When I would go to see my mother in Anniston, we played a lot of Scrabble. We’d play, drink coffee, and laugh all night. She’s been gone for six years, and if I could do one thing with my mom today, it would be that.
But during everyone else’s waking hours, we’d play Pictionary. Nobody much liked Scrabble but us, and Scrabble had long ago become a one-on-one (friendly) grudge thing between the two of us anyway.
Mom and I thought along enough of the same wavelengths that we’d just obliterate everybody whenever we were Pictionary partners. Nobody had a chance. We usually won by more than half the board. So generally Mom and I would administer our customary waxing so we could talk trash all evening, and then we’d swap up teams.
So we’ve swapped, and I’m newly partnered with my mystery family member (so called to avoid unnecessary embarrassment). It’s go time. The mystery family member, who is not my wife, drew a serviceable Pictionary-style continental United States. “United States!” I said immediately. I received a nod and smile in response. Then the family member looked pensively at the map while biting a little lip and chewing on the end of the pencil.
Uh-oh.
The family member placed an X where you see the X in the picture. “Kentucky!” I said. Head shake. “Missouri!” I said. Head shake. “Iowa!” I said. Head shake.
The family member scratched out the X and tried again in the northeast. “New York!” I said. Head shake. “Pennsylvania!” I said. Head shake.
OK, so my partner has a state to draw and doesn’t know where it is. So I started naming all of the states. Unfortunately, time ran out before I got to Idaho.
It’s a shame the family member didn’t start in the northwest. All of the states up there have significant area, so there aren’t many to name.
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My game is Trivial Pursuit. My husband refuses to play with me, because I laugh at stupid answers.
“Name the state…”
“New England.”
“Name the staaaaate…”
“NEW England.”
“Naaaaaaaame the staaaaaate…”
“NEW! ENGLAND! DAMMIT.”
So I’m rolling on the floor laughing at him.
Saintseester, I believe we are kindred spirits on some things here and there. 🙂
These stories all remind me of times spent with my family playing games…Scrabble can be a vicious, vicious game.
I’m reminded of a time when I played with my parents, aunt, and uncle in a remote Pacific Northwest lodge. I had to walk a half-mile down the road in the pouring rain to borrow a dictionary from the random convenient/tobacco store to prove that my word existed.
Great story, Lesley! My mom would have loved it. Do you remember the word?
I remember being teamed up with Bo’s mom for a game of Taboo. The clue she gave me was, “It’s REALLY good”. I immedietely said “chocolate”. I was right. Bo was indignent and accused of us cheating because there was no way I could know the answer based on her clue. We told him it was an Estrogen thing.
I won’t play Scrabble with Bo. There’s no point. I’ll lose by a whole lot. I fair a little better at Trivial Pursuit… especially if Bo’s been drinking… but the odds still aren’t in my favor.
A few years ago for my birthday, GH’s wife gave me a copy of the official Scrabble dictionary. We own the deluxe edition, which is actually pretty nice — especially the lazy susan mount for the board.
(Helpful hint: ‘poboy’ ain’t bona fide — and I know I can count on Saintseester for backup when I say it should be! Man, that would’ve been a sweet play — maybe triple-word two ways.)
Playing with the official dictionary makes an intellectual game a little like poker: you can “play some smack,” as my wife says, and there’s a decent chance that it’s a word. ‘Pe,’ for example, is a Hebrew letter but a legal play.
We four couples ought to get together: that’d be a cool dinner party. Now how to con the aforementioned Mrs. H into cooking…
I suck at scrabble. But if anyone wants to play Scene It or Scattergories (my FAVE!), I’ll bring the po-boys. On what planet is that not a word? I suppose fixin, and po-mouthin ain’t words either.
Yeah, that sounds cool. Let us cogitate a bit, and I’ll get with you offline…
I would cook for the chance to play Scrabble with just about anyone.
Greg B. was being mild about the “poboy” play. When he threw down that smack it involved a 30 minute “discussion” and checking every online reference possible. When it was over we needed to seek a good faqir.
Anyone ever played Apples to Apples? We got it from “Santa” but havn’t played yet.
Reene – we have apple to apples junior. It is great for the kids. Mine call it AppleBapple and beg to play it all the time. I don’t know if the adult version would be as captivating as playing with 7 year olds. But, I think it would be fun.
So harsh…
Thanks. What I meant was you just can’t top kids interpretations of what words might mean. @@
well, well, well, I see we’ve been talkin smack about the little sis while she was not checking in. Mystery solved, IT WAS ME!! The funny thing is, I just told that story at work within the last week. I must admit, geography isn’t my specialty but, I have gotten a little better since I moved to the Northeast. Oh, and I know where Idaho is now, my friend moved there. I guess I never needed to know where it was before. 🙂
Lea, loved the chocolate story about Mom. I hade never heard it before.
PS. Never play Monopoly with Bo if he is drinking. It ain’t pretty!
Well, you didn’t have to identify yourself. Reminds me of the guy in the police lineup who points at the witness and says “yeah, that’s her!”
The only solid gaming alcohol contraindication for me is Pictionary. That’s the one that ain’t pretty.
Nothing to add..just wanted to say, “Hi Jenny!”
Charles (the artist formerly known as “Moe”)