At this time of year with a foot of snow obstructing access to most of our backyards and summer play areas, most of us are prone to much wishful thinking. These wishes go beyond the hope embedded in New Year’s resolutions and perhaps have something to do with the February blues.
A few years ago, I heard about a February party game during which guests had to write out their most important wishes and put them into a hat. During the evening, wishes were pulled from the hat, and everyone had to guess whose wish that was.
Some guests’ wishes were quite predictable. The true skiers and boarders clearly wanted more snow — and lots of it. The homebodies groaned a lot when this wish was announced. Winter was heavy that year, so those heading to Red Mountain and the Ben Shaw trails clearly had their wishes come true.
One surprising wish indicated that the person wanted to find new and true love. Everyone looked around at the gathered couples and couldn’t imagine who might have wished that. No one seemed to be blushing. That the party was held near Valentine’s Day might have accounted for that wish.
One guest had dessert on his mind. His wish was listed as “sex in a pan” or “mint chocolate pie.” Failing one of these desserts, he would accept any number of boxes of chocolates. Again, Valentine’s Day coming up might have influenced his choice of a wish. Everyone knew who the chocoholic was even before he admitted to writing that wish.
Someone had heard that the City of Castlegar was going to improve the streets of Columbia Avenue from Sherbiko Hill to the Safeway corner in the years ahead. Their wish was that not too much disruption would occur and that driving would still be pleasant during the summer months. Several people called out “good luck” regarding that wish. They knew from experiences in other communities that disruption is the order of the day when streets are under construction.
One couple had scrunched up the piece of paper with their wish on it. Their wish was that 30 and 40 year olds should not be allowed to come back home and take up residence with their parents. They liked being “empty nesters.” Most partygoers guessed who might have put that wish into the mix, but no one owned up to doing so.
Several people wished to have a million dollars fall into their laps, either through lotto winnings or an inheritance. True, a few of these wishers simply asked for more money to do more interesting things — dinner out every day and the purchase of elegant homes in exotic locales.
One couple asked for year-round travel. When they admitted to writing that wish, they were asked where they wanted to go. The answer was “everywhere,” and they didn’t want to leave “one stone unturned” in any country in the world. Apparently, a year-long cruise would do for a start.
One golf enthusiast must have been thinking in February about the spring golf opening. His wish was that all 18 holes at the Castlegar Golf Club would be open on April 1. He hoped for a long season without much rain to dampen his enthusiasm.
Several wishes pulled from the hat were nearly the same. Many guests — even while they were eating gooey chocolate cake and downing litres of pinot noir and sauvignon blanc — wanted to dump 20 to 50 pounds of weight. All of these hippos were going to start a weight program right after the party — or perhaps later when all the Valentine’s Day chocolates were gone.