It happened in every game.
Just as he was leading the race to the purple properties on the board, he would pick the card. “Go To Jail. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200.”
Every single time, while he was waiting in jail, others landed on the free purple squares. He always ended up paying rent for what was supposed to be his.
He remembered a time when he did not even notice. It was then when he was still learning to play. He didn’t even bother with strategies back then. Eventually he did; he knew he could win, if only he could get to the purples first.
As soon as he discovered this, he also discovered the “Do not pass Go” card – or it discovered him, he wasn’t quite sure.
Every time, every time, every time…
Every time he would lose.
And every time, his obsession would grow. Even when he learned to devise other strategies. Even when – in anticipation of jail time – he bought whatever was free. Even when he built hotels that made him rich. Even when he won.
Until one day, the game changed. He rolled the dice and landed on a free purple. He looked at it, took his time to decide and did what he had to do. He bought it in silence and passed Go.
In the next round, he picked up the card.
“Do Not Pass Go”, he read.
He got up and with a smile he said:
“I’ll Go”
* Thank you for the idea, N. This is for you.