Guillotine

We have a black Lab named Jezebel. The name Jezebel has made it into our cultural milieu, but in case you don’t know, she was a Sidonian princess who became queen of Samaria. She was notable for her wickedness and the fact that when she died, dogs licked up her blood.  Since I named our dog after that incident, you get a sense of my love of irony. To me, irony in life is like a literary intrusion into the real world.

Of course, I must not be the only one who likes that. This Christmas, I fell victim to games-that-appeal-to-people-who-enjoy-irony-and-creativity.  For Jake’s Christmas present I bought him a game called Guillotine. You win by collecting the heads of various nobles executed during the French Revolution. Yeah, I know, very macabre. There’s even a paper guillotine that you set up and line up the nobles in front of.

Before the holiday, Cal asked me what we got Jacob for Christmas and I told him, “A game.”  He nodded, which meant “wise choice, dear wife, since Jacob loves games.”  But the happy smile didn’t seem quite honest.  So I added, “It’s called Guillotine. And you win by collecting heads.”  Incredulous might be the best word to describe the alteration that occurred on his face.  He said something along the lines of “Do you think that was wise?”  Clearly, I fell a notice or two in his estimation.  I said, “It’s supposed to be lots of fun.”

The kids have been playing Guillotine all through Christmas break.  So last night they introduced Cal and I to the game. It’s basket loads of fun. Even Cal liked it.