My Faux Pas when Playing the Alphabet Car Game
There is a game that we use to love to play to pass the time on long trips. The rules are you can call a letter when you see a sign with the letter on it. You want to be the first person to walk their way completely through the alphabet. Once you call the letter “a” then you keep on the lookout for a word that begins with “b.” Once a certain sign is used for a letter, the other person can not use the same letter from the same sign.
We played this many times but one time will always stand out in my mind. There are certain letters that will cause the game to stall. There just are not that many road signs using the letters q’s or z’s. Surprisingly, the letters v and x are not nearly as difficult to find as q and z. Both my husband and I were stuck on the letter “q.” As we were on a familiar route I tried really hard to think of where a “q” might be to prepare myself to call it first. If I call it, then he’ll still be stuck at “q” and I can continue to “r” and a run of easy letters.
As I’m thinking one small communities name comes to mind. It is still at least 30 miles from where we were presently, so I thought I will have that ace up my sleeve. I knew exactly when we would be approaching the community’s name and waited patiently for the miles to pass. I even tried to get Joe wrapped up in conversation so he would forget about the game all together, and then out of nowhere I would call my “q” and be ahead.
The community was now upon us. My plan was working. Joe wouldn’t see this coming at all. The sign comes into view, and I proudly yell “Q.” As I’m yelling and reading the sign, my voice victory yell dies down to a whimper. As I’m reading the community sign for “” it dawns on me there is no q in ! After a good laugh the game was back on. I cannot remember who won, but I fondly remember calling a q for . Ever since then when we pass through that community one of us proudly shouts “q” as we point to the sign.
The alphabet car game does make a trip go faster. All that players’ need for this game is a sharp eye and knowledge of the alphabet. The occasional blunder will happen, so have a good laugh or two about it.
