The Deer, The Antelope, And The Range

The Deer and the Antelope were getting older. Their playing days were behind them. Their lives were a little slower and they liked it that way. All that remained was the glory of their victories and every once in a while, the sting of their defeats.

Now, for the most part, the Deer and the Antelope would sit in their homes, amidst their playing trophies, and look out on the range all day. The two competitors had grown apart over the years as they stepped away from the playing field. They worked on their careers, started their families, and watched as the world chugged on around them.

Which is why when a message arrived to each of them, from the mayor no less, saying their playing experience was desperately needed on the range the two old-timers weren’t sure they would heed the call.

“My speed isn’t what it used to be!” the Deer complained.

“My strength is kaput!” the Antelope lamented.

“How can they expect me to help in any way?” They both shouted to their partners.

The reason for the message was an urgent one, the mayor had noticed a massive drop in play by the younger generation of Deer and Antelope out on the range. The kids these days were more into Video Games and Nintendo and Pokémons the mayor decried. In fact, the mayor made the problem of children not playing sound so dire to the Old Deer and the Old Antelope that they actually called each other up on the phone to talk about it. The two friends hadn’t spoken in years. The conversation was a little tough at first.

“Can’t believe you’re alive, although I’m sure someone would have told me if you were dead.” The Old Deer said to the Old Antelope.

“Someone did tell me you were dead.” The Old Antelope replied.

“Really? Well, I’m not...” the Old Deer responded, a little shook.

“I don’t know. Jury still out. I’ll believe it when I see it...” the Old Antelope still knew exactly how to get his old friend riled up.

“Oh yeah. I’ll prove you wrong. Name the place and I’ll show up. ALIVE! Then you’ll be sorry.” The competitive spirit was returning to the Old Deer as well.

The two competitors and friends made plans to meet up back out on the old range, the sight of their former glory days, to see what exactly the kids were up to. Before leaving, each of the former athletes checked in with their grandkids to see what exactly the mayor might have been talking about:

“We play granddad. We just don’t run around every day. We have other things we want to do. The mayor is an idiot.”

“The mayor is a bum and doesn’t know what he’s talking about. We play all the time.”

When the two old competitors finally did see each other memories came flooding back of their old days. The epic battles they used to have, the ones that would go on well into the night as neither competitor was ready to stop playing. Out of habit, the two gladiators sized each other up thinking, despite knowing the same was true of themselves, the other looked like they had lost a step.

Spontaneously, and unexpectedly, the two old-timers started to play. Perhaps the range brought it out of them, perhaps merely the presence of the other sparked some deep muscle memory. Whatever the case may be the two started playing and playing and playing. Jacks. Hopscotch. Hula-Hoops. Homerun Derby. Pogs. Bop-It. Uno. Everything that had ever been played in history was being played right here by two of the best to have ever played them all. Crossfire. Tag. Freeze-Tag. Dunk Contest.

They started to draw a crowd.

The crowd was mixed. Young, old, small, tall, wide, skinny. Word spread throughout the town that the Old Deer and the Old Antelope were playing again. Shops were closed for the day. Parents got their kids out of school. An epic playtime, perhaps the final one, was underway and no one wanted to miss it.

The battle went on as night began to descend on the range. The two old-timers had been slugging each other with the best they could all night. Finally, it came down to one thing, the Wishbone in Operation.

The Antelope had already buzzed himself out. The score was tied. If the Deer was able to successfully extract the wishbone, he would win. If he didn’t, point goest to the Antelope, and it was all over.

The town held its breath.

The Deer, with steady hands, went in to extract the wishbone. As he was going to make his move a voice came booming from the crowd, shattering the concentration and silence of the moment.

“See kids, you should play more!”

It was the mayor. Everyone stopped and looked at him. Including the Deer and the Antelope. They were furious. The concentration was gone the mood of the game evaporated. It was over.

“Who the hell said that?” The Antelope yelled.

“Why it’s me, the mayor!” The mayor stepped forward, proud. But clearly, he had not read the room...

“What the hell did you call us out here for?” The Deer asked.

“Well, the kids aren’t playing.” The mayor replied.

“We play!” The Antelopes grandson spoke up. “We just play differently than you used to. But we still play.”

“Yeah. At least we’re not idiots. We play enough to know not to interrupt a big moment like this. Unlike you.” The Deer’s granddaughter added.

At this point, the Deer and the Antelope could see that there was one old game that hadn’t been played for a very long time. One that the kids might not be familiar with, but was as old as the range itself.

“Let’s play, run the mayor out of town,” the Antelope looked to the Deer, “Remember that one?”

“Boy do I, it’s maybe my favorite game we ever played.” The Deer agreed.

The mayor looked worried. He started to back away. Everyone turned to him. He started moving quicker. Now he started to run. And run and run and run. Eventually, the mayor disappeared over the horizon.

“Let this be a lesson to the town!” Proclaimed the Antelope and the Deer together:

“The mayor, is usually, an idiot.”

The rest of the town thanked the two for an entertaining evening. The two shook hands and thanked each other for the same. It was the last play before both passed away. Their lives were richer for having had one last moment of glory, one last mayor run out of town, and one last chance to compete at their highest level.