We sat, playing board games. Anger and frustration rising. The narration of moves, agitated, starting to boil over.

“Why are you being so aggro” he said

She erupted and explained that things like that are said to dismiss women, for being emotional.

He looked up the definition of “aggravated” and chuckled.

Informal: ‘to annoy or exasperate’.

The situation was so ironic it hurt. He decided instead of pursuing any social victory, the social failing, the pain of it all turned inward.

I just wanted to have a nice time.

Not complaining. Or arguing. Just playing a game. Relax. Maybe talk a little.

But instead, the focus, the emotional, the failures: they bubbled, popped and fumed. Everybody suffered. Everybody lost.