Oh Satan, You're kind of a Buzz-kill.

Today, I have to decide whether or not to sign the permission slip from my kid's school, giving him actual permission to play "Role-Playing" Games.  He has joined the Role Playing Game Club. YES, I have to actually sign a PERMISSION SLIP.  lol. This decision is weighing on me so much...like a ton of bricks.  lol.

Let's review my own life, I grew up in a small town, where Catcher in the Rye was still banned, and my father had to order it for me, from the College bookstore. And where we had the Green stamps program from the local market.  It was given to me, as a job, to do every so often, spend an afternoon, licking or (when I finally figured it out) using a damp sponge to moisten the pile of Greenstamps and put them in the booklets.  I would get one book of my own, for every ten I finished.  THAT'S A LOT OF GREEN STAMPS.  These could be traded for items at the illustrious Green stamp Store for various goods and trinkets.   I worked for months and months to save up my booklets.  And when I finally thought I had enough, I asked to go to the Green stamp store.  It was to be a great day, that day.

Upon arrival, I scoured the shelves. I didn't need a coffee pot, or doily, or a toaster.  BUT: What did I find?  On a bottom shelf, covered in dust, sad and lonely, towards the back, one Dungeons and Dragons game.  This game was so popular; but also, completely forbidden by most in the area, because if you played it, Satan would come and get you in the middle of the night, and make you do horrible and unspeakable things, and you would surely end up burning in the fiery pits of Hell - forever. I considered my options.  I only had so many Green Stamps books, you know.  And it was kind of scary, right?!!?  It was Satan, THE SATAN, after all.  

What the hell.  I used my Green stamps to buy this game. I'm not sure if it was because I was really that interested in playing it...or, if I wanted to see if Satan would really come and actually visit me, or if I just wanted to do something others didn't think I should do...probably a little of all.  

What happened, you ask?  Well, I never played the game, I was too small to really understand what to do.  Satan did not ever visit me, not even a little bit. And I did feel pretty cool for doing what I wasn't supposed to...I did it, and nothing happened. And the box finally went to the trash or garage sale or something. All in all, it was kind of a let down. No Satan, no friends to play the game with, no more Green Stamps.  Yeah, bit of a let down.

So, as I sign my own son's "permission slip".  I kind of think it's funny that while Green stamps have long died off, the idea that a game could influence a person into something else still exists.

http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/10-reasons-why-roleplaying-games-are-a-positive-force-for-kids-and-adults-alike/