GAME NIGHT

Steven, Alex and I have had a new routine for the past few weeks. After dinner, while I'm cleaning the kitchen, Steven and Alex set up a board game on the dining room table and the three of us spend an hour or two playing.

Now I have to admit that when this game night was first discussed I wasn’t that gung ho about the whole idea. I never thought of myself as very competitive. When I was growing up if my brothers and sisters wanted to get together to play any kind of game I was more interested in what snacks were going to be served and if I would be allowed to have a conversation with anyone while we played. Believe it or not, there were games where everyone needed total silence so they could think! Those types of games drove me crazy.

But here I was, years later, rolling the dice to see who would go first.

“Hey, are we playing high number or low number to decide who goes first?” I asked.

“Well, seeing that you just rolled a six, I'm thinking you're hoping for the high number.” Alex answered as he threw the dice.

“That would be nice.” I said as both Alex and Steven rolled a lower number.

They let me go first and I have to say it was at the particular moment that my competitive nature appeared with a vengeance. With every roll of the dice my numbers were coming up. I was building houses and cities while collecting needed cards like crazy. I admit I was having a hard time keeping the smiling down to an acceptable level.

I was in the middle of my turn when Alex looked over at Steven, “I'm going to get a piece of cake. Do you want one?” he asked.

“Sure. While you get that I'm going to go check my messages.”

“Wait a minute!” I complained. “We're in the middle of a game here!”

“We'll be back in a minute.” Alex said as he got up to get the cake.

Steven looked at the board. “You know, I really don't see how Alex or I are going to be able to win this. Why don't we just call it a game and start a new one?” he suggested.

“Are you kidding?” I couldn't believe my ears. “No one's won yet!”

“Hey, Alex! Do you see any way to win this game?” Steven called out to Alex.

“No! How about you?”

“Nope. Do you want to start a new game?”

“Sure.”

“But no one's won this one yet.” I pointed out once again.

Steven looked confused. “You were winning the game.”

“I know I was winning, but that’s still different then being called the winner of the game.”

Steven stared at me for a moment before calling out to Alex once again.”Is it okay if we call Mom the winner of this game?”

“Sure! You win, Mom!”

“You win.” Steven said. “It was a good game. Now why don't you set up for a new game and we'll play again when we get back.”

As I cleared off the board and began to reset, that competitive part of me was starting to feel annoyed. Without finishing the game completely it wasn't feeling like a real win for me.

That's the moment when I realized I had more fun with board games when I as younger and my biggest worry was what we were having for a snack. So I decided it was time for me to get up and go into the kitchen and get a piece of cake with Alex