There is a classic story in EP's family about an event he witnessed. Coming down for a drink of water one night, he saw an aunt get frustrated with a board game, and fling it off the table and against a wall in a fit of game rage. There is a part of me that sympathizes with this story thinking, "Yeah...I've felt that." Another part though finds this to be anathema, since games are games and decorum and rules are to be observed lest one be cheating - and I have no truck with cheating. I don't understand why you would want to play just to cheat. Cheating is not for games and fun, it's something you do during a knife or gun fight, or when pitted against a supervillian.
I have often been characterized by others as "overly competitive" or hard to play games with. I think sometimes that's true. Playing games with my young son and the experiences of the past weekend's games have made me realize something else about myself that's the point of this blog entry. I think that I am someone who goes along with the tone being set by others during gameplay. Strange to think of myself as a follower, but bear with me. It's not that the game is so important, or even that I want to win so badly; it's just that I don't know how to back down. I don't want to, of course, but I also don't really have tools for it. As a veteran of boxing and chess - two games that require you to psyche out your opponent and convince him that he's wrong, nothing, a bowl of spineless ooze whose losing was preordained before he ever entered this life - I have it wired in me now that, once smack is spoken, that's where we are. And I will escalate, because that's what you do. Keep the tone light and friendly, no arguments, you won't hear a peep out of me. As soon as the game wades into the muck, though, you'll find me with hip boots on, waiting.
Having realized this, I hope to just stop it. I suppose I could blame it on being raised during the Cold War when blinking was unAmerican, and brinksmanship was something in which even our mediocre politicos were capable of indulging - but that's not true. I do like games, even when I don't win them, and wish there were more opportunities for them around. I guess we'll see.
The truly educated of you will be able to name the game featured at the top in the picture, there. Of course, if you hover over it, I think it'll tell you anyway, but props to those who don't need that.