Mom and Dad were very honest people. They did not believe in cheating - in breaking (or even bending) the rules to take an unfair advantage.
If there was one card game that was played in our home, it was pinochle! I think that Uncle Carl and Aunt Marie taught Mom and Dad how to play. I learned a bit, but I was never very good at it.
I remember one evening when I was playing pinochle with Dad. (I have forgotten who else was at the table.) We were playing in partners. Dad was sitting to my right.
I led a card, the player to my left played, and Dad extracted a card from his hand. Dad had the habit of holding the card he was about to play face down about 2 inches off the table. I was curious whether I could see what the card was by bending down and looking along the table top. No sooner thought about than done. What happened next was not given the thought it deserved.
I saw that Dad was about to play the 10 of Diamonds, which would take the trick. My partner was about to play, when I exclaimed, announcing the card that Dad was going to play.
Dad threw down his cards, looked at me in disgust, and left the table, shaking his head. He didn't say a word. He didn't need to say anything. I was very ashamed at what I had done. I still cannot think about that incident without being sorry at betraying my parent's teachings about fairness and honesty, especially in such a little thing.
1 comment:
I remember the many pinchle games that were played. I also remember that I had to learn how to play as part of becoming one of the Family. I enjoyed watching your dad play and the very serious manner of play. As a matter of fact Joe plays very simular to his dad even down to the counting of the cards. It has taken a long time to get him to relax and have fun playing. But it was with your mom I played the most her style was very different almost absent minded. It was more fun to see what you could get away with than to accually play. chris
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