Cabin Essentials: Monopoly
Posted by Oak and Oar on
We all know the weather can change in a heartbeat. It always seems that after a few gloriously sunny days mother nature throws a wrench in the plans and hits you with a day of misery. So when this bi-polar weather forces you indoors it’s essential that you have a Monopoly game board on hand. And for the record I’m not talking Junior Monopoly or some spin-off like Star Wars, Disney, Star Trek or some Streetwear Edition (although I could see Rosewood and Lafayette replacing Boardwalk and Park Place). I’m talking the original Park Brothers Edition based on the classic from 1935.
Not only is this one of the best way to spend 4 hours indoors, but also a great way to gauge your friends sensibilities. It doesn’t take long to witness the negotiating skills and alliances take shape while your ‘friends’ put their best interests ahead of yours. If I have learned anything – always negotiate the free stay, I assure you it will come in handy.
I think the longest game we ran at the cabin stemmed about 5 1/2 hours. By the end Kelso was broke, had lost his shirt (literally) and off over in the living room belting out his lungs leading his loyal Rock Band brigade of AP, Ali, Mox and Chad while Jerrin and I sat under the dim lit kitchen table battling it out to the bitter end. When all was said and done I fell victim to full time bank manager. For the record I am pretty sure Kelso is tone deaf.
If a 6 hour game isn’t exciting enough you can always grab a second board and work the figure 8 connecting at Go. And next time you blow the dust of your Monopoly board here are a few tidbits to make your opponents think you eat, sleep and breath Monopoly.
- The longest Monopoly game in history lasted for 70 straight days.
- The most expensive version of the game was produced by celebrated San Francisco jeweler Sidney Mobell. Valued at $2 million, the set features a 23-carat gold board and diamond-studded dice.
- Escape maps, compasses and files were inserted into Monopoly game boards smuggled into POW camps inside Germany during World War II. Real money for escapees was slipped into the packs of Monopoly money.
- More than six billion little green houses and 2.25 billion red hotels have been “constructed” since 1935.
(Photo Scott Anderson Studio)