by John Mcsteinberg

Created on: January 14, 2009

Could there be a better game than darts? I love it. It is the quintessential American past time. Darts is the type of game that you play after you go out to the bars to meet women, and have been rejected at every single turn. It is the bachelors final refuge. No matter what happens, the dart machine is always waiting for you at the end of the night. Even though she is your last resort, she never turns you away.

Darts is not only an amazing game, but it brings back a lot of fond memories. I can remember so many nights playing darts. There you are, it's a Thursday night and your self esteem is shot. Woman after woman has turned you down, and as you slink away to the corner of the bar, you see it shining in all its glory. Like moths to a flame you and your buddy approach the dart machine. Your friend throws in some quarters, the dart board begins to flash it's lights and sounds, and he selects cricket from the menu screen. In that very instant you feel safe, and all is right with the world. All the failures and lost chances throughout the night, start to slip away.

Your arm aims at the dart board slightly off center and you release your fist dart. The second it slips from your fingers you know what's going to happen. The dart flies through the air in slow motion and bounces off the wall. Your friend chuckles to himself. That was just a practice shot you tell yourself. Once you are one with the darts you will be in the right state of mind. You aim again, this time really focusing as the dart flies through the air and sticks in the board, just outside of the numbers. Your friend's chuckle turns into a smirk.

No problem you tell yourself, just walk it off. You practice your breathing, and forget about everything in the world except the dart and the dartboard. You are the dart. As you lose yourself in the moment the dart flies through the air and hits a double twenty. Pride swells up in your heart, and you try to conceal a smile from your face that won't go away. Your friend tells you nice shot, as he takes a sip of his beer. He goes on about something or other, but all you can think of is what a great shot that was. He doesn't even seem to be focused at all, as the dart flies from his hand. You expect him to miss, but the dart flies right into the triple twenty, and congratulates him with bells and whistles.

"Lucky shot" you say, right before he hits a bulls-eye and then a double 18. His face lights up with a wide grin, and he doesn't even try to hide it. "Your shot" he says, as he hands you the darts. You take the darts from his hand. Relax, you tell yourself. This game doesn't matter. You ease back into your calm Zen like state, and beat the crap out of him.

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