Member-only story
Letting Mom Win At Cards
Playing cards helps her brain; letting her win helps her laugh
When I was growing up, after the kids went to bed, my mom and dad would play cards. According to my Mom, they always played 4 rounds of merchant rummy.
My father came from a family that liked to play games. My grandfather played tennis until he was in his 80s. He won several trophies.
He also played bridge at the Mumbai gymkhana until he was in his 90s. His daughter, my aunt, became a world class bridge player. She has been in tournaments in London, New York, Indonesia, Japan, and South Africa, among other places.
My father was not into bridge, but he did like to play cards. He taught my mother to play rummy. Before they left India, she sometimes played cards with my grandfather because it made the old man happy.
After my parents immigrated to New York City, they continued to play after the children were in bed, having their own private evening ritual.
When my brother and I were older, we’d play hearts with my father on weekends. Mom never really got into that game, so it was just the three of us. These games were cutthroat. My father usually won, but sometimes I beat him. My brother seldom won.
