“Punch Buggy Black.”
I lunged at my husband’s arm at the exact same moment a teenager across the street shouted the same words, followed by the sacred incantation: “No punch backs!” Her dad groaned. My husband laughed. Different continents, different generations, same ridiculous game.
There we were, in the middle of Ålesund, Norway, bonding with strangers over a rogue VW Beetle.
Punch Buggy is my favorite childhood game. My Olympic sport. A sanctioned opportunity to assault my brothers in the name of automotive enthusiasm. I had eagle eyes from the moment I could see out of our Chevy wagon windows, and more importantly, a deeply honed sense of entitlement. They deserved the whack. Every time.
If you’re unfamiliar with the game, it’s elegant in its simplicity:
- See a VW Beetle.
- Shout “Punch Buggy!” and name the color.
- Deliver a solid shot to the nearest arm.
- Shout “No punch backs!” if you want to walk away unscathed.
- Misidentify the color? Forget the follow-up phrase? Prepare to be hit.
Yes, it sounds violent.
And yes, these are the same vehicles most associated with peace, love, and hippie flower power. Shouldn’t they be harbingers of joy?
As someone who has owned multiple VW bugs, I can assure you there is nothing more joyful than seeing two kids clobber each other in front of my car.
My first Bug was a 1972 fireball-orange Super Beetle that stuck with me through college. It was like a punch bank. You could legally hit someone every single time you walked past the parking lot, as long as it was a new trip.
My current ride is a 2014 Beetle convertible in Coke-bottle green. Worth two punches. Three if the top’s down and I’m feeling lucky.
I knew I’d marry my husband the moment he rolled into work in his mom’s bright red Beetle, complete with the flower vase on the dash. A man like that understands the value of a good game.
My kids have taken to the sport even better than I hoped. I aimed for their first words to be “Punch Buggy”, but I suppose I’ll settle for “mama”. They have expanded the rules with alarming precision: identifying style (convertible vs. hardtop), roof color, and interior trim.
They’re nepo-babies in the world of competitive Punch Buggy. Unfair to the casual player, I get it. But I won’t apologize for their unfair advantage. Legacy matters.
Punch Buggy Green Convertible, Black top, grey interior, no punch backs!
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