I managed to get my quarterly Monopoly fix this past week. The Batista family was kind enough to invite us over for dinner and FHE. Geo (above, second from right) learned of my love for Monopoly during June's stake youth conference (we were counselors), when I schooled a group of ESL teenagers (some said I had an unfair advantage... but one, I didn't try all that hard and two, they could communicate with each other much more fluently than I could communicate with them - so who really had the better edge in deal making?)The after dinner game with Geo, (advised by his daughter above) and Zac started very badly for me. House rules (which I detest! but nevertheless honor) prevented the purchase of property during the first time around the board. It took me at least 10 turns, with two trips to Jail, to get there. By the time I did, I was (almost) hopelessly behind in the property race. Fast forward 45 minutes to a solemn Luke with three, yes a mere three properties (Pacific Ave, Meditteranean Ave and Vermont Ave) facing off against dual monopoly holding opponents (Geo with the oranges and light violets, Zac with the reds and yellows) and you'd never have guessed who would be walking away the victor.
Well, you'd never have guessed had you been there. But by virtue of the fact that you're reading about here, I've given it away. I pulled off one of the great Monopoly comebacks of my life. Credit, I suppose, must go primarily to the dice. But I'd like to think that my dogged insistence that Geo sell me Baltic to at least give me a chance with a monopoly was shrewed enough that I could walk away rightly claiming at least some credit for myself. He and Zac paid for it dearly. They probably landed on my cheapest of hotels eight times before the end.
Goes to show one should never underestimate the power of cheap, undesirable things. Or maybe just that I like Monopoly too much and am overcompetitive. You decide...
5 comments:
The Batistas play games???
Luke, I wasn't at all surprised that you won. And not just because you were posting about it. You and should play monopoly sometime - my sisters stopped playing with him years ago. He's ruthless. As a kid, monopoly games usually ended when my brother got mad about losing, picked up the game and chucked it - I don't think I have ever actually finished a game of monopoly.
oops - it should say you and Clarke should play monopoly. I do not like making typing errors.
Anna, I'm sure Luke would love to play with Clarke (maybe in Mexico?)I hardly like playing Monopoly, but especially not with someone as competitive as Luke, which sometimes breaks his heart. It was nice to seem him play with the Batistas.
Post a Comment