Fred Aiken Writing

Chronic House of Cards Syndrome, a condition that occurs post-Parkers-Brothers-Monopoly, broke George Liptom in two, creating an empty fragment of a child touched by both physical and psychological pain derived from a nexus of crippling isolation, self-absorption, paranoia, and the overwhelming anxiety of potentially landing on Boardwalk or Park Place after a recent hotel development, which eventually led to drug abuse, a host of sexually transmitted diseases, chronic inflammation of the bladder, and premature death. George’s story eventually led to federal legislation to demolish the architecture of all card houses. George’s mother could only muster up these words, “…gingerbread houses.”