Boardgame News

The Classic Misadventures in Gaming #19

By Dan Bosley
August 30, 2006 (Originally Posted on September 5, 2003)

Editor’s Note: For those of you just tuning in, check out the first and second parts of this story in The Classic Misadventures in Gaming #17 and The Classic Misadventures in Gaming #18.

The four of us - Ted, Alice, Diane and little old me - start getting set up to play our second game of Metro.

“Say, Dan,�? Ted says. “You doing anything next Saturday afternoon?�?

“Unless I’m working, no, not that I know of,�? I respond.

“Well, then,�? says Ted. “Would you be interested in going to a tractor-pull?�?

I look at Ted. Blankly.

“A what?�? I ask.

“A tractor-pull,�? Ted repeats.

“A tractor-pull?�? I repeat.

“Yeah, a tractor-pull. They’re having one next Saturday afternoon over at the Abbotsford Arenex. It should be really good. You interested?�?

“This is where tractors pull something?�? I inquire.

“That’s right. That’s why they call it a tractor-pull.�?

“That’s a real creative name, then. I don’t know, though. It doesn’t sound too exciting.�?

“Oh, come on. Give it a chance. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised,�? Ted reassures me.

“So what do they pull?�? I ask.

“Oh, all sorts of stuff. Sometimes they’ll hook up REALLY heavy hay-wagons and try to drag them. It’s a competition. A race. They get a couple of big John Deeres hooked up to some BIG heavy wagons, and then they start off and try to be first across the finish line. Real exciting stuff!�? Ted says with enthusiasm. “Real exciting!�?

“I don’t know, Ted. I don’t know that it’s the kind of thing I would be interested in,�? I say.

“Oh come on! How you do know unless you try it? Let me tell you, it’s a very entertaining way of passing a few hours. Once you’ve tried one tractor-pull, I’m sure you’ll be wanting to try some more! Hey, sometimes, they even get over 5 miles per hour! Real nailbiting action!�? Ted is very excited.

“Well, thanks for the invite, Ted, but really, I don’t know that it’s for me. I mean, tractors are not something I really have a particularly strong interest in. Tractors pulling stuff? If I was a farmer or really into agricultural farm machinery, maybe I might be interested. But you know, I don’t think I’d really enjoy it all that much,�? I tell him.

“Listen, Dan. That’s a closed-mind thinking kind of attitude. Have you ever been to a tractor-pull?�?

“No.�?

“Well, then. How do you KNOW you wouldn’t like it? You’re just assuming you wouldn’t like it. You’ve never experienced the joy of watching a tractor-pull. You only THINK you wouldn’t like it. Really, they’re a lot of fun. They really are!�? Ted insists.

“But Ted, even though I’ve never been to a tractor-pull, I do KNOW myself at least a little! I know the kinds of things I like, I know the kinds of things I dislike, and I know the kinds of things I don’t feel one way or the other about. And I’m pretty darn sure that going to watch some tractors pulling some wagons around is not going to be one of the things that I am going to get excited about. Even the idea doesn’t grab me. To be honest, it doesn’t interest me.�?

Ted is not giving up. “But you still don’t know for sure unless you try it, right? There’s some amazing variety. All sorts of different tractors. Big ones. Little ones. Brand new ones. Some old classics. Some real fast ones. Some slow ones. Some have mufflers and are really quiet. Others are super-duper LOUD. There’s a bunch of different mechanics walking about in their coveralls. There’s even a few pretty girls here and there from time to time. And there’s a 50-50 draw too, you might win big!�?

I give in. “All right, Ted. You win. I’ll give it a try. You’re right. Maybe I am assuming too much. But let me tell you, if I don’t like it, I won’t be going to any more of them with you!�?

“That’s the way! Let me tell you. Once you’ve discovered the exciting world of tractor-pulls, you’ll never want to go back to your old boring hobbies!�? Ted announces.

“We’ll see,�? I say.

We start playing the game of Metro. As we promised, everybody starts to gang up on Ted, finishing his first few trains for him.

“Hey, this kind of sucks,�? Ted says.

“Yeah it does, doesn’t it?�? I comment.

“Yeah, when the shoe’s on the other foot, it sure feels different.,�? Ted states.

“You do that often?�? I inquire.

“What?�?

“Wear your shoes on the wrong feet?�?

“It’s an expression!�?

“Yeah, I know. Just kidding.�?

We finish up the game of Metro. Diane is the big winner this time. Alice finishes second. I’m in third. And Ted has finished last.

“Well, that really is quite the game. I do like it, even though I finished last that time,�? Ted says.

“Yeah, it is a good game,�? I agree. “You did play well, Ted. You only finished last because we all picked on you in the first half of the game.�?

