Games Elmores Play

When I was growing up, board games were outlawed because a certain member of the Elmore family was a little too competitive.  (I'll let you guess who the Elmore is in question.)  One of our favorite games to play before it was banned was Monopoly.  (My mother was the one to ban it after a certain Elmore threw a tantrum after losing.   She had had enough.)   There were many a night spent traveling around the board, buying up property, passing "Go" and collecting $200, then collecting rent when someone was unfortunate to land on your property.  I reveled (sp) in acquiring large sums of money albeit fake money.  It's a wonder that I didn't go into real estate or some other cutthroat business.  (But if I was losing NOBODY had any fun.)   

As a pre-teen and teenager, I never got into video games.  It was probably because I lacked the hand-eye coordination necessary to be successful at them.  Instead I found solace in books. Occasionally, on Friday or Saturday night my best friend and I would go to the Fun Factory in the mall and play a few games while we scoped out guys.  We didn't always get the guys, but at least we got tickets for Skeeball, which we would redeem for some ridiculously cheap prize that we thought was so cool.

Just recently I bought a Wii for my parents.  (Seriously, they use it more than I do.)  But when I do get to use it, my competitive streak comes out.  I find myself wanting to do the soccer ball game until I beat my best score 120- something or hula hoop until my hips fall off to best my record to best record. (Yes, Donna.  I finally did it.  I scored 300- something!  I'm not lying!) 

My father, who is disabled, gets frustrated when he is not able to do something right away, and my mother is always quick to remind him of his daughter.  "How do you think Rebecca is able to do what she does?  She keeps doing it."  My father took my mother's advice to heart and has been diligently playing Wii everyday.  One Saturday I came home to him practicing his bowling skills.  Daddy got a little too overzealous and as he swung his right arm, threw himself out of his motorized chair.  As a result of that day, we always make sure that he is buckled into his chair.           

I am my father's daughter, so I you've ever wondered where I got my competitiveness, now you know.