Stuff on My Desk: That One Paper Game Thingie

If you don't remember these, clearly you didn't grow up in the 80s.

They were all the rage on the playground when I was in elementary school. Need to know if that super-cute fifth grade boy likes you? Ask the paper. Should I perm ALL my hair or just my bangs? Ask the paper.

(And yes, I'm aware that this probably has an actual NAME vs. just "the paper," but I can't remember it. Please feel free to enlighten me.)

If you younger (or older) folks are wondering how the heck this thing works: You stick both pointer fingers and thumbs inside the folded corners of the paper (underneath the part you've written on). You pick a number and then move your fingers back and forth that number of times (I can't think of a better way to describe this; it's more of a visual). Wherever you stop, you then pick a color and lift up the appropriate tab, under which lies your answer. Wicked cool. And totally foolproof, of course.

(It's pretty much the poor man's version of the Magic 8-ball. We were 10; I think my allowance was, like, 75 cents a week or something. You think I could afford some fancy-schmancy Magic 8-ball? Shoot.)

This is hanging on my desk because, one day, in my last job, I was instant-messaging an old co-worker of mine and telling him about a problem I was having that seemed to have no good solution. It was one of those good old Corporate America lose-lose situations. We met for coffee to talk it out, and he helpfully made this paper game ahead of time and brought it with him, presumably to help me make my decision. In reality, it just made me laugh, which was just as good.

The possible "answers" to whatever question I was asking are "Yes," "No," "Forget it, sister" (ha) and "Ask C," who was my boss at the time. The joke there is that you never asked C ANYTHING unless you wanted to be on the phone for three hours.

Anyone else have fond memories of these paper game thingies? Please, do share.