Cards Stories

My son, my daughter, my son-in-law and me occasionally played the German card game called Doppelkopf. We had been at it for two hours when, to my surprise, the doorbell rang. Amaya was standing in the doorway. She was dripping wet. Shortly before, a violent thunderstorm had unloaded over the city. Until now, I had kept Amaya's existence a secret from my family. I was sure that my daughter Vanessa would disapprove of the f...

“Ace,” Denise said as she tossed out a card. “Ten,” I countered. I was playing War, the card game, with my friend Denise Wright on a warm summer afternoon. We had graduated high school a couple weeks before and had the summer free until university started. Denise’s parents were away so we had her house to ourselves. “Mine. Five.” “Three.” “Mine. Seven.” “Seven.” War is one of those silly, mindless card games that one norm...

In 1979, with trophy ring memories, I followed hubby to the Pacific Northwest, part of a periodic lemming rush north, propelled by and paid for, by California’s home equity.  I was twenty-nine. Our modest twenty-five-year-old Mountain View home’s sale price moved us into a new upscale Northwest house with no mortgage. Our new home’s subdivision was nicknamed “California Hill” reflecting the number of ex-California residen...

The moment that I saw itA grin lit up my face It was as ifAcross the milesI felt your warm embrace How odd and lovelyTo receiveSome mail that’s not a bill What joy it sparkedAt long day’s endTo garner such a thrill! Encased in thick cream envelopeWith three stamps on its frontSmiling at the taped-down flapI opened it at once So sweet to see you write my name!The words danced in my headYou speak to me through lines and cur...

“Okay. Seven Card No-Peak. How does that go again?” I asked. “I thought you’d remember, Roberta,” said Patrick. “We’ve played this before.” “I know, but it’s been such a long while. Indulge me. Please. If I’m betting my ass on a game I’d really like to be reminded how to play it.” “Well, if you insist,” Patrick said with a little smile. “You get seven cards, all face down, and you can’t look at them. We turn over the top...