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Hat Game 2009: A plea

Below you’ll find a guest blog post from one of my favourite people about one of his favourite people.  EAP was a co-worker turned friend from waaaay back in the day when I was a worker bee and he was an established lawyer at a firm in town.  Although my employment there was short, our friendship has made it through countless address and job changes (all mine) over the years and remains strong to this day.

Welcome to forgetful.ca, EAP.  We hope you’ll back back soon.

On a cold December evening just prior to Christmas, 2003, a disparate bunch of people gathered at Hy’s Martini Ranch for a few drinks after work on a Friday.  Although the core of participants were then employees of Lang Michener, the rest were friends or friends of friends.  Not satisfied with paying $12 for a glass of wine or $7 for a domestic beer, the lot of us headed out into the snow to my place (a mere 10 minute walk)  where the booze was free, or at least, already paid for.

There couldn’t have been more than 7 or 8 of us, but we were a very jolly group – several of whom had been imbibing since their lunchtime office Christmas party.  For these particular party-goers, the choices were clear cut – either was stop drinking now, let the hangover set in and go home to bed, or pour more liquor down your neck to keep the rest of it company in your stomach.  They made the obvious choice and we all found ourselves chez moi with a goodly supply of beverages and a desire to engage in some kind of party game.  This was the birth of the Hat Game Party.

For those who remember Dick Clark’s $100,000 Pyramid TV game show from the 70’s and 80’s, the Hat Game is just a cheap rip-off of that concept.  Pieces of paper with nouns written on them are folded and mixed up in an old fedora (hence the name “Hat Game”).  Teams of 2 take turns getting their partner to say the noun written on each successive slip of paper pulled from the hat, during a one minute time period.  You keep the slips of paper your partner guesses and put back the ones you can’t (after taking a 10 second penalty).  The hat is passed in succession to each team for their one minute rounds.  The team with the most pieces of paper when the hat is empty is the winner.  Simple in concept, but oh so difficult in practice.

From those humble beginnings, the Hat Game grew to a yearly Christmas event.  More teams were entered, food was eventually served, sponsors were obtained (the official drink of the Hat Game is Seaview Australian Champagne).  But throughout it all, one thing has remained constant.  Below are the winners of the first four Hat Games:

2003 – Shannen and EAP

2004 – Shannen and Ken

2005 – Shannen and EAP

2006 – Shannen and Kurt

Notice a common theme?  Yep, our Shannen is like the Montreal Canadiens of the Hat Game.  Doesn’t matter who her team mate is – this chick knows how to win.  No one ever has, nor probably ever will, equal that amazing four year run of victory for Shan.  Sadly, she was unable to attend the Hat Game last year because her motherly duties rightfully took precedence.  Two rookies won the Hat Game that year and maybe a new dynasty was about to be born.  But it was not to be, because neither of last year’s champs will be in attendance this year.  SHANNEN – COME BACK AND RECLAIM THE CUP!!!!  IT”S TIME TO BREAK SOME RECORDS!

December 5, 2008 - 1:26 pm

EAP - I held up my end, Shan. Now it’s your turn. See you at the Hat Game Party. 😉

EAP

December 5, 2008 - 1:48 pm

Auntie Jen - that’s cute.

December 5, 2008 - 8:47 pm

Kristin - I have seen all four of Shannen’s Hat Game triumphs, and they were all spectacular. Somehow we’ve never been paired together…wish this year was going to be the year for that clearly unstoppable duo.

I was at that first memorable evening and I think the attendees were EAP, Mugsy (our referee), Shan, myself, Kathie, Sonja and Ken.

Also, I think that no mention of Hat Game would be complete without a mention of the most unforgettable team of all (though they only attended once…), Kathie and Sonja. Also known as “cat shit…take it up a level”. Classic.

December 8, 2008 - 5:56 pm

Sonja - I too have found memories from that 1st (and my only) hat game experience. That was also the first time Shannen and I hung out together socially.

Signed,

One have of cat shit … take it up a level!

December 8, 2008 - 10:37 pm

shannen - Ok, ok. I’m going. EAP, you should be a salesman.

December 9, 2008 - 3:48 pm

EAP - YAY! Maybe I can arrange for us to be “randomly” assigned to be teammates. We could go for the hat trick. :-0

EAP

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