Written by: Oratile Ndimande
Special Thanks to Freddy Nyezi
I suppose I should consider myself fortunate,
To be around warm laughs, warm drinks, and
hot banter with friends of a friend.
I guess I should be excited
To be the plus one that makes it all "merrier",
To be at the head of the coffee table
And ahead in this game of Snakes and Ladders,
Which I only humour because of everyone else's apparent need for nostalgia
one friend is taking this game too seriously,
Hissing in excitement now that she’s rolled a six.
another friend rolls a two and lands on a snake that sends him back to square one,
spitting a remark that he didn’t mind going down a snake,
or going down on one for that matter!
I'm down and tired, and trying to ignore getting winked at,
I'm bored and ahead on the board,
I'm throwing a pity party, in the middle of this bored game party.
One Friend accuses me of cheating in the game,
I want to bite back and say her boyfriend is cheating on her
but I stay silent and she proceeds to spit gossip
About a friend of a friend of the friend who couldn’t make it tonight.
Another Friend twirls his fingers around the top of his game piece,
Assessing me like prey, as I shake the pair of die in my hand,
I’ve always sucked at this game, but I’m much better at climbing something else,
he says as though he thinks it would make me throw the die to the board sooner.
These words grip my neck and strangle me as I try to laugh it off.
an obvious pass to unlock a secret level to another game
that I don't know if I've got interest in.
Roll the die and let whatever happens happen.
Roll over and die, whatever happens happens.
Still down and tired, Still could use with a helping hand with these heavy die...
Still, I decided I'm not game and I let Another Friend bite the dust.
Still bored and ahead on the board,
Still I– oh, another box of pizza to demolish!
It’s probably best I express joy that I’ve won this meager game
And express gratitude to this friend of my friend for having us over
I am really straining and reaching inside myself
For an excitement to come out of this win and I do not think there is any
Still down and tired, with barely enough to roll my own pair pair of die in private
Still bored and leading the board,
Still slowed down and in the venom of my personal pity party.
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