Fun with other humans

Chess….a game formerly for nerds and intellectuals is a spectator sport. Every day, all day, chess games are played in City Hall Park with quiet , intense enthusiasm and dedication. Of course this was a temptation I couldn’t resist and so I coerced another EPA intern to join me in an amateur game of chess. One thing I should point out, is the sex ratio of chess…..when we entered the park, all of the tables and spectators were a diverse group of men. We procured a table, set up my pitifully cheap pieces and quickly drew the predatory and critical observation of numerous skilled players. After a few minutes of observation the unspoken silence barrier between players and observers was broken with people questioning us about whether we were competitively playing. Our awkward responses solicited the help of a fellow EPA person who gets together with other EPA players (all men) and we were quickly re-learning the strategies of the game. While we played, occasional angry, cursing outbursts from the other tables indicated how seriously this endeavor is and how truly out of place we were to simply attempt to remember how to play the game. We played through out game, with much coaching and joking about the quality of the pieces, and hope to join this tradition. Keep checking back for contrasting pictures of my the pathetic pieces and the accepted pieces.