Bridges of Clackamas County
The first time Kyle and I visited his parents, they taught me to play Hell – which is basically multiple-player Solitaire. I quickly started beating the pants off most of the family, and giving Kyle’s father – the previously undisputed champion – a real run for his money.
Kyle’s father is very competitive. Extremely competitive. Perhaps even overly competitive.
He hates to lose. He really hates to lose to Kyle’s mother.
So when I arrived in Portland after BlogHer08 and Kyle’s father asked me if I’d play bridge – and be his partner – I was skeptical.
Just like my parents and my late grandparents, Kyle’s parents love to play bridge. Even though I’ve been playing bridge for nearly ten years, I haven’t improved much, and I still have to be talked into every game.
In spite of Kyle’s father’s overly competitive nature, playing bridge with him is less stressful than playing with my own father. Kyle’s mother doesn’t pose much of a competitive threat in most games, but when she plays bridge, it’s as if she’s on auto-pilot. She’s quick and decisive, and she barely giggles at all.
I agreed to play bridge if we could play Hell afterward. The other three agreed.
We played bridge on Monday night – Kyle and his mother versus his father and me – and his father and I won. Then we played Hell and I won.
Then we played bridge again on Tuesday night – Kyle and his father versus his mother and me – and his mother and I won.
Having just lost at bridge to his wife and me, Kyle’s father wasn’t about to go down in Hell without a fight, and I knew it. So I grabbed another beer and relaxed. It was our last night there; I’d let him win.
But he took the gloves off anyway – and I should have put them on, because in his haste to beat me to an ace, he sliced my knuckle with a card.
So while my mother may wish for a weapon while playing bridge, my father-in-law actually uses his cards as one.
August 7th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Wow, vicious card games!
August 7th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
Wait!? Are you in Portland now?
I live in Portland! I grew up in Clackamas County (Canby, to be exact)!
Rhis last blog post..The Complete List, and a Contest!
August 7th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
That’s hysterical! My family plays cribbage. It get’s pretty brutal and I’m embarrassed to say that on more than one occasion a family member has stomped out of the house after a loss. Clearly, there are those that take their games a tad too seriously. I can proudly say that we’ve never actually drawn blood, though.
Caras last blog post..Travel Tales: Part 2 – Why do people have outdoor weddings in August?
August 7th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
I think this all just goes to prove that winning is hell.
Mom101s last blog post..Random Bits of Randomy Randomness
August 13th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
This is so true of Julie’s father-in-law.
His competitive spirit just overspills in everything.
Julie, he read your post and is so sorry for hurting your knuckle. He asked did I do that. Of course he did. He still looks at the second card.