Fair game.
When I was in high school, I knew this boy named Dave Carpenter. He introduced me to the concept of “fair game”. It’s stuck with me as an odd cornerstone of personal philosophy. I was surprised recently that other people had never heard of it. I thought I would share it here.
Fair game: If you say to someone, “I won’t like it if you do that” and s/he continues to do it, then s/he is fair game for the consequences of his/her actions.
Specifically, I told D. that if he grew a mustache, I would not kiss him. (I have really soft skin that gets a rash to stubble.) He grew a mustache. I didn’t kiss him. It seemed fairly simple to me. I told him. He did it. He received the consequences.
Of course, he complained bitterly to anyone who would listen, including our dinner companions last weekend. They, in turn, told me that I was incredibly unreasonable.
And I realized that maybe the principles of fair game need to be explained in a public forum. This way, I can say, “Haven’t you read my blog?” instead of stumbling over words, blushing and becoming very silent.
Filed under: Thoughts on being human....
[...] I, of course, have no sympathy for him. None. Not a drop. I just don’t have it in me - especially when he whines - because he has refused to do anything about it. Since he wouldn’t go to the doctor, call the massage therapist, take a(n) naprosyn, advil, asprin, tramodol, or vicadin, ice/heat therapy or even stretch, I figure he’s fair game for pain. [...]