I pick up the deck of cards and ask four-year-old Madilyn if she'd like to play War with me. We sit facing each other on the couch, legs tucked up criss-cross-applesauce. I remove all the face cards from the deck to make the game simpler for her and then shuffle and deal the rest.

Flip. Collect. Flip. Collect. Flip…there isn't a lot that happens in War, except for the very occasional tie, which introduces the exciting element of Stack. Stack. Stack. Flip. We play for a while; at times I think that one of us is close to winning, but soon the piles in our hands are once again about even.

Flip. Collect. Flip. Collect.

On the tv, an episode of Super Why begins…and ends.

Flip. Collect. Flip. Collect.

I become aware that this game could, in theory, never end.

Flip. Collect. Flip. Collect.

We lay down cards with matching numbers. I. De. Clare. War. I win and notice that I've earned a coveted number ten card in the exchange. I recall playing a couple of tens from my hand previously, and while I know that the rules of War dictate that one is not to look at her hand, I just take a peek. I have all four tens. Surely, the end is approaching; it's practically inevitable.

Flip. Collect. Flip. Collect.

My stack grows.

Flip. Collect. Flip. Tie.

She wins the tie-breaker. Two of my tens are in my pile, now in her hand. 

Flip. Collect. Flip. Collect.

I suggest that we take a break, and she concedes. I place the two piles of cards on the coffee table.

The game resumes. 

Flip. Collect. Flip. Collect.

Ten minutes into the flipping and collecting, Madilyn pauses. She has noticed that the number five card she just played has two fives on it: one right side up from her view, the other upside down. She has never before realized this marvel. Now, after every card is played, we must take an additional moment to observe the right side up and upside down numbers.

Flip. Observe. Collect. Flip. Observe. Collect.

It is clean-up time. Madilyn is downstairs picking up crayons and ballet slippers, paper dolls and plastic animals; the cards await on the coffee table. The thought of a few swipes and switches separating the stacks into numbers two through five and six through ten passes through my mind.

I'd give her the winning hand, of course.

We begin again, stacks undisturbed. Thankfully, the wonder of right side up and upside down numbers has worn off, or been forgotten.

Flip. Collect. Flip. Collect.

Potty break.

Flip. Collect. Flip. Collect.

I begin to pull ahead by just a bit. She lays the two of hearts; I lay the two of diamonds. War is declared, and we tie again. War recommences, but this time, I win. My stack is now considerably larger; only a few cards remain in her hand.

I peek at my cards again. Four tens.

Flip. Collect. Flip. Collect.

Her stack dwindles. Four, three, two…

She plays her final card. Mine is higher.

She looks down at her empty hands and realizes that the game is finally, actually, and unbelievably...over.

Half a second passes.

"Let's play again!"