Board Games – Mel Afoa

 

I should've just listened to the boys when they warned me,

That you'll be one of those ones.

Ignoring them has got to be the stupidest thing I've done,

And that's saying something.

Unfortunately for me, you played a good and hard game,

Champion chess player at her finest,

Jail in Monopoly,

The largest snake with the sharpest bite,

Skin as smooth as a silk, along with the scales,

Proudly dominant on the board game,

Surrounded by the many snakes that slithered by.

Why did I keep trying to climb the ladders?

 

Meeting you was supposedly the best thing that happened,

So my heart said.

Thinking you were the damsel in distress,

When I had seen you cornered by a bunch of rowdy drunks,

Five months ago, Boulevard street with the sunset in the background.

I immediately leapt at the chance of playing Superman,

Swishing my imaginary cape, puffing out my hard chest,

Putting on the mask of bravery, the mask of heroism,

And walking forward like the boss that Superman was.

Thing is, there is only one Superman for a reason.

 

The way you looked at me as I finished the last punch,

It was like a little kid looking at fairy floss for the first time,

Eyes wide with surprise and awe, admiration even,

But I was in the wrong, obviously.

There I was, thinking your wide eyes screamed, 'handsome hero',

But it was actually screaming 'new toy', wasn't it?

Don't worry about answering.

It was rhetorical.

 

I tried my best to keep you happy, and I know that I put effort in,

Studying hard for my degree while also balancing work and family life,

Spending most of my meagre pay that I received as a part-time mechanic,

On dates and little presents for you.

Not once cent was spent on my family,

Because I had thought that because you were 'The One',

Pleasing you was the first priority.

I worked hard to make you stay,

But I obviously didn't work hard enough because off you went,

Even having the nerve to continue your rendezvous for months,

Till I actually saw evidence.

And evidence it was.

 

To this day I shall be forever grateful for the boys,

Who had always told me to stay away from the likes of you,

Disapproving whenever I even mentioned your name.

Because of them, I finally saw the whipped person I became,

And if it weren't for them getting into my business,

Nosing around like trained sniffer dogs at the airport,

I would've still been playing snakes and ladders.

Trying and failing to reach the end.

Having loyal and  nosy friends can actually benefit you.

 

One of the boys caught you that fateful night,

Whilst on his way to the club,

When you told me you were 'spending the night with family'.

Imagine my surprise,

When I get four missed calls from him,

And a multimedia text.

There you were, beautiful and angelic as ever,

Long brown hair dancing with the wind,

Your mouthwatering body fit and filled in the right places,

Smooth, gorgeous legs going on for miles,

Wrapped around a guy that wasn't me.

Manicured hands wrapped around the neck of a guy that wasn't me.

Kissing the lips of a guy that wasn't me.

 

My first reaction was obviously surprise,

And I actually mistook the photo as a joke.

Texting him back, calling him a dick and telling him to stop messing,

Was my second.

“Come 2 Devon Road, outside club 42 NOW' was his reply.

Grumbled I did, rolled my eyes and sighed too as I got up,

Thinking I was wasting my time.

“HURRY UP NOW”

“Calm your farm bro, I'm on my way”

“HURRY”.

 

Turned up fifteen minutes with fury and annoyance on my features,

Impatience making an appearance too.

He saw me as I neared him, and with a blank expression,

Pointed silently across the road.

I looked, and the first thing I thought was that I wished I hasn't.

The sad thing is, you saw me,

And smirked.

And then kept on kissing.

 

Turns out he wasn't the only guy you bagged while with me,

Since pictures surfaced on the internet,

Surrounded yourself with a bunch of whipped fools.

Dating many of us simultaneously,

Playing us all and leaving us all broken.

Are you not embarrassed of your hoe status though?

 

A chess player you are,

The queen of all pawns.

The tweezers pulling out the organs as I lie on the table,

Getting operated.

The snakes surrounding the ladders.

Playing board games like a pro,

A hoe pro, mind you.