I thought about that for a few.
“Doesn’t that description actually fit me to a ‘T’?”
“If so, let’s keep it in the family. Okay?” my partner winked, punching me playfully on the shoulder. “Cheer up, Skeeve. In some ways it should be fun. There’s nothing like competing in a game without the pressure to win to let you role-play to the hilt.”
“Sure, Aahz.”
“Okay, so let’s get back to it. Just listen this time around. We’ll go over it again slower later so you can write it all down.”
With that, they launched into it again.
I listened with half an ear, all the while examining my feelings. I had gone into the first game at the Even-Odds expecting to lose, but I had been viewing that as a social evening. It was beyond my abilities to kid myself into believing this match with the Kid was going to be social.
As much as I respected the views of my advisors, I was having a lot of trouble accepting the idea that I would help my reputation by losing. They were right, though, that I couldn’t gracefully refuse the challenge. If I didn’t stand a chance of winning, then the only option left was to lose gracefully. Right?
Try as I might, though, I couldn’t still a little voice in the back of my mind that kept telling me that the ideal solution would be to take the Kid to the cleaners. Of course, that was impossible. Right? Right?
Chapter Fifteen:
“I need all the friends I can get.”
-QUASIMODO
WHILE my life may seem convoluted and depressing at times, at least there is one being who never turns from me in my hours of need.