Every Religion Needs a Trickster

Welcome to "The Gods Are Bored," calling upon various bored deities when the need demands!

Today my daughter The Heir was performing her final pep rally as a high school senior in her Fighting Wombat mascot costume. The entire senior class decided to follow behind her into the gymnasium after all the other classes were seated.

Like a dutiful parent, I arrived at the school's front office and asked for a pass to go watch the rally. I was denied. I was told that no parents were allowed at the pep rally. When I said, "My daughter's the Fighting Wombat mascot, for the love of fruit flies!" I was told disdainfully that a cheerleader's mom was also turned away.

So I left the office and went back outside. That's when I asked myself, "WWTD?"

What Would Trickster Do?

Many religions have a trickster deity. Here's Loki, he's fun to hang out with, so long as someone else has the car keys. Coyote and Anansi are also Tricksters of note.

Any Trickster knows the difference between a law that mustn't be broken and a stupid idiotic moronic rule that someone made up and that no one enforces.

To make a long story short, with Loki as my guide, I proceeded to the A Gym and watched the pep rally until the exhausted Heir asked me to take the Wombat suit home. Right now the Wombat costume (sans Heir) is seat-buckled into the passenger side of my car, looking out the window.

If the cheerleader's mom is reading this and feeling that she was cheated, well, honey, maybe you need a Trickster deity in your life. Tricksters give you the freedom to question all the answers and decide for yourself whether or not you will harm yourself or anyone else by attending a high school pep rally.

There were plenty of bleacher seats available for any parent who might have wanted to attend. Loki and I had a swell time, and I'd like to thank the Asatru people for lending Him to me. (Hope I spelled it right that time!)

Likeness of Loki the incomparable artwork of Thalia Took!

If it's already Black Friday and you're here at TGAB, read below for helpful hints on surviving the upcoming holidays.