Tricks and Treats

There'll be shrieks of laughter, howls galore, and loads of fun at my house this Halloween. Oh, yes, there will probably be trick or treaters, too, but Thursday is Rummoli night and it's my turn to host this week. Five or six years ago a few ladies from my Church invited me to join their card group. I thought at first that it would probably be a very staid affair. Boy, was I wrong!

The stakes are high at these weekly gatherings. We still play for pennies even though they are no longer in monetary circulation. But who cares anyway? It's definitely not about the money. I have no doubt that if someone were to secretly videotape one of our Rummoli nights, it would be a viral hit on Youtube.

In between sharing the good and the bad, the happy and the sad stories of our lives, we also manage to play a few hands of cards, although it gets very confusing at times when no one can remember who played last or whose turn it is to deal. One night we were totally befuddled when duplicate cards started turning up over and over again. No matter how many times we counted the cards and came up with 52, those darn duplicates made an appearance round after round. By the time we finally realized that two identical decks of cards had been mixed up, it was time to stop playing and have a little lunch.

Good-natured joking is par for the course with this group of hardened gamblers but it's each girl for herself when the poker pot grows to a whopping 38 coppers. Hot flashes often rotate around the table, especially after a glass of wine (or two). Once a year, as many of the group as can make it journey to the cabin of one of the members for an unforgettable night of revelry. No need to say anymore. What happens at the cabin stays at the cabin.

Within the group, each woman brings a particular gift to the table. Anne is the official keeper of the almighty hosting schedule and chief s—t disturber. She thoroughly enjoys stirring things up and then sitting back to watch the hilarious outcome with smiling lips and shining eyes. Flos is our maid extraordinaire. When she's present, lunch proceeds with finesse and flow. When she's out of town, disaster usually prevails. Theresa's laugh is infectious and so are her yawns. Carol has the gift of storytelling and Margie's absentminded plays keep us in stitches. Alice's feet are always cold but her heart is warm; she keeps us honest when someone forgets to add pennies to the pot. Fan is the quiet one of the bunch but she enjoys a good laugh as much as the rest of us. Rose Marie's sense of humour is phenomenal and she has a snippet of song to share for just about any eventuality. And me? Why, I'm just thrilled that they've invited me along for the ride.

I can't say I've learned much about card playing from these ladies, but I've sure learned a great deal about friendship and support. We've got each others' backs and when the chips are down, this bunch of unlikely card sharks can pray the heck out of any gaming table in Vegas.

Happy Halloween to everyone and especially to my Rummoli group. Looking forward to a spooktacular night!