the sky's whatever you say

I played Munchkin with the kids for almost four hours last night.

At one point, I was a level 8 Elven/Dwarven half-breed Supermunchkin Cleric/Warrior, and I had this fiendish plan to look for trouble, give a mate to the Level 2 Flying Frogs, obliterate them both with my effective combat level of 24, win the game, and launch into the obligatory obnoxious celebration.

"I squash them, unless someone wants to mess with me," I said, and began the five second count down.

"I believe that would be me," Nolan said. "Have a wandering monster." He tossed out a Plutonium Dragon (level 20.)

"Dude," I said.

"And he's undead," Ryan said tossing out a +5 card.

"Dude!" I said.

"And he's ancient, too," Nolan said, "and enraged." One more card joined the pile, as the Plutonium Dragon grew another 15 levels.

"DUDE!" I said.

"Oh, and you know what else?" Ryan said, pulling a card from his hand and playing it, "it comes with a brood." Now the dragon was level 50.

"Excellent," Nolan said, Mr. Burns-style.

"Well, guys," I said. "This really didn't go the way I'd planned."

They looked at each other and laughed. I was really glad that they were home.

I looked at my cards.

"Okay," I said, "it turns out that the Plutonium Dragon is actually an illusion!"

I played the Illusion card, which lets me turn one terrifying and threatening monster into an easier monster from my hand. I replaced it with a level four Harpies.

"DUDE!" They said, in unison. We looked at the messy pile of cards on the table in front of us and laughed.

"So I squash the Frogs and the Harpies, unless someone wants to mess with me." I began the countdown again.

"I've got nothin'," Ryan said.

"Yeah, me neither," Nolan said. "I think you win."

"In that case . . . " I said, "it's Peanut Butter Jelly Time."

I jumped out of my chair, and began the obligatory obnoxious celebration.