I got twenty bucks that says....

I hate board games.

The other night Gioconda and Aidan were playing Scrabble, which I particularly detest, and they are arguing because Aidan kept wanting to use names like Roater , which he insisted was a name of some celebrity's kid and Gioconda wanted to use Spanish words, which in the end is just cheating. Don't get me wrong, I think cheating is fine, but to what end?

After all the bickering one person gets to say they won, it just didn't seem worth the effort. Gioconda spends hours playing a game called Bejeweled. Everyone here at 2107 is into one game or another.

Really? Unless there are little round chips with dollar signs out in front of me before the cards are dealt, I'm not playing.

I see no point in playing any type of game unless it is for the purposes of gambling.

Yet, when it comes to gambling there is basically nothing I wouldn't place a wager.

"I got twenty bucks that says Floyd Mayweather will not fight Manny Pacquiao," I offered last night at dinner. No takers.

In reality, I have no idea if this fight will ever take place, and I really don't care, but sometimes I'll just throw out a wager to add some credibility to my particular position.

I will say most of the folks living here at 2107 are competitive, yet generally they don't like to make bets they are not certain they can win.

"No takers?, " I said knowing there was no way anyone was going to take that action, although everyone (Aidan, Christian, and Aidan's friend Andy) insisted Mayweather would fight and beat Pacquiao.

"No guts, no glory, I'll go fifty" I said. Still nothing.

Unfortunately, this is a pretty good bet which means here at 2107 no one will take it, except for Gioconda who just takes the bet to shut me up.

"Ok, I'll bet with you, whatever you said," she finally relented, which really isn't much fun, as its not very interesting to bet with someone who doesn't even know what they are betting on.

I particularly like to wager with Aidan, as he is more competitive than the other boys and he really seems to hate loosing, which makes any victory that much sweeter.

I loose bets all the time, so I'm just not that invested, but with him any loss is a real kick to the balls. I never take his money, as it doesn't seem quite right to take money from a 14 year old, the fact that I won the money without actual collection is enough. Sometimes we will double up, and if I win a couple of bets I'll make a sucker bet to get him off the hook.

I know, not taking the money doesn't exactly mitigate the fact I derive so much pleasure from winning a bet on the basis that the person I am betting with REALLY CARES about winning- because three years ago he was eleven...

Still, I can't help myself because 35 years ago I was eleven.