Bridge

By the time this is posted tomorrow afternoon, I will be running around like a chicken without a head.  I am working late tonight, and know I will not be motivated to clean house or cook until the last minute. (Let alone wanting to wrestle together a heavy, unwieldy extra table that requires a crescent wrench and rubber mallet to assemble.)  At least this time I have an excuse. Maybe not a great excuse, but an excuse nonetheless.

Tomorrow evening I host my bridge group. Every month (the second Saturday, to be specific), we meet at someone's house, have some drinks and appetizers (finger foods so we can smear up the cards), and bowls of chocolates and nuts.  (I plan on making Shawn Lea's crab and jalapeno dip.) Then at least two kinds of dessert.  What's not to like?

I joined this group about ten years ago.  I hadn't played since college, where I learned to do almost anything to avoid going to classes. (Sorry, you professors out there.) I loved the game then, so when I found a group that played on a regular basis, I was delighted.

Over the years, some of the players have come and gone, some moved away, and some moved on. I'm a poet and I don't know it.  But there's a core group of about ten people who have been with the group as long as I have. No one makes it every month, but over time, we became very close. We have shepherded one another through many of life's milestones, good and bad. You know who you are.  (Actually you don't because none of you even knows I am doing this.  I wonder why that is. Whose fault could this be?)

Anyway, we play strong two's and best minors, and I'm the only person I know who enjoys playing no-trump.  And we laugh a lot and talk a lot, and nobody ever gets mad.  (Astonished, maybe, but not mad.)

Then somewhere about midnight when we are all stuffed, out comes the dessert.  And after that, happy and sated, we all hug and head for home.  Except me. I'll already be home.

Comments

[Mikey]

Strong Twos and better minor is a bit dated!

Try weak 2's and short club.

Sorry couldn't resist it.