Recess Battles: Playing, Fighting, and Storytelling

5. Restricted Movement in a Scripted World

77 - 5 RESTRICTEDMOVEMENTINASCRIPTEDWORLD The school yard is tense at times: “They always beat us [to the door].” “I’m first, first.” “Second!” “What time is it? Third!” “Aw, I’m gonna be last.” “You got to call it.” “You got to call it quick.” First! Second! Places erases! No, reverse it down. Ace, ace, first, second. Ace, ace, got no higher. I called it. She called it. Ace, ace. Yes, she did. The tension and the race to play are most visible at the times of transition , between the ringing of the bell and the reentry to school. As the frames push and pull, the children sneak some joy in the short time allowed—in their movement, in each other’s company, in rhythm, parody , and synchrony. In a very palpable sense, a piece of the playground becomes a battlefield, as the parties fight over cultural capital, superimposed on the daily battle of fair and foul, it and not it. Frantic to avoid being interrupted, children shout, “Don’t be stopping us. We’re playin’ here.” Basketball players literally hold onto the 78 The Push and Pull of Adult Culture post to claim their position; boys ready themselves for the next game, dribbling balls long past the bell. Most try to keep playing. Some are more graceful than others. A boy stalls and keeps playing football as one of the female aides yells at him to stop. The adults threaten to take away the football. At the last possible moment, the boy does a touchdown dance, little steps to the right and left, pumps his fist, does a slippery back bend, and then spikes the football. Only then is he ready to come in, and he does so cheerfully. The tug-of-war, invented by the grown-ups, disappears. To see the complexity of the connections among cultural scripts, children ’s subculture, use of games as negotiating tools, and the institution of school itself requires an analysis of the most dramatic themes shown by the transcriptions of the videotapes. This analysis allows us to see, frame by frame, how the children are pulled as they negotiate. In this chapter, I analyze videotapes of the “Big Mac” rhyme. I focus not on the production of Big Macs but on the swift-footed delivery of commercial icons into popular culture. The clips include an advanced double-dutch session, a single rope session done in double-dutch style, a single rope session done in single rope style, and a double-dutch lesson for girls who had never before played this style. Video Clip 1 Time Action Voice 10:45:10 Aisha prepares to enter ropes; she pushes a boy out of the way. 10:45:17 Aisha jumps. Big Mac, Filet o’Fish 10:45:20 She misses. Young spectator laughs. Both Aisha and Kenya gesture as if to enter the rope. 10:45:30 Aisha jumps in again, does fancy turns while doing basic steps. Big Mac, Filet o’Fish, Quarter Pounder, Frenchie fries, icee Coke, milk shake, hop 10:45:40 Aisha misses. Rica parodies her style. They laugh. 10:45:45 Kenya and Rica prepare. Rica enters rope. Big Mac, Filet o’Fish Rica misses. 10:45:58 Aisha enters and misses. They move closer to the building. “Shade child. Shade honey, shade.” “Turn it around I know you hate turning that thing [the camera] around, and I don’t blame you.” 79 Restricted Movement in a ScriptedWorld Aisha added an extra challenge and performed her whole sequence while turning. Rica followed the challenge, but Kenya did not. They parody each other’s styles and chat while chanting. Video Clip 2 [Camera rotates] “I’d follow you guys anywhere.” 10:46:19 Kenya enters rope. Big Mac, Filet o’Fish, Quarter Pounder, Frenchie fries 10:46: 25 Kenya misses, whips rope off. Time Action Voice 10:39:09 Joy jumps a single rope that is turned by two others; Fria mumbles“Big Mac” on the side. Big Mac, Filet o’Fish, Quarter Pounder, Frenchie fries, icee Coke, milk shake, bounce, Big Mac, Filet o’Fish, Quarter Pounder, Frenchie fries, icee Coke, milk shake, hop, Big Mac, Filet o’Fish, Quarter Pounder, Frenchie fries, icee Coke, milk shake, turn, Big Mac, Filet o’ Fish, Quarter Pounder, Frenchie fries, icee Coke, milk shake, criss, Big Mac, Filet o’Fish, Quarter Pounder, Frenchie fries, icee Coke, milk shake. 10:39...