Boxes

One key to happiness – GAMES

As I pondered the boxes on the shelves,
I felt emotions boxed within my soul.
There is challenge, contest, wonder to be had,
Within those wonderful cardboard containers.
Anticipation filled me and drew me closer,
And I felt a desire as yet unfulfilled.

A fictional island came to mind; a place
Not found in reality, only in the mind’s eye.
It is real enough for its purpose. And,
Its purpose is to present dilemmas, puzzles
Whose solutions are to be devised as best
One is able, while besting others in the race.

A vision of desert sands and the famous “ships
Of the desert” popped into my head, reminding me
Of times spent concocting victory plans so lofty
That they could not have been attained in the time
Available for completion. Many trials led to ruin
As there were not enough pastels available to me.

Walls, fountains, and fabulous buildings combined
In my thoughts of those times I was building the most
Elaborate of estates, with the best combination of
Colorful features. It is futile to elaborate upon
The memory; alas, I seldom succeeded in the contest.
Why do these memories seem so strong, as I stand here?

Steel-driving fantasies leap to the fore, as I recall
Straining my brain to make the fantasy roads become real.
Cities loom before me, calling for connectivity,
The set plans woven like cloth on a loom, showing
Where I must strive to build, quicker than my opponents,
All of whom appear to build rapidly with ease.

Primitive roads and towns, great and small, appear
Before me in a dream-like appearance that masks my
Memory of my careful attempts to solve the problem
Of placing problematic tiles as solutions to the puzzle.
Simple directions, but complex decisions, flavor this
Entertaining pastime that often gave me a complex.

Mark Twain would have enjoyed another of the boxed sets,
With river, boxed-in paddle-wheelers, and Southern belles.
The mysteries of the river channel, islands, and time
Made me channel my creativity to choose options wisely.
A race, yes, but an experience to savor, too, as I
Tried to experience victory after victory, to no avail.

As races go, another challenge was different by degrees.
Finish first if possible, but a different criterion
Determined the winner. Take no more than eighty days
Or risk losing to a more determined competitor. That’s
The rub in this fascinating trip. Watch out for the
Obnoxious detective, who’ll trip you up gleefully.

More boxes clamored for my attention, but I had not the time
To give attention to South America, Renaissance Italy, and
Wild western gold towns, among other attractions.
There were cards with circus attractions (fleas), vampires,
Dragons, and beans. Colorful chameleons startled me, as
Colorful dice rolled ominously on the tabletop of my thoughts.

Is this a hobby, an obsession, or a harmless social pastime?
The contests and dilemmas are harmless in reality, but
When I’m involved in the game, it becomes the center
Of my existence for a while. Perhaps too involved, I lose
Track of time. Still, I cannot avoid trying again and again
To be the best of the group. Maybe, next time, I’ll win!

--- Gerald … near Denver, Colorado; April 2006
aka gamesgrandpa -- A grandpa who is a mile high on gaming