XOXO and Tick Tack Toe

XOXO and Tick Tack Toe: A crack pot theory

I've always wondered where X's and O's came from. Growing up, X's and O's to me always meant one thing: "Tick Tack Toe!" and in that sense their meaning was simple: the X's and O's were enemies. The X's battled the O's for superiority, with each party controlling the letters trying to be the first to fill their spots in a row without interruption or disorder. The game was fun to play because we were young and not nearly as occupied with the bigger things of life, plus who could argue with some good old fashion childhood competition? Then as I was growing older, people started writing "XOXO" to me. Suddenly and without explanation, X's and O's lived together in unison, the gesture serving as a sign of affection. Needless to say, I was confused. Then I started wondering, if it is in our overall interest to combine the letters, then is "Tic Tack Toe," that innocent and most of the time anti-climactic game that helped define our youth, symbolism for the quest to find true love and harmony? If so, using this theory, lets say for example men represent the X's and women the O's. Maybe, just maybe, we aren't enemies at all, but perhaps the game is as basic as men and women working together just to comfortably fit inside an organized structure.

Problems of course arise once the game begins. Game experience and subtle tricks become key factors. Then it seems that one letter always wants to go first; they're impatient or maybe just over eager to get started right away. Then there are the letters who always want the last word, and if that isn't permissible by the opposing letter, all hell breaks loose as they do anything in their power to block that possibility. And more than often, as the game rolls on, one letter gets the upper hand and puts the other in a challenging position. The opposing letter now becomes cornered without any options left, their impending doom staring them in the face and ready to be ceiled by a quick swirl or mark of the pencil. At the point in the 12th round of the bout when it seems that there is just no hope for the letter on the ropes, it is left with two options: Either stick it out and reluctantly accept defeat by continuing to fill in unnecessary boxes thus prolonging the humiliation for an unsaid period of time due to blind pride or lack of will power, or instead realize the inevitable truth that the game just seems to be unbalanced and have the foresight to give up right before the winner can circle its three letters in a row and then proceed to jump around on the desk top in celebration. If the losing letter decides to flee first it is free to move on to the next game, while the winner remains on top of the world until the next opponent comes along and brings it back down to earth. That is in a sense the most straight forward, black and white scenario of Tic Tack Toe. Both realize that the see-saw affair is no longer level and they both go about life wearing the failures and victories like yellow belts in karate: Not nearly making the imprint of a black belt, but at the same time, hey at least they took the preliminary classes, bought the white robe, and kicked at the air a few times right?

But then there are the scenarios where there is no clear winner. We all remember that sour taste in our mouths from an uneventful tie. As a kid, what could be more lame than matching wits with your friend just to find out you're both as dumb as the other. But perhaps we weren't paying attention to the social significance the tie was telling us. Both opponents battle for that spot. There is push and pull. Hopes are raised and never clearly or decisively diminished. After a long and seemingly endless struggle, the game doesn't end, but simply stops due to lack of need for competition. The X's and O's fit together beautifully in those boxes, equally and without force, left with no room to complicate the matter. Both have had their turn and given their best, and somehow both were just good enough. There are no balloons or victory dances for one, at least not on this day, and the X's and O's sit together intertwined. And that, based on this idea, is what makes a successful relationship. Both opponents realize that there really is no point to the game, or any game at all in that matter.

Maybe over time new games are started and the X's and O's try their hands again, I mean I'm not saying that those boxes stay filled forever. Sometimes they are erased off of the chalk board, squeegeed off of the windshield angrily by a friend or parent, interrupted by the interest of a new opponent, or one day forgotten somewhere in the back of a notebook with the doodles and notes on the Pythagorean theorem. But even if this is so and the games continue elsewhere, the X's and O's should always remember that even for a brief moment, if only for a little while, on that memorable day, everything was right with the world.

And here I thought I just played that game just to pass the time in the back of math class with the other slackers that whole time. Guess I was wrong.

xoxo,

Air-Stan