The Native Iowan

I think back into my youthful life and recall one particular family member that would not play, not finish a game, if they were not winning. I grew up in a family that played games… card games, board games, we always had a big jigsaw puzzle on a folding table in a corner. You get the picture…

I think to a game of Monopoly we were playing, circa 1970. A group of four or five of us, we’re on the floor, around the board, playing a marathon game.

My dear relative I am characterising always had issues losing at anything. To the sad point where it was family-slang to “make sure you let him win or he’ll cry”.

There we are… on the floor, rolling dice, supposedly having fun, coming towards the end of the game.

Someone is going to win and someone is going to lose, and that someone is the bad loser…

He tosses the board in the air, scatters the plastic houses, paper bills and metal pieces. He causes chaos, refuses to let anyone, but him, win.

We were having fun one minute, the next is anger and emotion and confusion.

Sums up the past week…

Nobody wins when everybody is losing…