dirt clods and board games

35.

Just the other day, I was telling a friend about some of the best times I can remember with my brothers. We used to have these merciless dirt clod fights out in the way back yard, but we were also big on board games with our mom. We'd play Monopoly for hours on end like it was to the death, and we'd always try but could never beat mom at Scrabble. It was a given that whoever got second place was the winner of the kids. My dad was pretty much AWOL during these times. I think he needed some alone time away from the hyperactive electricity that would take over his children when we'd put on our competitive hats. 

My friend asked how I was able to make it through those dirt clod fights. Well, I'm not quite sure exactly, probably by the grace of God really (my future children needed their mother), but I think I made it through relatively unscathed because I was fighting for my life up against a ton of boys and trying to look tough while usually being the only girl at the fight all at the same time. Somehow I never could win since I was always outnumbered; it didn’t matter which team I was on. If I was on the team, that team was somehow the loser. I think there was some sexism going on there, but we won't get into that. It must have been quite the sight to see me up in that tree house, the only girl, hurling dirt clods as fast and hard as I could. I used to try to find ones with rocks in them especially for getting any older boys who might be there. My mean streak was most likely fostered during this time out of pure necessity. And at the end of them, I’d come out of those fights completely covered in a fine layer of dirt. My hair was by far the worst, but nasty dirty patent leather mary janes are not as girly all of a sudden, too. 

Now, I've given up at throwing dirt clods with rocks for fun, but I love playing Monopoly and Scrabble even though I don't have the chance as often as I'd like. All this talk about games is telling me I need to find some friends to have a game night with soon!