Stalemate
September 25th, 2020
Starring: Player 1, Player 2 (both 14-18)
The school library. A rainy day. Players 1 and 2 are a few moves into a chess game. Player 1 quietly moves a knight, leaving their king exposed. Player 2 stops and thinks, then slides out a bishop, aimed at Player 1’s exposed king. They speak just softly enough to not get yelled at by a librarian:
PLAYER 2
Check.
Player 1 looks at Player 2 for a second, and counters with the knight by taking their bishop, safe from check.
PLAYER 2
I don’t think you can do that.
PLAYER 1
I can’t?
PLAYER 2
Knights only move down two, and over one.
PLAYER 1
They can also move over two, down one.
PLAYER 2
That’s not how I was taught.
PLAYER 1
But it’s true.
PLAYER 2
How do you know for sure?
PLAYER 1
I just know. That’s the rule.
PLAYER 2
I’ve never heard that rule.
PLAYER 1
Who taught you?
PLAYER 2
My way older cousin. He’s 30.
PLAYER 1
Well sorry, but he’s wrong.
PLAYER 2
Maybe whoever taught you taught you wrong.
PLAYER 1
I trust the person who taught me.
PLAYER 2
Who taught you?
PLAYER 1
My mom.
PLAYER 2
Maybe your mom taught you wrong.
PLAYER 1
She wouldn’t do that.
PLAYER 2
My cousin wouldn’t teach me wrong.
PLAYER 1
I’m not saying he was trying to, I’m just saying he did.
It’s not your fault what you learned wasn’t right.
PLAYER 2
I’m saying it’s the same for you.
PLAYER 1
It’s not the same if one of us is right and the other is wrong.
PLAYER 2
And in each of our own realities, we think we’re the right one.
PLAYER 1
But your reality is wrong.
PLAYER 2
You can’t deny my reality.
PLAYER 1
I can if it’s wrong.
PLAYER 2
But you can’t deny my reality if it’s not your reality.
And even if you had proof, it would be from your reality, and I don’t have to accept it because it’s in your reality.
PLAYER 1
Ok.
Well I have homework.
Player 1 tips over their king and packs up their backpack.
PLAYER 2
You’re forfeiting?
PLAYER 1
In your reality. In my reality, I just smoked you.
...
See you at cross country.
Player 2 watches Player 1 go. They take one of their own knights and try moving it over two, down one. They repeat this several times, trying to make sense of the possibility. It just doesn’t feel right.