Nina, Don't know if you remember me from D.C or not. I read your comment about playing cards and thought I would share this short story I wrote. Take care. Terrie (Whitling) Starr
Cards in the Wind
I grew up in a family of card players- at least 3 generations, maybe more. Just name the game and I can play it - Gin, Rummy, Poker, Spades, Hearts, Canasta, etc. Playing cards is just one of those things that just comes naturally I guess.
My sister, Gail, and I have been life long Spade partners and for the same length of time have we been Gin opponents. How I wish I had kept a record of the number of games, the years, the score that we played over the past 25-30 years.
During my travels public speaking, fund raising and working in political advocacy for Parkinson’ s disease, I noticed an elderly couple sitting in one of the waiting areas in the Miami airport. I could tell from where I was standing, 20 feet away, that they were playing cards. I had a little time as I was waiting for a friend to arrive from California. I stood quietly watching them for a few minutes. It was not hard to figure out that they were playing Gin. I noticed a piece of paper in the man’s trembling, wrinkled hand - the paper reminded me of the man holding it - tired and worn-looking as though it had been folded and refolded many times. All that was on the paper was several columns of numbers. Every number except the very last number had a line drawn through it. This obviously is a scorecard, I thought to myself.
The man saw me watching them and smiled at me. Intrigued, I walked over, asking the man to explain the piece of paper to me.
“It’s simple, he said. My wife and I, nodding at the petite, snow white-haired lady sitting next to him, have been playing the same game of Gin for over 25 years. Our only rule is that we only play when we are in an airport.”
“Who’s winning”? I asked.
Pointing to his wife, with a smile on his face, “She is...by 40,000 points.”
“40,000 points!! Why do you keep playing with her?
He shrugged his shoulders and with a twinkle in his eye, he warmly replied, “What can I say? I love her.”
I couldn’t wait to call my sister, Gail and tell her that story. That’s the kind of true story that we will cry over together. Playing Gin is as natural for Gail and me as drinking coffee. We’ve passed many hours together doing both.
Having to endure Parkinson’s disease for almost half of my life, one of the most irritating of the side effects caused by the drugs necessary for normal functioning is dyskinesia. Simply put, dyskinesia is a form of involuntary movement in one or more parts of the body. My dyskinesia is primarily in my right hand. It will occur at the most inopportune times. When it does occur, it’s as if it has a mind of its own and demands total control It won’t leave me alone to do something as simple as playing a game of cards. It commands attention even then.
Under normal circumstances it takes two hands to play cards; two hands to shuffle the deck, two hands to deal the cards, two hands to put the cards in sequence in your hand. Usually, one hand is used to hold the cards, the other hand to draw and discard. These are all simple moves that most of us execute smoothly without conscious thought of our actions. When, for whatever reason, one is unable to execute those moves fluidly, they become extremely complex and frustrating. If I didn’t love to play cards, I probably would have thrown my hands up in defeat long ago.
Gail does all the shuffling, all the dealing and also keeps score. My only task is to hold on to my cards the best way I can but if my hand doesn’t want to be still, my cards are apt to go sailing across the room. Gail takes it all in stride. She jumps up and goes running after them. There is no other way to respond other than to laugh about it. And we do!
“I don’t mind running after your cards for you when they decide to take a flying leap. There’s just one stipulation - We will not play cards in the wind!”
I shared the story with Gail about the gin-playing Miami couple.
“If we had kept score all these years, too, how much would you think I’d be winning by,” I asked her teasingly.
“Oh probably around 100,000 points, Gail replied”.
“Why do you continue to play with me?”
With a slight shrug of her shoulders and a twinkle in her eyes, she said, “What can I say, I love you!”
-----Original Message-----
From: [log in to unmask]
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Thu, 8 Feb 2007 1:37 AM
Subject: Re: the game
Ray,
Where there is a will, there is a way....
I play bridge once a week and the others don't mind shuffling the cards for me when the game is not at my house (I have a card shuffler) and they make this neat little round card holders that you can stick the cards into. Luckily I play with some ladies that are very compassionate and don't mind helping me...just find those who will be helpful and have some fun!
Life is short...
nina
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