03-07-2025, 11:50 PM
PROMPT 5 - THE OFFICE
Card (Direction chosen by random): Jack of Clubs [black] Royal cards do not change potential, but do give you new advantages in the game. Red Royals give you a “Save,” which will be explained later. Black Royals give you an “Insight.” Insights give you the advantage to negate a black card. You may use 1 Insight when you draw a black card to avoid losing any potential. Whether or not you chose to answer the prompt is optional. This draw of a Jack of Clubs adds one to my Insight. Insight: 1
Prompt: One of your Rival’s associates mentions that they’ve been talking about you a lot lately. Why would that be?
![[Image: AP1GczNcwfKY-u_G4_-3PuhhOPpPWv5R_dSfrtz0...LP54=w2400]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP1GczNcwfKY-u_G4_-3PuhhOPpPWv5R_dSfrtz0qY7Z-4sCxAQ9kkCDsA0Hk-luJWD72OwBUc7fIrwDNS49Q4fY98jB0pUJHRTHFBP3b1PSioRHSs9LP54=w2400)
At least Art had the sense to take us to a back office. I didn’t need . . . want him to chew me out in front of the others. After admitting to him that Gwen was telling the truth, I stared at the wall while Art sat on the edge of a desk and proceeded to tell me why what I did was wrong, that it was not how he wanted the Game Board to be viewed, and that he was this close to revoking my membership.
![[Image: AP1GczNRCy8T_oCqZygioozqH-Izqdrb2S6h0ZAS...0yRw=w2400]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP1GczNRCy8T_oCqZygioozqH-Izqdrb2S6h0ZASxrCAzZuZTWSXffT-KpIoribdxi3BbhBtiWjfGcWboDx_ut79WxZegdvBRgasLJi5hDX42NErB070yRw=w2400)
“I know,” was the only apology I could give.
When Art finished, he said he’d write it off as a warning and suggested I say nothing more about the Bowl to anyone, but just listen politely if someone has a suggestion.
“What’s going on with you?” He suddenly asked, shifting the conversation. “You’re a good guy. Everyone likes you. If you’re not careful, you’re going to blow a great opportunity.”
What opportunity?
“Opportunity?”
“Yeah, with Gwen.” Huh? “She's been looking for friends since she’s been back.”
“She always has Morgan.” I stated what I thought was obvious.
“Yes, but she’s also been about you?”
I tensed. Fear? Excitement? “She has? What has she been asking?”
“It may not have occurred to you, but there are a lot of new faces around here since she left. Yes, there’s Morgan, me, you, Wayne and a few others. But almost everyone she used to hang around with has either moved, went away for school, or simply stopped coming. I think she’s had a rough time lately, and now she’s looking to regain some of those fun times.”
“Is that why she stayed and hasn’t gone back to college?”
“Don’t know. She hasn’t told me much about her personal life and it’s really none of my business.”
His admission gave me a wave of relief. “What does this have to do with me?”
“Haven’t you been listening? She doesn’t know the new people. But she knows you. You used to play with each when she lived here? Right?”
Again, Art and I hung around different groups of people. He didn’t really know what our past relationship was like. “Yeah. A little.”
“Perhaps she considered you a friend, but now she’s noticing that you are avoiding her. And those times you haven’t, you apparently haven’t been the nicest person to her. She asked me if I knew of any reason why. Had she done something wrong? Did you have something else going on in your life?”
I was stunned. “I had no idea.”
“She wants to be your friend, Lance. You’re always so friendly to everyone else. I don’t know why you’re treating her differently.” He rose from the desk and headed for the door. “Think about it. That’s all I’m asking.”
Art left me sitting alone.
===============
Art image created at perchance.org
Card (Direction chosen by random): Jack of Clubs [black] Royal cards do not change potential, but do give you new advantages in the game. Red Royals give you a “Save,” which will be explained later. Black Royals give you an “Insight.” Insights give you the advantage to negate a black card. You may use 1 Insight when you draw a black card to avoid losing any potential. Whether or not you chose to answer the prompt is optional. This draw of a Jack of Clubs adds one to my Insight. Insight: 1
Prompt: One of your Rival’s associates mentions that they’ve been talking about you a lot lately. Why would that be?
* * *
At least Art had the sense to take us to a back office. I didn’t need . . . want him to chew me out in front of the others. After admitting to him that Gwen was telling the truth, I stared at the wall while Art sat on the edge of a desk and proceeded to tell me why what I did was wrong, that it was not how he wanted the Game Board to be viewed, and that he was this close to revoking my membership.
“I know,” was the only apology I could give.
When Art finished, he said he’d write it off as a warning and suggested I say nothing more about the Bowl to anyone, but just listen politely if someone has a suggestion.
“What’s going on with you?” He suddenly asked, shifting the conversation. “You’re a good guy. Everyone likes you. If you’re not careful, you’re going to blow a great opportunity.”
What opportunity?
“Opportunity?”
“Yeah, with Gwen.” Huh? “She's been looking for friends since she’s been back.”
“She always has Morgan.” I stated what I thought was obvious.
“Yes, but she’s also been about you?”
I tensed. Fear? Excitement? “She has? What has she been asking?”
“It may not have occurred to you, but there are a lot of new faces around here since she left. Yes, there’s Morgan, me, you, Wayne and a few others. But almost everyone she used to hang around with has either moved, went away for school, or simply stopped coming. I think she’s had a rough time lately, and now she’s looking to regain some of those fun times.”
“Is that why she stayed and hasn’t gone back to college?”
“Don’t know. She hasn’t told me much about her personal life and it’s really none of my business.”
His admission gave me a wave of relief. “What does this have to do with me?”
“Haven’t you been listening? She doesn’t know the new people. But she knows you. You used to play with each when she lived here? Right?”
Again, Art and I hung around different groups of people. He didn’t really know what our past relationship was like. “Yeah. A little.”
“Perhaps she considered you a friend, but now she’s noticing that you are avoiding her. And those times you haven’t, you apparently haven’t been the nicest person to her. She asked me if I knew of any reason why. Had she done something wrong? Did you have something else going on in your life?”
I was stunned. “I had no idea.”
“She wants to be your friend, Lance. You’re always so friendly to everyone else. I don’t know why you’re treating her differently.” He rose from the desk and headed for the door. “Think about it. That’s all I’m asking.”
Art left me sitting alone.
===============
Art image created at perchance.org