Never!
Have you ever played the game known as "I've Never ..."? It can be a lot of fun when played among good friends, and one inevitable result of playing it is that you learn a lot - sometimes too much! - about the other people playing.
You each start with (say) ten points. You can use tokens of any kind, or even just keep count with your fingers; this isn't important. Gameplay goes around the circle, each person speaking in turn. When it is your turn, you tell about something that you have never done (or that has never happened to you), but which you think many of the other people have done. If your guess is correct, then each person who has done that thing must give up one of their tokens. If you are incorrect, and nobody else has done that thing either, then you give up a token instead. Whenever a person loses their final token, they must leave the game, and of course the winner is the 'last man standing'.
Proper play depends - of course - on the participants being honest about these things, but when played among friends, the mood of the game usually promotes honest play. As the game goes on, and the statements become more imaginative, any number of personal secrets may be revealed!
I'm here writing this story, and you are there reading it, but perhaps we can play a few rounds together? There is a link at the bottom of this story to a 'Comments page', and you can make your entry there.
But I'll start. And because we are doing this over the 'net, I'll simply list my entries. If you start with ten points, and give up one for each of these things that you have done, how many points will you have left after I finish? Remember ... complete honesty now!
I have never seen the film 'Gone With the Wind.'
I have never owned a car.
I have never had a wedding ceremony (although I have two children!).
I have never tried smoking, not even once.
I have never been to Las Vegas.
I have never been on a roller coaster.
I have never been hospitalized.
I have never been drunk. (Really! Does this tell you how 'boring' my life must be?)
(I should also think of some things suitable for my Japanese readers, so how about:)
I have never climbed Mt. Fuji.
I have never ... never ... eaten natto (fermented soybeans).
So, how many points do you have left?
Your turn! Remember - the way to play is to think of things that you have never done, but which you think the other players have. I look forward to reading your comments and playing the game together!
Story #194, September 13 2009
Comments on this story ...
Posted by: Akemi
I've lost all my ten points!!!
Posted by: Jakub Makalowski
Three years later and I still have four points left, five if you consider visiting Vegas as a child not an actual Vegas visit.
Posted by: Jacques
I've lost five of my ten points (seen Gone with the wind, smoked (a lot), been on a roller coaster, hospitalised, and drunk).
On the other hand:
I have never had a driver's license.
I have never had any children.
I have never sent (or received) an SMS.
I have never jumped out of an airborne airplane :-).