Paintball is for tough people

 cousin max got together 20 of his closest friends for paintball.  somehow, i was one of those people.  we all gathered at the place on monday morning, and i had much joy finding out that it was about 500 feet from the famous supercross bmx track on missouri bottom road in bridgeton.  in this photo, we see the girls, hanna and bailey, getting suited up.  rather, we see their backsides.  in costume, they look identical.

 keith and tyson do not look identical.  tyson is a swarthy little guy, and keith is not.  but what keith lacks in smallness he makes up in enthusiasm.  he seems VERY excited to shoot people.

 aunt denise is showing the girls how to operate the paintball guns.  the girls were not thrilled about playing, but in almost every game, they were the last ones standing!

 here we can see some strategy in action.  the fields and small wooded areas were pretty darn cool for this type of thing.

 here, keith is firing for all he's worth.  in a few moments, he will be blasted in the buttocks by a paintball, a fact that i said over and over because it sounded so funny when using the voice of forrest gump.

 here we are after the first game.  from left to right, hanna, bailey, me, and tyson.  i am NOT happy.  i was hit in the ribs about 20 seconds after the game started.  my bruise has lasted 40,000 times longer than that game did.  hanna was the last one to get out this game.

 max and friend walking away from a job well done.

 tyson looked so small in all of his gear.  he played pretty well, though.

here, tyson is walking away from me.  i am fuming because 20 seconds into the second game i got hit on my bare shin.  that bruise has lasted 40,000 times longer than the game as well.  soon after this, i was hit in the face mask multiple times and i can still taste that goo. finally, i gave the gear to deanna and she had a great time.  in retrospect, she should have played the whole time.  i would have less bruising, both of the body and of the ego.