May 28, 2008

Inspiration essay: Wolfy

PARK AND SHOP GAMES

Park and Shop was a board game from childhood, long out of production. But evidently, from what I attached below, it is STILL popular! Amazing, to say the least.

The haberdashers, stationers and wig shops are long gone -- too bad. They had real character and service to boot. ONE tabacconist still is open-under the Metra tracks-and it looks like an old European shop-just look at the interior and you will see what I mean,

In the age of big-box megastores, you could do a new Peak Oil version of this game-but it would be very different. The great American shopping spree is already an endangered species, as it is-excuse me if I sound like James Howard Kunstlern but I have to agree with his rants.

The real tragicomedy is that US consumers are players in a game where they are forced to drink laced lemondade at Walmart and its ilk-all to keep the economy moving forward. Yeah, right!

I cannot stand Walmart because they don't stock what I want...is it politically incorrect to sell Nodoz, or what?

The players are, for better or worse (THE LATTER, imho), programmed and branwashed to make it easier...waking up is hard to do when the skids are so greased.

**********************


Park and Shop Game


GAME RULES


PARK & SHOP
The Nation's Traffic Game Sensation
For Two to Six Players

l-GAME PLAYED WITHOUT MONEY
Object of the Game
The object of is to drive your car from your home to the nearest Park & Shop parking lot, park your car, then move your pedestrian marker to all the stops on your shopping list, return you your car, and move your car back to the stating point.

To Begin the Game
(1) Separate the red Parking Tickets from the red Motorist Cards, and place these and t the green Pedestrian Cards face down in their spaces on the game board.
(2) Shuffle the yellow Shopping Cards and deal out from 3 to 7 cards for each player depending on how long a game you wish to play. this is your shopping list, so arrange them in front of you in the order of the shortest route possible covering all the stops, including the first stop, a Park & Shop lot.

(3) Choose a matching colored car, pedestrian an d round indicator.
(4) Player throwing the highest number on dice gets first choice of home spots, any of the small houses on the other border of the game board, which then becomes his starting point. Place your colored round indicator on your home spot to remind you of your return destination.

To Play
(1) Player winning first choice of starting point also moves first, followed by the player ro his left etc.
(2) the first objective is to move your car to the most convenient Park & Shop lot using only ONE die ( a car has only one engine). Park your car and draw a red Parking Ticket. This will indicate a call you must make while driving home.
(3) After your car is parked you are a pedestrian , and since a pedestrian has two legs, you use BOTH die.
(4) you throw doubles at any time, you receive an EXTRA turn. However, if you throw doubles three successive times you move directly to jail.
(5) When you cross the main intersection "Extra Turn, " you may make a right or left turn diagonally on the red spaces, if you choose. If you stop on the "Extra Turn" square, you take an extra turn
(6) Reversing direction is not allowed during any one turn, but--
(a) When walking you may reverse your direction after a turn
(b) When driving you may not make a U-turn in the middle of a block unless you have made a stop in the block, Then you can go in either direction when you come out of your stop onto the street again.

Penalties and Bonuses
In addition to the parking tickets ond shopping cards, there are two parks of cards, one (red) for motorists and the other (green) for pedestrians. These are drawn whenever you stop on an intersections, indicated in (grey). Draw from the pedestrian cards when you are walking, and from the motorist cards when you are driving. Follow instructions on the penalty and bonus pack, place it on the bottom of the pack AFTER you have completed the penalty. When tow Pedestrians stop on the same space, both lose a turn while they stop to talk. When two motorists stop on the same space, both lose one turn for blocking traffic,

Shopping
You may enter shops, etc, only at marked entrances. Once you enter a store or shop, etc, you must wait until your next turn to move toward your next stop (unless you have thrown doubles). You may enter a store or shop, etc., on any number that carries ou intor the stop,. You do not have to throw the exact number, As you complete each item on our shopping list, turn that card face down.

Winning the Game
When all your yellow shopping cards are turned down you have completed your shopping . Then walk back to the Park & Shop lot where you parked your car, drive to the stop indicated on your parking ticket, and drive home. You must go home on the EXTRA count of your die would carry you beyond it ( example: you are 4 spaces away, but you roll a 6), then you stay where you are until your next turn.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

II- GAME PLAYED WITH MONEY
Object of the Game
Same as original game, but players must now pay for the articles purchased.

Start
Same as original game, but each player receives $150.00 in the following denominations; four $20.00 bills, four $10.00 bills, five $5.00 bills and five $1.00 bills.

Moving Markers
Same as original game, but if you have to go to jail, you must pay a fine of $5.00

Shopping
Same as original game except that after entering a shop, a purchase is made , and the price paid for the article is established by the throw of the two dice, ( Example: If the total is 8m the purchase is $8,00, etc.) The money paid for the purchase is placed on the large Park & Shop sign . If a player spends all of his money before he has completed his shopping list, he must go back to his car and go home immediately.


Pedestrian Cards
You pay (using one die) only when you would normally be required to pay for something like getting your dog license. The penalty for losing your pocket book is $5.00.

Motorist Cards
You must pay (using one die) only on the two cards where you have to get some gas and an inspection sticker,.

Parking Tickets
You must pay (using one die) on all parking tickets.

Winning the Game
The game ends when one player does all his shopping (or goes broke) and returns to the home from which he started. All Players then count up their points, scoring as follows:
(1) The player who completes all of his shopping and returns to his home first gets 10 points.
(2) All cards for completed purchases count 5 points.
(3) Count 1 point for each $10.00 in cash on hand.
(4) Deduct 3 points for each uncompleted shopping card.
The player with the highest total of points WINS THE GAME.



MILTON BRADLEY COMPANY, Springfield, Massachusetts
"Makers of the World's Best Games"



Total Shipping Only $5.00 In USA ! No limit on Quantity Per Order!

********************************************************
IN MEMORY

Inspiration comes from the strangest sources if you really think about it. This is one of those times. I wish my artistic persona would embolden me more than it has. Things are coming back to life now that have been dormant for ages. No need to look outside myself for inspiration when the material world will make one crazy. There is a good reason for this but the word for it does not exist yet.

********************************

PARACHUTE

On Memorial Day 2008, it seemed the world was on holiday. Barbeques were THE place to be and it mattered not if you ate burgers or got dogs. You HAD to be there. Everyone wanted to escape but not many could. One could not think about this without being claustrophobic. It was the last normal ritual as some sociologists wrote decades later. (sociology was not dead after all) * It was simpler to do the customary thing and watch the Kentucky Derby or the Indy 500.

Cars and horses were less dangerous than stupid humans. * As John Lennon


sang:

I don't want to spoil the party so I'll go
I would hate my disappointment to show
There's nothing for me here
So I will disappear
If she turns up while I'm gone,
please let me know

I've had a drink or two and I don't care
There's no fun in what I do if she's not there
I wonder what went wrong
I've waited far too long
I think I'll take a walk and look for her

Though tonight she's made me sad
I still love her
If I find her I'll be glad
I still love her

I don't want to spoil the party so I'll go
I would hate my disappointment to show
There's nothing for me here
So I will disappear
If she turns up while I'm gone,
please let me know

Though tonight she's made me sad
I still love her
If I find her I'll be glad
I still love her

I've had a drink or two and I don't care
There's no fun in what I do if she's not there
I wonder what went wrong
I've waited far too long
I think I'll take a walk and look for her\

Notes:

© 1964 Northern Songs. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.

No comments:

ShareThis