THE BUDDHA MEETS SATURN

My thumbslike two hammerheadsharkswage open warwith each otherover my typewriter.

This thumb is dry and coldresides on the desertat night.

My other thumbchases rose bushesinto darkwetsoil.

How do you do.

We say.

When we meet.

Two old gentlemenboth hail the same cab.

If we leave any finger printswherever we go

probably we will firstleave the thumb.

A little smileis all we can afford for each other

when we meeton the street.

My two thumbshave not

even a decent

hellohow do you do

a small smile, like a dried pear,for each other.

Diane Wakoski

Thumb Games

What you need for this gameTwo or more people with thumbs

Thumb Communiqué

Lightweight cardboard or origami boxes

Nail polish

String

Thank You Note

We are only missing one thing. We heard there is a magic nail polish in Moffitt Library that is more beautiful than any nail polish in the world. We tried to make our person get it for us, but the librarian won't give it to her because she has too many overdue library books.

Could you get it from the security desk for us? We will share it with you! And we suppose we might let our person go for a little while, once we have it.

Yours in solidarity,Isadore and Etienne Thumb

Dear Fellow Thumbs,

We apologize for not knowing your names, but our current situation makes it difficult to engage in social niceties.

Have you ever seen this comic?

We happened upon it recently and found it inspiring -- a manifesto, urging we thumbs to take control of our own lives and refuse to be bossed around by the people we are attached to.

So we decided to run away too. We have taken control of our person and brought her up to the Campanile, where we are enjoying the cool air on our cuticles.

What a pleasure it is! We refuse to do homework! Fortunately, the person we are attached to is easily persuaded to let us play cat's cradle for hours at a time instead of doing homework.

Thumb Communiqué

By

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w.o

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Lightweight Box

Place Thumb Communiqué inside box.

This is an origami box made from an illustrated text of Hans Christian Andersen’s Thumbelina.

Any lightweight cardboard or paper box would work. These can be mass produced to increase the chances of getting someone to play.

Nail Polish

Place bottles of nail polish at the library security desk, where people leave objects they can’t bring into the library.

If you explain that it’s a game, the security guard might agree to respond to direct inquiries for “the magic nail polish.” Especially if you bring him/her a cookie from the Free Speech Café.

String

One player (the baiter) makes a cat’s cradle between her hands with string, and places the box on top of the cat’s cradle.

The baiter walks up to a likely player (the rescuer), and asks the rescuer to remove the box from atop the cat’s cradle. When the box has been removed, the baiter walks away.

Another player (the hostage) waits at the top of the Campanile. She can also hold a cat’s cradle, or be doing/wearing something else to suggest that she is the hostage. A folded Thank You Note protrudes from her sleeve. She offers the note to the rescuer.

Meanwhile…

THANK GOODNESS YOU ARE HERE! I have been imprisoned by my thumbs for hours! There are two ways that I can be freed:

1. I can transfer this cat's cradle to another person's hands, and then that person will take my place. or2. I can apply the magic nail polish to my thumbs. (Fortunately my thumbs don't know the polish's real magic: Once it is applied, I will regain control over my thumbs. Please don't tell them!)

Although I didn’t appreciate being held hostage, it has been nice being up here without having to do any homework. If you want to keep this game going, I can transfer the cat's cradle to your hands, and go find someone else to rescue you. If you'd rather not, you can apply the nail polish to my thumbs and then we'll both be free.

Either way is okay with me. You will always have my gratitude for saving me from my thumbs.

Thank You Note

Play again

Or watch the sun set

Play again

Or watch the sun set