Do We Have a Problem Here?
Well...last night was weird.
There's a lot of laser tag activity happening this weekend and the regular group I play with went in different directions, most opting to play Monday instead, but I went to our Zone site last night and was the only one from our group there. Although there was still plenty of decent competition, I was pretty optimistic that I could pull off a perfect night. So that was my goal for the evening going in, however something prevented that. Something...weird.
I did take first place in the majority of the games, however things got strange very early on. I say this objectively...I lost the second game of the night ONLY because someone decided that they really had it in for me and I'm not sure why. Some blonde older teenager spent this round following me within less than a foot distance for the entire game. I don't think I know this person, but it certainly felt personal and hostile. Really, take a moment to picture this...a relentless follow with one foot distance with a phaser right on me for every single step I took. He was stuck like glue and it was in no way sporting (unless we were doing LOR, but that requires both players to be WILLING participants). That's not playing laser tag. That is getting in someone's space in an inappropriate way and I think someone needs a reminder...
I asked him if we had a personal problem here or if I was just a trophy. He said I was just a trophy...yeah, I get that sometimes. Even in spite of his unruly little barrage I kept my score up within one shot value (so, yes, by cheating he was ahead of me, but only by 150 points...that's negligible, so I am proud of holding my own anyway). At least I assume that the higher score was his, but since he was following me rather than actually playing he gave up lots of points in the process too, so it's possible that wasn't his score at all...I didn't ask him. Since none of my group was there I just resigned myself to defending myself. It's fine...I'm Tivia. I don't back down. And from here on in I shall call this kid PITA-boy. But I did figure out a defensive strategy for the next round...I was pretty sure I could outsmart the kid. If not, then that college degree was money right down the drain. :)
Mulling the situation, I felt a little bit like Roger Murtaugh...
By the next game PITA-boy had left. Kimmy said "I think you scared him off". Somehow I doubt that this was the case. I think he just realized that it was a stupid and pointless way to play and it was probably as boring a waste of a game for him as it was for me. Even though Kimmy had observed some of this, she just assumed he was one of my group and we were challenging each other in good spirit...intention really is the difference here. Apparently this guy plays there fairly often on the same nights, but again, I don't know who he is, so I have no idea what his angle was. But...moving on and back to playing for real...I took first this next round, but for the record I was prepared with my strategy. However, I won't write about it now, just in case I need to implement it another time.
A couple of games later PITA-boy returns. In the briefing room I have already taken a spot on the blue team by myself when he comes over and says "this time I'm on your team". Although after the last encounter I was very tempted to say "don't do me any favors", this is the point in the evening where my maturity kicked in...I'm twice his age, I am not getting into a grudge match with this kid. Besides, two game masters joined the team as well, so on the whole it was better to just enjoy a good game with quality players. By the end all was cool...or at least not simmering on this end.
I left on a high note, taking first in the last game before going home. I decided to forgo the overnight event going on at the other laser tag center simply because it had been a long day. Hope it was a success. And I hope next week we can move past the nonsense and just play some real laser tag because...
Comments or questions? Contact: tivia@tiviachickloveslasertag.com
Websites: www.tiviachickloveslasertag.com andwww.photonforever.com
Blog: tiviachickloveslasertag.blogspot.com
