Please, please, please don’t read this one if you are of a nervous disposition… this is not a blog for children, do not read this in the dark of night, especially alone, or with a group of gamer friends…
This tale is based upon true events about things that happened at Chance & Counters that will likely make you squirm uncomfortably… You. Have. Been. Warned. Only the strong willed should continue, the weak of heart should turn back now.
The ‘Godfather’ incident…This is about the 2017 game, The Godfather: Corleone’s Empire by the awesome Eric M. Lang and something that happened to the copy in Birmingham back in the early days of the cafe…
Picture this, it is a dark yet busy night in the streets of Birmingham… the lights of Digbeth twinkle in the cold air and across the Custard Factory courtyard the warm and welcoming noise of people playing games can be heard… The inviting waft of tasty food and clinking of glasses mixes with laughter and merriment. Not a care in the world… for now.
The fateful night that an unnamed employee would never forget in a hurry has begun…
The table where the unthinkable happened was table 10, rumour has it that on the original plans it was to be number 13… it is haunted to this very day… by the ghost of chits and tokens unplayed. At night, after close, a certain noise has been heard echoing around this table, staff members scurry passed and ignore the faint smell that follows it…
A group of players have made their choice… they are setting up The Godfather, hopes are high and they are serious players. Maxed out player count and a night of murder and intrigue is promised…
A staff member approaches and drinks are ordered… the set-up continues. A round of pints is on its way.
Little did they know, their smiles are about to disappear, a moment that will haunt their memories forever is about to take place, deep in the darkest pits of your soul, you know what’s about to happen…
The staff member approaches the table, confidently carrying the tray with one hand spread out beneath it. What could possibly go wrong…
Was it over confidence, was it a vengeful spirit, perhaps the ghost of a factory worker back in the days when they produced Custard at that very site took offence… we may never know but as the staff member starts to lower the tray, disaster.
A stumble!
Time seems to slow and gravity does its evil, yet inevitable work. Glasses slowly topple, liquid begins its journey out of the glasses and escapes to where it can… and 5 (FIVE!) full pint glasses of various alcohol are spilled across the partially set-up board and across the laps of those sat down gathered around the table.
Now, please take a breath. All seems lost at this point but those brave souls thought fast and, perhaps, saved the day or more importantly saved the game.
They jump to their feet, exclaiming loudly! Without a thought for their sodden laps, their concern is purely for the game, blue-roll is sought after and gathered in reams and items near the spreading liquid, not yet affected, are moved away promptly. The damp chits are placed in the aforementioned absorbent paper and patted down as quickly as possible, the board lifted and also patted down, plastic is thrown in more roll and wrapped to soak it up, across the table a dam of blue-roll placed to stop the inevitable spread and the waters behind the dam are halted and absorbed.
I must say, I witnessed the aftermath and it still brings chills to my very soul but those players were solid and what could have been the death of a great game, just became minor damage that would not affect the playing of the game in the future. It still exists to this day, not on the shelves, but behind the bar on the retired shelf, if you wish to see it, do ask, we will happily get it down for you.
What we won’t do is let you play it on Table 10. If you do, we hold no responsibility for what may occur, do bring a change of clothing…
One last thing, that staff member, the one who this story is based upon, no longer works here. We did not get rid of them, they moved on to other things, but in that time when they still worked with us, if they seemed to lose concentration at any point, I’d refer to them as ‘The Godfather’, others would think it a term of respect. Now, you know it was a reminder to be cautious and careful… especially around Table 10.
Addendum: We have recently refurbished the Digbeth site, hopefully whatever we have done causes no offence to those that came before. Table 10 is no more… well… we have changed the tables, some of the original legs have been transferred over, it’s strange how no part of Table 10 is now currently onsite anymore. Coincidence?