John with his family and friends would play a game they called Commandoes that everyone in their neighborhood picked up and began playing as well. The game involved both parents and children playing. Parents were involved because the “finder” of the game needed to be driving a car or a gold cart, while the “commandoes” ran on foot. The game would work by everyone piling into the car or golf cart. The “finder” would drive the car to any location that he or she so choose, and then he or she would drop off the commandoes. The commandoes would then have to make it from the drop off location back to “home base” without being seen by the “finder” in the car. Home base would be any location that was agreed upon by everyone, but usually was a house. After the finder dropped off the commandoes at the drop off point, he or she would turn the car or golf cart around and drive away. The commandoes would wait until the car was out of site before they could start making their way to home base. The commandoes needed to be as stealth as possible, as they made there way through he streets. If the finder in the car spotted any commando, he would flash his lights and yell that he found you. The commando would hop into the car and join the finder in search of the remaining commandoes. The commandoes who made it to home base would win. The finder won if he or she found all of the commandoes before they made it to home base.
Commandoes was a game invented by one of John’s dad’s friends. They would usually play the game when there was a community beach bonfire. All the kids would want to participate and sometimes multiple parents would drive and be “finders” as well. The game allowed the kids to run around and burn out some energy, while the parents got to relive their childhood of playing hide and go seek, but to a more advanced level.