Truth or Dare

I’m afraid of a lot of things. Large bodies of water, balls flying at my face, asking someone “how are you?!” and having them not hear me but having someone else hear and witness the whole thing and then they give me sort of a pitying look while my friendly smile slowly fades from my face and any confidence in my ability to accomplish anything drains from my body. All completely valid fears but none of these things send my heart racing like a friendly game of TRUTH or DARE.

In my experience as a shy adolescent, nothing sent kids into more of a frenzy than a li’l ToD. Often it was only suggested as a means to get someone to kiss someone else. Pure nightmare fuel for somebody who was terrified of kissing people they barely know until the age of 30 (Currently 30. Currently fearful of strangers/acquaintances/friends-of-many-years lips. A fear I intend to take with me to the grave.)

In my elementary school, the grade five class would go on a winter camping trip each year. We were split into cabins and one parent was assigned to chaperone each cabin. Brittany’s mom was supposed to be the chaperone for my group but had to work and would be arriving late. 

I figured all 6 of us girls would tuck into bed with a li’l Little House on the Prairie and lean IN to this winter camping experience while awaiting Brittany’s mom’s arrival. Instead of a girls-only-book-reading utopia, boys were invited. Bad boys were invited and shit was going DOWN. 

I cowered in my bed and held my Bedtime Barbie tight. (She was a Barbie with a soft body and a nightgown. She was dope as hell and I would 100% cuddle again.) Boys were dared to hug girls and kiss them and then one boy was dared to run around the outside of the cabin completely naked. I was overwhelmed. I was sweating. I thought I was going to die. I thought HE was going to die. It was WINTER. He would FREEZE.

I closed my eyes and prayed for his safe return. I did not witness the streaking but I know it happened. The boy survived and Brittany’s mom arrived very shortly after. She sent the boys back to their cabin. The nightmare was over and I had gotten through the ordeal without even suffering a Truth. 

I’ve gotten a little braver since then. (Huge shout out to Bedtime Barbie for all her support.) I still hate ToD and almost all games and I think that’s okay. But also, I once referred to myself as carefree and a friend laughed in my face and I was very offended but now I maybe see what she was talking about.