Friday Night Cards

     Playing cards was always something we enjoyed in my family.   When I was young (7 or 8) I loved watching my dad (Sonny), two uncles (Vic & Clarence) and my grandpa Roy play 2 deck Pinochle on Friday nights.  They always played in the kitchen, cigarettes burning in the ashtrays and the smell of beer in the air.  It just added a little more to the excitement of the game.

     I didn't know how to play but I was always entertained by their enthusiasm.  I didn't need to know all the rules to enjoy the game. One thing I did know is there was always a suit that was trump and when you played a trump card you won the trick, unless someone played a higher trump card.  I noticed that it was important how you played a trump card.  The proper technique was to pound your fist on the table throwing the card in the pile and yelling "Trump". Playing a trump card was the most exciting part of the game and grandpa Roy did it well.

     I never learned to play Pinochle but I did learn the love of cards.  My friends and I played penny anti cards at a very young age.  Poker was our game and we still play it today 3 or 4 times a year. It 's always fun time and just as entertaining as when I used to watch Pinochle.   Most everyone has now given up smoking and the few that do smoke are banned outside when they take a smoke break. We still drink a few beers and even though some things have changed others have not.  Poker is fun, the camaraderie is the good, the jokes are lame but we laugh anyway because there's nothing more fun than laughing like kids.

     It's best to leave your feelings at the door when you come to Friday Night Cards.  The agenda for the night is witty banter with a tinge of sarcasm so don't be offended.  You can't wear your feelings on your sleeve at our card games.  Anyone is open to light ridicule, you might as well expect it because it will happen but it's all in fun. It's a guy thing you may not understand.