“That you did. Getting revenge for what I did in the first game. But it was still fun. I quite enjoyed that game.�?

An idea comes to me.

“Say, Ted,�? I say. “You doing anything next Monday night?�?

“Unless I’m working, no, not that I know of,�? Ted responds.

“Well, then,�? I say. “Would you be interested in coming to a regular Monday night gaming session?�?

Ted looks at me. Blankly.

“A what?�? he asks.

“A gaming session, this Monday night,�? I repeat.

“A gaming session?�? Ted repeats back.

“Yeah, a gaming session. We’re having one this Monday night where I work. It should be really good. You interested?�?

“This is where guys sit around and play games? A session of games?�? Ted inquires.

“That’s right. That’s why it’s called a gaming session.�?

“That’s a real creative name, then. I don’t know about that, though. It doesn’t sound too exciting. I don’t mind the occasional game here or there, but a whole bunch of them in one night? I don’t know.�?

“Oh, come on. Give it a chance. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised,�? I reassure Ted.

“So what kind of games do they play?�? Ted asks.

“Oh, all sorts of stuff. Sometimes we’ll play some REALLY big games, and other times, it’ll just be a bunch of little ones. It’s always friendly competition. They’re a bunch of great people. Easy to get along with, and fun to play games with. We play some really interesting stuff, too. Sometimes we’ll play race games. And some of them can be quite exciting!�? I say with enthusiasm.

“I don’t know, Dan. I don’t know that it’s the kind of thing I would be interested in,�? Ted says.

“Oh come on! How you do know unless you try it? Let me tell you, it’s a very entertaining way of passing a few hours. Once you’ve tried a few of these new board games, I’m sure you’ll be wanting to try a bunch more! You liked Metro, didn’t you? Hey, sometimes, we’ll even play more than 5 games in one night!�? I am very excited.

“Well, thanks for the invite, Dan, but really, I don’t know that it’s for me. I mean, like I said, the occasional game is fine. But games are not really something I have a particularly strong interest in. Just sitting around playing board games? If I was a nerd or a geek or really into cardboard and rules and things, maybe I might be interested. But you know, I don’t think I’d really enjoy it all that much,�? Ted tells me.

“Listen, Ted. That’s a closed-mind thinking kind of attitude. Have you ever been to a gaming session evening?�?

“No.�?

“Well, then. How do you KNOW you wouldn’t like it? You’re just assuming you wouldn’t like it. You’ve never experienced the joy of playing a bunch of games in one night. You only THINK you wouldn’t like it. Really, they’re a lot of fun. They really are!�? I insist.

“But Dan, even though I’ve never been to a gaming session, I do KNOW myself at least a little! I know the kinds of things I like, I know the kinds of things I dislike, and I know the kinds of things I don’t feel one way or the other about. And I’m pretty darn sure that going somewhere to play a bunch of different games all night long is not going to be one of the things that I am going to get excited about. Even the idea doesn’t grab me. To be honest, it doesn’t interest me.�?

I am not giving up. “But you still don’t know for sure unless you try it, right? There’s some amazing variety. All sorts of different games. Long ones. Short ones. Brand new ones. Sometimes old classics. Some real fast ones. Some slow ones. Some with lots of pieces. Some with just a few pieces. Some are real thinkers and are really quiet. Others are super-duper LOUD, raucous games. There’s a bunch of different mechanics. There’s even a few pretty girls that come to the gaming sessions from time to time. And there’s a 50-50 draw too, you might win big!�?

“You have a 50-50 draw at your gaming nights?�? Ted asks.

“Yes,�? I inform him.

“Really?�? Ted asks.

“No, actually, I made that part up. But the rest is true,�? I tell him.

Ted gives in. “All right, Dan. You win. I’ll give it a try. You’re right. Maybe I’m assuming too much. But let me tell you, if I don’t like it, I won’t be going to any more of them with you!�?

“That’s the way! Let me tell you. Once you’ve discovered the exciting world of board games, you’ll never want to go back to your old boring hobbies!�? I announce.

“We’ll see,�? Ted says.

“O.K, that’s settled,�? I announce. “I’m going to the tractor-pull on Saturday, and you’re going to the gaming session on Monday.�?

“Sounds good,�? says Ted. “Say, do you have any tractor-pulling games? That would then be the best of both worlds!�?

“Listen,�? says Alice. “Ted. Dan. How would you guys like to come to the Knitting Show on Sunday?�?

Ted and I look at Alice. Blankly.

“I thought so,�? Alice says.

Editor’s Note: Thus concludes the Classic Misadventures in Gaming series!

Posted by Rick Thornquist on Aug 30, 2006 at 06:50 PM in Special Features, Misadventures in Gaming / 989

The Classic Misadventures in Gaming #19

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