draw straws 

If you need to choose somebody for something, here's what to do.Count out the exact number of people that want to be chosen for something.Get some straws. Make sure they are not bendy straws, though.Be careful to only get as many straws as there are people that want to be chosen, if you get too many straws or not enough, this will not work. So anyway, get a straw for each person, but cut the bottom inch off of one of the straws. Have the group choose who will hold the straws (you can decide this also by drawing straws, but that will create a straw drawing cycle that can be endless, so I don't recommend it). The person that holds the straws moves them around in his/her hands a good deal, being careful to hide the bottom of the straws from view, and carefully mixes them around.Then, everybody grabs a straw, but the 'straw holder' has to go last, as it's possible he/she might be able to feel the length of the straws, and we want this to be fair.After everyone has finished 'drawing straws', everybody compares the length of thier straws to others, and the person who is discovered to be holding the 'short straw' is 'chosen'.

Drawing straws is a fair way to choose somebody for something.

draw straws by Nastina September 5, 2005