Origins of a Board Gamer
Most people, like me, set their life’s path in grade school. We found ourselves at a McDonald’s for the young girl next door’s birthday party. Previously, McDonald’s did not host birthday parties. There was no special room for it. I think they held it in the manager’s office down some stairs. Anyway, Santa Claus came to hear Christmas wishes. Trying to be clever, I gave him one. My wish was for a “complicated board game.” That wish has made all the difference.
Within our neighborhood, I possessed all the games. Five rows of games stacked on the shelf above my bedroom closet. Back in the seventies, a couple dozen games were a point of pride. I started with games from Milton Bradley. In those stacks were ubiquitous copies of Battleship, Concentration, Operation, and Life. I also had copies of lesser known games like Manhunt, Carrier Strike, and King Oil.
In time, I expanded my gaming horizons with games from Parker Brothers like Clue, Careers, and Inventors. Their games had better components - boards without a crease, neon-colored money, and fancy pawns. I gained other game by them like Waterworks, Pitt, Lost Gold, and Code Name Sector.
I had many friends during that period. There was always someone willing to play games. I would hate to speculate on the expectations of childhood in having a group of friends, but I imagine school had a potent influence in that regard. When showers canceled outdoor play, we’d retreat indoors, using the games kept for such scenarios. I mean, these were games like Old Maid or Authors, but they were games. Should rain seem likely, I’d bring games for class. Sometime, I regretted the decision. Kids can be monsters.
Halfway through seventh grade, we moved. I lost my gaming friends. Following one additional move, I discovered some different friends. Later, I became interested in more complex games. We even delved into Dungeons and Dragons. It was the starter set from 1977. I even asked for an actual war-game for Christmas. As my interest leaned towards sci-fi instead of WWII, I got a copy of Starship Troopers and Magic Realms from Avalon Hill and Battlefleet Mars from SPI.
It’s strange that going to college had dimmed my board game hobby. I didn’t get many new board games. Lost some of my old ones. Didn’t have anyone to play with. Computer games became the thing. It stayed that way until the early 2000s. Out of the blue, my folks invited me to a game night. During that initial night, games such as Apples to Apples, plus others of its sort, filled their time. Then came Ticket to Ride. About this time I discovered Will Wheaton’s YouTube channel “Tabletop.” I used his channel to find other games for the family game night. Unfortunately, my taste in games outpaced the rest of my family. My games were too “complicated.” What was I to do?
Then It happened. It had to be divine providence. A new business opened its doors opposite my workplace, bearing the name “Village Meeple.” Meeple? Could it be? A quick internet search confirmed my wildest dreams. A board game cafe was opening across from where I work. Driving would be unnecessary. The convenience. So began my relationship with Jess. I found other friends to play games with. My life’s circle completes; I’m that neighborhood child with many games once more, surrounded by many friends. Board games can do that.
