After I wrote about Reid wanting to play hockey in the fall, Chris sent me some links and ideas for finding out about registration and inspired me to try and find some little kids playing hockey to watch since it’s playoff time for the OMHA. Reid has a swimming lesson on Sunday mornings in a rec complex that also has an ice surface. I decided we’d take our chances there since I remember running a gauntlet of equipment bags and sticks as we left after the last couple of lessons. I brought along our lunch, since Reid doesn’t mind a packed lunch, just eating at home. There was a small hitch in my plans because there was no hockey scheduled but there was a ringette game and we decided to watch that instead. Reid didn’t have too many questions about ringette beyond the basic “why are their sticks different?” This was a good thing since my exposure to ringette is limited to a game I watched Rae-Anne Scratch play about 25 years ago. (Ohmygoodness, I am old!) The game we watched involved a group of girls who seemed to be about 10 and on a formal team and their opponents, a collection of adults of both sexes and some other kids. They all seemed to be enjoying themselves and the game moved quickly from end to end. The players wore a lot less in the way of protective equipment and we saw no physical contact or digging the ring against the boards. All in all, it made a nice background to our lunch.
As we left the arena, Reid commented with a giggle, “We’re the only watchers and now we’re leaving.” I told Reid that people who watch are called “spectators”. I kept the “or peeking toms” that popped into my head to myself and responded instead to Reid’s question about the plural and singular form of spectator. I’m not sure why Reid was interested in that. But I do my best to answer whatever questions that come up and I’m glad when they’re not math or science questions.