It's all just a game

A group of us at the pub played games recently. I mean real games. We sat around the table on the patio and pulled wood pieces from the tower and tried to keep it from toppling down. It's not so easy after a couple of drinks.

When games deal with real people instead of wood blocks, they can make everything topple over for good. Friendships, jobs, romantic relationships can crumble over just a few words if people get caught up playing games.

I suck at games. If I like someone, I tell them. If I want more or less, they know. Straight from me. No guessing. While games may be fashionable, I just can't hide the truth. If it's not hurtful, I say what's on my mind. And it's usually not a surprise since they can probably read it on my face anyway.

Sometimes brutal honesty stings, like when I got the let's-keep-what-we-did-last-night-between-us text the other day. Or was that a game?

Either way, I needed to hear that one.

A few weeks ago over lunch with the really beautiful (inside and out on first impression) South African man I met at the bachelorette party recently, we talked about this very thing. He said he doesn't like the whole "I can't call or text too soon" or "don't respond before tomorrow" strategy. If he wants to see someone, he lets them know. I had five texts from him by the time I got home the night I met him. Now I hope his lack of contact is because of his long trip to Europe and not lack of interest. Or is it a game.

There's man I know in the neighborhood who's mastering his abilities as a player. A couple of weeks ago, he invited me to a professional luncheon. Then he uninvited me. I found out later he also invited a women I introduced him to. Mind you, I presented her to him as a good professional contact but a pain in the ass otherwise. He was still interested. I'll probably never know if she went to the luncheon with him since I hear completely different stories from each of them about their mutual game playing. I don't trust either of them. But honestly, who cares?

Back to real games. That night on the patio at the pub, we also played "Never Have I Ever." Now this game is definitely not just an ice breaker. It would tear straight through a glacier. Talk about skipping over the games, now I know who's done a threesome, who does and doesn't give head and who's been with two different people in the same day. Wow. Now if I could only remember everyone's names.

Sometimes I might stick my foot in my mouth to avoid the game playing. The truth is what I do best. Someone told me it's a Capricorn trait. I wish it was an every-zodiac trait.

Single or not, we all deserve the truth.

Love to the single girls,
Addison