Competition is something that is far too easy to be obsessed over. Often times we find ourselves playing games for the sole purpose of momentary pleasure. But there are some people out there that take things way too far.
My friends and I sat around the table casually playing a game of 21. It is something that we often find ourselves doing every Friday night. It wasn’t until two weeks ago that we decided to start betting money on the game.
My friend Steven have the cards in his hands and begin to toss them out one at a time to each person at the table. After each person had two carts laid out in front of them he put the deck in the middle of the table and flipped over the first card to reveal a five.
I glanced down at my cards to find that I had only a two and a seven. The total I had so far was 14. I decided to risk it and ask for another hit after the person to my left took their turn. He tossed me the card face down. I picked it up, it was a three. They circled around the table once more. By the time I got back to me I decided that I’d rather stay then get another card, as any card that I got would have to be less than a four.
Everyone at the table flip their cards over one person at a time going counterclockwise. By the time it gets me I don’t really realize that I lost for the person to my rights had a full 20. I slam my fist down on the table and disappointment.
“Dammit!” I exclaimed and utter disappointment. I haven’t lost a game in weeks, how could the one we all pitched the most money into be the one that broke me?
“Dude,“ the person sitting across from me started, “You have to calm down, it’s only a game.”
“Man,” I said, “It’s more than just a game when I pitch in all the cash I have on me.”
“Nobody asked you to do that.” The person to my left chimed in.
“I know,” I said. “But I was on a massive winning streak, I couldn’t lose?”
“I mean you just did.” the person to my left replied.
“Whatever,” I said, hanging my head. “Is there any way I can join in the next game without any money pitched in?”
“Sorry bud,” said the person across from me. “Those aren’t the rules we play by anymore.”
I got up from the table and headed to the kitchen, grabbing a beer before heading out for the night. I knew it was getting late, so leaving at this time seemed the best choice.
That night, I couldn’t stop thinking about the game of 21 I’d just lost. There’s no way anyone could’ve beat me. How could luck have been so cruel as to deal me the worst cards at the worst possible time? Perhaps the gambling gods themselves couldn’t stand my streak and were forced to break it.
I tossed and turned, thinking about the loss of the game. I had to redeem myself in some way, but how?
I got on my phone and opened a 21 app. I figured I might try to take my mind off things some and help me get some rest if I was to win a game.
I joined in a game with someone I was friends with online but never talked to. I didn’t know he played, I thought to myself. Let’s see how good he is. I started up the game and the cards were handed out. I looked over my hands to find I had two Kings. There’s no way I could lose.
He flipped his hand over, revealing a 9 and a jack. I laughed as I flipped over my cards.
We played a few more rounds and he seemed to become somewhat upset from me winning almost every round we played. We were down to our last round before agreeing to call it a night. I was waiting on him to take his turn but nothing happened on his screen. What was going on?
That’s when I heard a knock at my bedroom window.
“What the hell?” I said as I got out of bed and approached the window. I looked out to find that same person I was playing with. He held a gun in his hands.
My friends and I sat around the table casually playing a game of 21. It is something that we often find ourselves doing every Friday night. It wasn’t until two weeks ago that we decided to start betting money on the game.
My friend Steven have the cards in his hands and begin to toss them out one at a time to each person at the table. After each person had two carts laid out in front of them he put the deck in the middle of the table and flipped over the first card to reveal a five.
I glanced down at my cards to find that I had only a two and a seven. The total I had so far was 14. I decided to risk it and ask for another hit after the person to my left took their turn. He tossed me the card face down. I picked it up, it was a three. They circled around the table once more. By the time I got back to me I decided that I’d rather stay then get another card, as any card that I got would have to be less than a four.
Everyone at the table flip their cards over one person at a time going counterclockwise. By the time it gets me I don’t really realize that I lost for the person to my rights had a full 20. I slam my fist down on the table and disappointment.
“Dammit!” I exclaimed and utter disappointment. I haven’t lost a game in weeks, how could the one we all pitched the most money into be the one that broke me?
“Dude,“ the person sitting across from me started, “You have to calm down, it’s only a game.”
“Man,” I said, “It’s more than just a game when I pitch in all the cash I have on me.”
“Nobody asked you to do that.” The person to my left chimed in.
“I know,” I said. “But I was on a massive winning streak, I couldn’t lose?”
“I mean you just did.” the person to my left replied.
“Whatever,” I said, hanging my head. “Is there any way I can join in the next game without any money pitched in?”
“Sorry bud,” said the person across from me. “Those aren’t the rules we play by anymore.”
I got up from the table and headed to the kitchen, grabbing a beer before heading out for the night. I knew it was getting late, so leaving at this time seemed the best choice.
That night, I couldn’t stop thinking about the game of 21 I’d just lost. There’s no way anyone could’ve beat me. How could luck have been so cruel as to deal me the worst cards at the worst possible time? Perhaps the gambling gods themselves couldn’t stand my streak and were forced to break it.
I tossed and turned, thinking about the loss of the game. I had to redeem myself in some way, but how?
I got on my phone and opened a 21 app. I figured I might try to take my mind off things some and help me get some rest if I was to win a game.
I joined in a game with someone I was friends with online but never talked to. I didn’t know he played, I thought to myself. Let’s see how good he is. I started up the game and the cards were handed out. I looked over my hands to find I had two Kings. There’s no way I could lose.
He flipped his hand over, revealing a 9 and a jack. I laughed as I flipped over my cards.
We played a few more rounds and he seemed to become somewhat upset from me winning almost every round we played. We were down to our last round before agreeing to call it a night. I was waiting on him to take his turn but nothing happened on his screen. What was going on?
That’s when I heard a knock at my bedroom window.
“What the hell?” I said as I got out of bed and approached the window. I looked out to find that same person I was playing with. He held a gun in his hands.
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