Busman’s Holiday

Original First Edition of Games People Play 1964 Eric Berne

Original First Edition of Games People Play from Eric Berne’s private library.

Strictly speaking, this is a pastime rather than a game, and evidently a constructive one for all concerned.  An American mail carrier who goes to Tokyo to help a Japanese postman on his rounds, or an American ear-nose-and throat specialist who spends his holiday working in a Haitian hospital, will very likely feel just as refreshed and have just as good stories to tell as if he had gone lion hunting in Africa or spent the time driving through transcontinental highway traffic.  The Peace Corps has now given official sanction to Busman’s Holiday.

“Busman’s Holiday” becomes a game, however, if the work is secondary to some ulterior motive and is undertaken merely as a show in order to accomplish something else.  Even under those circumstances, however, it still keeps its constructive quality and is one of the more commendable covers for other activities (which may also be constructive).

The description of this game on this page is incomplete.  For a complete description of this game, refer to Games People Play.