The informant is a college student from Malibu, California. She went to a large high school and was on the cheerleading team. It was during these long, somewhat boring practices that this tradition would take place. It was mostly to pass the time.

“Dropped Your Pocket” is a game played by the informant in middle school and the beginning of high school. The game involves only two people; the instigator and the victim. The goal for the instigator is to make a circle with their thumb and forefinger and get the victim to look at this circle. If the victim looks at it, the instigator can punch the victim in the arm. The only condition is that the circle must be held below the waist of the instigator.

Because of this condition, much of the game is centered around trying to get the victim to look below the waist of the instigator. This is where the phrase “you dropped your pocket” comes from. The instigator acts as if they have picked up what they dropped and has it in his or her hand in hopes that the victim will look. The informant  that it is more humiliating for the victim if they are fooled into looking by a statement that inherently does not make sense, such as dropping your pocket. Another popular one is “Your sock is untied”. However, the instigator does not need to say anything in particular in order for them to have punching rights. As long as the victim looks and it is under the waist, it is valid. Once this process is done once, the game becomes very contagious. Everyone is on high alert not to look down, as the attempts to get people to do so become more desperate. Most players of this game do not state outright why it is bad to look below people’s waists. However, it is true that children that age are often told of the dangers of sex. Although they may not know everything about it, they know that it has to do with parts below the waist. This may be part of the reason for the appearance of this game and its popularity among this age group.