I've failed my family.
Like the albatross, shame and dishonor burden me on this Christmas eve, for I have time traveled this morning and made a terrible mistake.
My father woke me up at 8:45 asking, "Don't you have work today?" Groaning and turning on my side, I managed to grumble, "no, ugh." Leaving me to bask in the fresh radiator heat, he closed my door and continued to bustle about our apartment.
Fast-forward five minutes.
I decided to be virtuous and perhaps get up on this glorious morning. I was slightly confused by my father's question that seemed to seep into my dream; it made me wonder if he was, in fact, correct.
He was.
I thought today was Wednesday and yesterday was Tuesday. Perhaps it was Avatar's fault. I have no clue.
Throwing on whatever Rugby clothes I could find, I snagged a macaroon and headed off to work.
Oh, what losing a day meant.
It meant I did not have time to buy a glorious present for my family, one that would bring us together more than our annually purchased puzzle (we have 4 ones from the Beatles collection; my mom and I bought one from the M&M's store in Times Square that is proving to be rather difficult).
And what game was that?
Stratego.
I saw it in the "Onyx" edition at B&N for $50, which was absolutely ridiculous. Borders was sold out. I didn't have time (since my epiphany was on "Tuesday" which was really Wednesday) to buy one from the games store in Harvard Square.
My memories of playing Stratego during recess (my friends and I in middle/elementary school skipped outdoor recess in favor of sitting inside and playing the game) were instantly trivialized; if I had really wanted to get Stratego, wouldn't I have put more effort into finding it?
Work screwed my plans for nostalgic game-playing on a cozy winter day.
Sulking as I ate mounds of crackers, cheese and olives and drowning my sorrows in a tiny glass of Pinot Noir, I regretted not buying that game.
And yet, in hindsight, it wouldn't have been a family gift. It was my own present, one that I need not wrap poorly and make my brother open when he would never find the game as special as I did. Not buying the game lifted this burden; perhaps I'll invest in one for when I return to college.
Maybe frat parties will be replaced by heated battles of Red vs. Blue.
What are your favorite board games and why?
