Playgrounds are fun. In my day, there were monkey bars. They had no safety padding. The ground was covered with rocks. Accidents happened. There was the merry-go-round. It was great sport to see how fast it could be pushed and still hold on. We held on tighter when a kid fell off due to the centrifugal force. My favorite was the seesaw. Sitting on either side of the painted board seat attached to a metal base, we held each other in the air. Kids with less weight would plead to be let back to earth by others who had heft. The playground was a jungle of survival of the fittest.

Teachers were convinced that fresh air was the panacea for all ailments. At recess, it was time to go to the playground unless it was freezing, and even then, at times. I had a winter hat that had flaps that buckled at the top of the hat, or when extended, buckled under my chin. Winters were cold in the early 60s.

‘Yesterday we were in consternation over our investments, today they are recovering,’ He said. ‘What will tomorrow bring?’ He continued. ‘It reminds me of my youth on the seesaw where Chet would hold me in the air due to his corpulence,’ He said.

‘Yes, the seesaw and playgrounds in general had a joy and dread at once,’ She said. ‘I was full of joy on the merry-go-round until my friends and others pushed it so fast that I could not hold on,’ She laughed ironically. ‘Our playground had happy laughter and in the dark corner someone being bullied with no one to help,’ She noted with a tear. ‘Happy sounds came from many, bitter sadness came from the few selected for abuse by leaders of the pack,’ She whispered.

‘Teacher seemed blind to bullying,’ Chet said. ‘Preferring to let kids defend themselves, it was truly the survival of the fittest absent compassion or justice,’ Chet continued. ‘Even when abuse happened, the Principal smiled a crooked smile and sent the bullied back to class,’ Chet said sadly. ‘On the playground, many felt accepted, loved with a sense of place, while others looked for a friend,’ Chet noted.

‘The athletic ruled sometimes benevolently, other times dismissively,’ He said. ‘If you could hit the ball straight and run fast, you were at home on the playground,’ He noted. ‘Other abilities went unnoticed in the playground pecking order,’ He said.

‘People are being deported without advanced notice, without time to settle their affairs and gather their possessions,’ She said. ‘They are removed from their universities without question by authorities,’ She continued. ‘The accepted group in our country has little to worry about as they laugh and enjoy their lives while those who are different are bullied with no one watching or caring,’ She said.

‘Hold on, stay cool, trust me,’ the President said. ‘I know what I am doing,’ the President continued. ‘Enjoy the better view from the top of the see-saw and try not to fall off the merry-go-round,’ the President admonished. ‘Have I shown you my golf swing?’ he asked.