) rule, appealing against his capture and therefore resulting in a new game due to a vote of no confidence.

I have written before about the way childhood games form a template for social interaction in adult life. I wonder if the Blinde Spy amendment is a model which could possibly have been put to good use in the Middle East conflict with regards to the American Millitary Intelligence (? a perfect example of an oxymoron) reports on missile bases and chemical factories in Iraq. An example follows:

A: julle het missiles (you have missiles)

B: nee ons hettie (no we don't)

A: ja julle het (yes, you do)

B: Wela, blinde spy! Ons speel weer, en ons kry Kuwait! (blinde spy, new game and we get Kuwait!)