While this piece of my folklore collection is slightly off-color, I think it is important to document more than just politically correct pieces of folklore. When my friends and I are in particularly immature moods to this day, we play a game called “doorknob”. The game’s rules are as follows:

When you pass gas, you have to say “safety” before someone else says “doorknob”.

If the offender achieves this, they are safe.

When the offender fails to say “safety” before someone else says “doorknob”, the “doorknob”-sayer is given full license to punch the offender as hard as they can in the shoulder until the offender touches a doorknob.

The origins of this game are unknown, but I have personally witnessed it played by a multitude of people- even recently. The most recent instance of the game being played transpired in the Yardhouse restaurant downtown during a Lakers game. A friend of mine (who is listed as the reference for this collection item) was passed gas while we were all sitting at the bar. Smartly, he blurted out “safety” before anyone was given the opportunity to beat him to the punch.