Grab some friends and deal up some fun.
One of my favorite parts of the terrific Wes Anderson film The Royal Tenebaums is the scene where Chas Tenebaum pulls his father aside to have a heated word with him, and they step into the game closet to talk. It’s a wonderful little moment about adult children back at their childhood home again, because I’m pretty sure every family must have had some kind of game closet. The Tenebaums’ game closet is pretty impressive – exactly what you’d expect given Anderson’s attention to detail – with what must be every board game produced between the 1960s and 1970s. And every time I watch the film I think, “Man, it’s time for a game night soon!”
These days, busy schedules mean that we don’t often have time to sit down for a board game with friends and family, but a game of cards should be pretty manageable. A game night provides a good background to social interaction: a chance to talk and catch up, without any expense and an easy way for people to join in or opt out from hand to hand.
If you only know tarot cards from fortune telling, then it’s probably hard to imagine them being dealt as a regular card game. But that’s exactly how the game began, with no connection to the occult just every intention to while away the evening hours with friends. For more about how an ordinary game turned into the extraordinary practice of cartomancy, see our earlier story.
Sure, having your fortune told can be a lot of fun (especially if you get a lucky guess on some real winning lottery numbers). But let’s bring the game back, preferably in a regular game night.
I think most of us probably don’t see our friends very often, instead spending our time plugged in to our electronic devices. Why not invite some friends around for an evening of snacks and cards? You can impress your friends by teaching them a new game and sharing some of the history of the cards. And if you wind up telling a fortune or two, be sure to tell them that you see them coming back for next week’s card night. They have to show up then, because the cards don’t lie.
So pick up a pack of tarot cards today. Your friendship, not to mention your future, may just depend on it!
