Battleship

In my 23 years of life I've learned a few things about the opposite sex. For starters, they can be stubborn. When stubborn isn't enough, they can be cruel, and when cruel becomes boring they begin to play games. Some boys play The Game of Life. They ride the waves patiently, build their lives, and at the end of it they have a family, a retirement package and a beach house. Other boys prefer Monopoly. They follow the rules, pass go, buy property and stay out of jail. But some boys like to play Battleship and somehow I got convinced to play too.

This is how Battleship works for those who do not know:

Each player sits facing each other, a gridded game board between them. Down the middle of the board is a wall - effectively blocking the other's side from view. The players are given tiny ships that symbolize their respective navy and they each place them on their side of the board where they believe their opponent is least likely to guess their location. Once the boards are set up players take turns guessing along the grids until they find and sink the ships.

You can probably imagine how this all plays out in the game but you may be surprised to know it works the same way in love as well. There are three defining elements to Battleship: strategy, comprehension, and fate. The same goes for playing in real life and, well, I've been on my ship for five years now.

Strategy:
Your opponent is smart. You know him, he knows you. You both know how many pieces you have to play with and the exact size of the board between you. Your first shots are probes. You get a sense for what makes the other anxious even if there's no direct hit. You bide your time, it's a long battle.

Comprehension:
You've made some contact but nothing deadly. His ships are still in tact and so are yours. The board is getting smaller now. Less room for error. The next few moves are intentional and you both know it. These aren't guesses, this isn't luck. This is now a race to the finish and it's anyone's game.

Fate:
The end is near. You both can feel it but the next few plays will determine a winner and a loser. One of you will fire and sink the final ship and as fate would have it the game will be over. You can both move on with your lives.

Or so you would think. But what happens when the game ends and you're both still shooting? You're standing on sinking ships knowing both your navy's are lost, basking in the collateral damage but still not wanting the game to end.

This is where I find myself. Lost at sea amidst the debris. Shooting blanks and taking direct hits. I know I should stop playing but God, I hate to lose.