Every Tuesday night is game night at the Gilmore residence. We take turns deciding which game we are going to play. We go according to age, the youngest of us having first choice. My mom, dad, sisters, and brother always pick Monopoly. I hate Monopoly. It’s one of those games that could ruin a relationship just by a roll of the die. You never know where you are going to land. You could end up getting Free Parking and landing a load of cash from people paying bail, or you could end up landing on the Go-To-Jail space, and end up having to pay bail yourself. For the last couple of weeks I've been avoiding family game night. Either I’m sick or I say that I have to study for a big test that’s coming up in Algebra. See, the thing about my family is that they’re competitive. Not the, “You throw like a girl, Jax,” but the, “I will not be going to jail you, piece of s***.” And, I’m not like that.
The first step to monopoly is picking out the game pieces. I like to be the dog, but my younger sister, Vera, has to be the dog, or she’ll throw a tantrum and scream on the floor until she gets her way. So, I let her, and I use the iron. The next step is handing out the money. My dad is always the banker, but everyone likes to cheat, and is dishonest. So, we always have to recount our money to see if the amount is right. The third step is the most difficult: deciding who rolls first. It’s usually by age, youngest to oldest, starting with Vera, Brooks, me, Stella, Nita, (when she’s home from college), then my mom and dad. You’d think that would be simple, just going up by age and starting the game like that, but it’s not. My family is superstitious in a way, because they believe whoever rolls first receives the best luck. So, we have to go old school, and have everyone roll the die and the highest number goes first. Going first means you get to buy property before everybody else and avoid your snotty sibling’s demand for rent. Then the game begins.
Stella rolls the highest, so she starts the game. She lands on Chance and gets to collect $500,000. The rest of my family just boos and accuses her of cheating. She always has to get mom and dad’s approval on everything. She has been mom and dad’s favorite since my older sister left for college. Even when we were younger she tried to live up to my sister’s standard. Being one of five kids makes it hard to get attention, especially from our parents. Being first in our family is a big thing. Brooks rolls the second highest number, so he goes next. He lands on the International Airport, and being the impulsive one he bought it. He buys everything he lands on. That’s just the way he is. His eyes are bigger than his Velcro wallet. Vera rolls and lands on Brooks’ airport. Since he bought it she will have to pay the fine. But, being the youngest also has it’s perks in this family. She will cry until she gets her way. So, we let her jump ahead to the Community Chest space and get $100,000 instead. She is definitely the spoiled one around here. Mom and dad always let her get away with everything. Surprisingly, I roll next and I, of course, land on Income Tax. So, I have to pay ten percent of two million dollars. But, I don’t really care because the faster I lose all of my money the sooner I get to quit this game. I’m the one who gets attention from sports. When my dad was in high school he was the big sports hero of the town. He was in football, wrestling, and baseball. So, naturally I got put into those sports as a kid. It’s the only way I get attention from anyone anymore.
I watch my family travel around the board just waiting for this family game night to be over and done. It’s only been three rounds and I have just one million dollars left. I haven’t spent my money on any property. It’s mostly going to Brooks since he has purchased over half the board. Vera has no idea what’s going on. She has spent the last 20 minutes messing around in the bathroom doing God’s know what. Stella is in jail waiting for doubles so she doesn't have to spend her money. Dad just collected the Free Parking and is putting it in his nice, little organized piles. Mom is blowing on the die, wishing for a six so she can land on Time Square, the most expensive space on the board.
It’s halfway through the game. I start to realize that my life is like Monopoly. I look around the board at my family and how they all play their parts so well, my younger sister always getting what she wants, my little brother spending money like no other, my older sister trying her very best to gain attention from mom and dad, and me always doing what I’m told to do (buy boardwalk, or try out for football). Never have I been asked what I want to do. I feel like the iron: the piece that’s always left out, the least important, and I’m sick of it.
I stand up, look at my family, and say “You always say that family is the most important thing in this world, but you don’t act like it. You all get wrapped up in your own little world, and I’m so tired of trying to please you anymore. I’m done!”
And with that I flip over the Monopoly board and stomp out of the room, not daring to look back at their probably blank expressions.
After a few moments I hear a knock at the door. “Jax, it’s mom, and dad is here too. Can we come in?”
I go over to door and open it, keeping my head down, then run back to my bed. They sit on the end of my bed. My mom starts to say something, but my dad cuts her off.
“Son, we didn't mean to make you so upset. Can we talk about this? We want you to be happy. That’s all we want for you kids.”
My siblings walk in and sit around my parents.
I say, “You guys always make us do stuff we don’t want to do, especially me.”
Dad replies “Your mom and I thought you loved to play all those sports. So we supported you.”
“Not really, I mostly do them for you so I can get your attention. Same with game night. I absolutely hate Monopoly, but all of you guys love it and I will get crap for picking another game.”
Then mom asks, “So what game do you want to play, Jax?”
“Monopoly.”
“But we are already playing Monopoly, idiot!” my brother calls out.
So we go back out to the living room and set up for a new game. As we start the new game Brooks won’t let go of his criticism.
“We’re still playing Monopoly, poop face.”

Mom turns to Brooks and says, “Brooksie, just quiet down and wait your turn.”

As dad finishes his precise counting of the money, both mom and dad look toward me and smile. As I look at their smiles I think that they are beginning to understand. It’s not that I hate Monopoly. It’s not that I hate family game night. It’s not even that I hate my smart-ass, little brother. I just think that I am old enough to make some choices by myself now. I think mom and dad finally get it.

We played Monopoly until midnight. I had quit the game. . . not Monopoly, but an other game that I had grown tired of.