Chess

A short story that juxtaposes the game of chess and the game of life.

            Salim couldn’t control himself. The excitement shown in the gleam in his eyes, the rapid beating of his heart, and the anxiousness of his movements. El could only smile in pride at his nephew’s eager willingness to learn.

            “If only he knew how boring Chess could be from time to time, he’d probably be a lot less excited.” El said to himself as he neatly placed the Queen on her square.

            Salim was sure to take in every detail as he saw his uncle as a Chess Master and he too wanted to one day become a Master like the Great Bobby Fisher. He took not of the delicacy with which his uncle had handled the Queen and also that she was last to be put into position.

            After explaining every piece’s maneuvers and capabilities, El rested his thumb and index on the crown of the Queen.

            “Now this Salim, this is your Queen. She’s the strongest piece on this board. Well, the King is, the board is his, but in terms of moves and capabilities, she’s your most powerful asset offensively. Notice how she’s the closest to you. Because of her nearness, she can be your best defense as well.”

 

            El had decided to take it easy on Salim initially, but, the more he sensed Salim was comprehending the game, the more he intensified his attack. This was life, Salim had to learn.

            “You know they say Life is like a game of chess…” El said, preparing his nephew for his oncoming onslaught.

            “I thought they said it was like a box of chocolates.” Salim responded innocently. El doubled over from laughter.

            “A box of chocolates huh?” Again, he burst out laughing but rubbing his nephews’ shoulder to ensure him he was not teasing him.

            “Well you’re right, I guess they do say that to huh?”

            Salim just nodded. He had learned his lesson. He was not about to say something foolish when his uncle was teaching him something so serious.

            “Well, before Forrest Gump ever dropped those invaluable pearls of wisdom, people saw chess as a microcosm of life…”

            “What’s a microcosm?” Salim quickly asked. He wasn’t going to pretend he knew everything his uncle was saying, he was going to be sure he did.

            “A microcosm is like a small replica of something bigger. You know down at the Amtrak station, the little town with the toy train where you push the button to make the train run and the town light up?”

“Yes.”

“Well that’s a microcosm. It’s a smaller version of a bigger town, just like you’re a microcosm of the Universe but that’s another subject for another day…”

“You mean I’m a micro… my-crow-kaahh-zum of The Universe.” Salim asked enthusiastically.

“Yes, you’re a smaller version of the Universe, every element lives in you, and on a smaller scale, you can replicate the ways of the heavens within…”

Salim smiled, he wanted his uncle to know he fully understood.

"I understand." Said the glimmer in Salim’s eyes.

“I know you do…” said El’s subtle smile and nod..

 

After a few test runs, allowing Salim to take back errant moves and mishaps, El decided to apply a little pressure. He captured Salim's Queen in a move that he never saw coming. Salim looked traumatized after realizing he had been duped. Tracing his uncle's last three moves he could see that this plan to conquer his Queen had already been in play, unbeknownst to him.

"What do I do now? I lost my most powerful piece?"

El smiled. Now it was time for a little symbolic wisdom.

"You see these pawns?"

El asked as he held up one of Salim's pawns.

"Yes."

"Well, they too can become Queens and you can guide them through life or along the board without being captured, they can grow into Queens just as powerful as the one you just lost."

 

El's eyes discerned Salim's for the sparkle of comprehension. The wheels in Salim's mind were spinning, this "game" was starting to make sense.

"So, if I get the pawn to the end of the board, she can be a Queen too?"

"That's right nephew, you get many chances to win, to mature these pawns. But, remember, right now she's just a pawn, she can't make many moves or protect herself from many forms of attack, protect her with other pieces and means.

Salim's glare became intense. He was determined to turn one of these pawns into a queen. Seeing his determination, El decided to facilitate his goal. He would allow Salim to push a pawn into the realm of Queendom.

"Ha! I got you!"

Salim blurted effusively after making it to his uncle's side of the board. El smiled.

"Yup, you got me." He said replacing Salim’s pawn with a Queen. The coronation had Salim beaming with pride. He watched in awe as royalty replaced the peasant he had guided through the storms of deception and confusion. Then, two moves later, in one quick swipe, El took Salim's second Queen. Fury furrowed Salim’s brow and darkened his face.

"This world...this board is full of deception and deceptive moves. One false move and the enemy will take your Queen.”

Humbled, Salim said,

"I get it... " He did, no matter how somber this revelation made him or solemnly his response came across. Staring at the lumped pile of pieces in his uncle's grip. In that pile, in his opponents’ hand, Salim could no longer tell the difference between his Queen, pawns and the rest of the soldiers that had been conquered by the enemy. 

Salim just stared,

And wondered....

El gave Salim a look of reassurance.

"It's ok Salim, if you do lose a Queen you can always develop another. Remember, the second one was just a pawn in the beginning anyway."