"Hey. You want to play a little m-o-n-o?"
I immediately put down my book and jumped up. "Sure. Who else is in?"
"Becky and Rachel are going to play."
We walked downstairs to the living room where the board was already laid out.
"Same rules?" I asked.
"Same rules," Becky replied.
"I'm the banker," I said.
"We'll be watching you."
I carefully counted the cash into neat piles and selected the thimble. I never got the race car and Melissa always chose the dog. The thimble annoyed me with it's lack of scale. But it never tipped over when the game got rough. The game always got rough.
We were quiet as we began, each of us strategizing our moves, which properties we wanted, how far we'd go to get them.
I kept a close eye on the bank roll. Stealing money from the bank was a normal occurance. But, if caught, the perpetrator had to go to jail without bail until she rolled doubles.
As we raced around the board, money started changing hands. I carefully counted to make sure I wasn't short changed. It'd been known to happen. Often.
The game got more intense. Melissa crowed when she bought Park Place. She had a monopoly that could wipe the rest of us out. She immediately started buying hotels. Three per property. Each pass of the board was made with a sigh of relief. Landing on Park Place could bankrupt us.
Becky kept a close eye on Melissa's hotels on Pennsylvania Ave. One inched perilously close to Becky's railroad. If it went over the thin black line, Becky would be able to get a discount on her rent.
The game continued for hours. Shady deals were made. Back door trades, alliances and plans were tossed across the board. Finally, it was time for bed. Carefully, we each counted our money and jotted down the figure. We bundled the cash with our properties and gave them to Mom for safekeeping. I wouldn't trust those girls with Baltic Avenue, if my life depended on it.
Five days later, we declared a victor. Exhausted and frustrated, we put the board away on it's shelf ready to be pulled out again the next time one of us decided to play a little m-o-n-o.
This post was inspired by the Red Dress Club RemembeRED prompt: games you played when you were young. My sisters and I played Monopoly so many times, we just called it m-o-n-o. And, according to many people, we all cheated. I contend that they were house rules.I'm also over at Makes Fun today reviewing an ice cream maker.
43 comments:
Absolutely the best description of Monopoly play I have ever heard. Awesome! And sooooo true.
Okay, now that sounds like a fun way to play monopoly! I love the "Cheating via house rules, not condoned, but expected."
Always loved playing that game, but why is there always a sore loser? We'd play and when someone was going bankrupt, we'd team up and play teams until there was a victor, and it could go on FOREVER!!
what an awesome memory! I lurrve m-o-n-o too but have only fallen in love with it as an adult - I don't think we had all the pieces to our game when we were kids and we never ever finished a game!
Mandy, our brain-twinness continues.
I never finished it, but the post I started was about the epic, saved, multi-day games of Monopoly I used to play with my brother and our neighbor.
Wow! My family games of Monopoly seem positively boring now. I'm gonna' have to learn to break some rules...
oh yes, the Monopoly games that went on for days....I remember them well..where you'd scream at anyone who tried to touch the board. "LEAVE EVERYTHING WHERE IT IS" right??? This brought back all those memories. Thanks for sharing it!
Ha! We used to have marathon Monopoly games over Thanksgiving break. They would go on for days just as you described. Our games would get a little rough too. We were so competitive!
That is an intense game! Sounds like fun!
I love the line:
I wouldn't trust those girls with Baltic Avenue, if my life depended on it.
The original board and parts were just donated to Goodwill...it was a sad day when that board got dumped (they probably threw it away)...I do believe there were more fights invovled. ;O) and don't forget the game of Life....see no television had it's moments.
I'm so glad I wasn't the only one who grew up stealing from the bank!
That is funny... it sounds just how my husband plays!! The first time we played with the girls I swear it took forever! Most of us sold off what we had and quit!
I love the "house rules" part! And the fact that you played for 5 days! Now *that's* dedication! Such fun, fond memories! *Love!*
Oh, I loved this! It reminds me so much of how my husband and I play monopoly. The last time we pulled out the "m.o.n.o." board we almost got divorced. I agree with your "house rules" sentiment. Everyone seems to make up their one Monopoly rules and somehow that's okay. Nice job! Visiting from TRDC.
You had much more dedication to the cause then we ever did growing up! I suppose the "house rules" made for a better game!
LOVE this...a five-day game? How awesome is that!?
This line made me smile, "The thimble annoyed me with it's lack of scale."
This is so funny to me. I didn't play Monopoly much as a kid. But recently, my little brother visited and he and my husband played a four day game of Monopoly. I could have killed them both! I had NO IDEA it was so intense!
It's the game that makes King! Or Queens, as the case may be.
It's also a game that very few people will play with me. They claim I cheat. *sniff*
It's the little things that drive me crazy. :)
We're all so stubborn, we'd never admit defeat. Not when the winner would rub it in.
OH! You guys are my kind of m-o-n-o people!
Dedication and a lack of TV. ;)
You quit?! I remember saying something to the extent that, "You'll pry Marven Garden out of my cold, dead hand."
We were pretty melodramatic.
Only the best players do and then get away with it.
I probably should have framed it.
They were completely untrustworthy!
I remember my uncle telling us that we had to pay $20 every time we spoke when it wasn't our turn. That was one house rule that got vetoed.
I never trusted that they left everything alone. lol
Do it. Break some rules. Be a rebel. :D
Are you sure we're not the same person??
I'd love to play as an adult. I haven't in years. No one will play with me.
Days and days and days. But so much fun!
When our cousin played with us, he was always confused.
Thank you. :)
This is intense! I love it. I've played monopoly many times, but never at this level. I have to say I'm impressed!
The intensity slays me. How perfect! The detail of the thimble speaks volumes to me as well...details matter, dammit!
And your mother, holding onto the money...it must have warmed her heart to see you all playing together!
Totally House Rules. Not cheating.
This was fun! I felt I was right there with you, laughing and shouting at someone who looked like she may have just stolen some cash...
Came from TRDC.
Darn you. I was so expecting a "seven minutes in heaven" meets chicken pox party post.
I was the worst at strategy games. You would have hated me and my apathy.
Oh my God. I was such a nerd I didn't know what seven minutes in heaven was until I was 22.
Your apathy would have had you crawling away and hiding under a table while we looted your properties.
Uh...I mean...we would have loved to have you play with us.
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
They do! And how the hell a thimble is bigger than a car - even a model car! - is beyond me.
It's a level to which most people don't go. Which means I don't get to play too often anymore.
Although...
I'm raising a new generation.
First I was thinking someone was getting sick, then I wondered who was getting sick from kissing who, then I realized you were chattin' up that game that has me hoarding my money as I hold my breath each time I pass Boardwalk loaded with hotels......or the Death Star, if you were playing the Star Wars version of the game, which yes, is indeed in my house. :>
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