MANHUNT

I'm not a social person, and I think mainly it's because I just don't identify with a lot of what most kids are up to these days. Lifestyles are a predictable joke, and watching everyone gradually fall down the same shit stream leaves a lot to be desired. Manhunt, however, has given me a new hope.

Growing up in the suburbs it's something any honest kid will deal with, but being in the city it's even worse. With the suburbs, collective boredom correlates a pressurized atmosphere that causes a creative energy to explode, leading kids to give a shit about going out of their way to entertain themselves. The city, on the other hand, is a mystery. It's where all the kids want to be to live out their rock and roll fantasies of endless nights, bright lights and overpriced used clothing. The weird thing is, though, that with all the overstimulated distractions and endless entertainment, it's easy to lose yourself along with all the inventive ideas that used to make life fun. Consequently, you end up unknowingly just following some crowd you decided to tang along with while trying to make it to the top of the food chain where you can gorge on endless amounts of cocaine and nookie. Either that or I really have to get out more.

Anyways, when I was invited to go to the park with a bunch of kids to run around, hide, and chase each other in the dark, my eyes lit up inside my soul and a layer of skin shed right off by body. Finally, my ninja training would come in handy. I can say that it was the first thing in a long while that motivated me to get out of the house and face the world once again.

The opening ritual of this phenomenon starts out with a meet up at the closest 7-11 where all involved can stock up on sugars, caffeine or even sweetly delicious carbs. Once everyone has their arm band in place, is accounted for and ready, the game begins by choosing who is going to be 'it' while everyone else runs off to hide within the boundaries of whatever area of the city has been designated as the location of that specific game. From there the hunt begins until everyone is found.

Simply, it's a game we've all played before in one form or another and may not be as originally mind blowing as anticipated. The key to the game is more than not getting caught though, but to make it fun for yourself. Finding the perfect hiding spot and sitting there for an hour won't likely be as fun as exploring, sneaking, scaring and taunting other players or even non-players. A little exercise and work of the imagination and you've got yourself in the middle of an adventure that's probably going to be a bit more exciting than puking on a sidewalk. Hell, even combine both worlds and play drunk as fuck or high as a kite if that'll float your boat, just put some personality into it.

http://www.manhunt-toronto.com