Paintball Letter

Excerpt from an email to my brother Colin:

Colin,

Thanks for the long email. So you expect a honker of a one back? I suppose I can oblige you.

Last Saturday I went to play paintball. Yes your sister, the one everyone calls fragile, (and many more other things we won't name here) played paintball, and liked it. It was actually quite miserable yet fun. With a couple layers of clothing, the sweat was running down fast. I also hated wearing the mask because it was so stuffy and made breathing not as refreshing as it usually is. I also must mention how your voice sounded speaking into the mask, it must be what Darth Vader has to deal with all the time. I also learned dark clothing is better and although the gray hooded sweatshirt provided ample padding it sure stuck out in the forest. Haha! But I am not complaining, just reminding you of the sweat and toil of paintball. Does it bring back memories?


We played 4 games. The first one I got out rather quickly, while hiding out in a fort with two other people we soon got eliminated when Mike came and made us all surrender. Just a tad bit humiliating (or a lot). The second game I snuck up fairly well to there fort and was in a perfect spot, ready to shoot a few of the guys that were walking by. But then they saw me! And my stupid gun wouldn't shoot, I checked the safety lock and everything. But they got me, pretty badly. One came and hit me in the neck/chin, thankfully not dead on or that would have hurt so much more. My gun wasn't cocked right.... yes I was upset. My team, with Erich as the head, (not blaming him at all of course) lost the first two rounds. I hadn't hit anyone yet...


The next two games were on a new field and we were playing capture the flag. I decided to hide out on one side to see if anyone would creep near. I was very close to the edge of the field with the flag to my right. I hid and had my gun propped up on a log. All of a sudden I saw Mike creeping closer. I ducked to make sure I wasn't seen. It seemed too perfect because he had his sites on the flag and kept creeping closer without looking my way. I waited, with my aim I wanted to make sure I could get him, and distance with no brush in the way was going to be a key to my success. He finally got close enough and I shot him, he didn't notice the first two but on the third he realized he was down and raised his gun and walked to the meeting site.


Okay so I must admit, it wiped away the humiliation of the other two games. He was the prime target on the other team and hadn't gotten hit once yet. Neither of us had played before, but he caught on quickly. I took that tactic for the rest of the game and into the next. My team won both the last games. It was an even score than 2-2. We were all exhausted and sweaty and dirty and ready to go home. It was fun and exciting, and not as bad as I thought it would be. I must say- it is such a boy game though. We had 15 guys and 4 girls. The stories are still coming. So there is my experience, I hope you get a good laugh or at least a smile out of it.


Yikes that is so much already I wonder if I should stop...



The letter continues but that is what I wanted to share.