Laager Nights & Bridge Lights
Story by Shirley Pope (BBO: shirley60) I lived on a tobacco farm in the northeas...
Story by Nina Ngoel (BBO: ngoel)
Over different continents, three school friends found themselves thrust into an unexpected lockdown. With the world outside on pause, we yearned for something to fill our days and keep our minds active. Tried gourmet cooking, attempted home workouts, and even dabbled in painting, but nothing seemed to stick.
One lazy afternoon, as we chatted over a video call, Tasneem from Bangkok mentioned the game of bridge and if the rest of us would like to learn. "Why don't we give it a shot?" she suggested, "It sounds complicated but interesting." We were intrigued. "But we don't know how to play," I pointed out.
Tasneem then reminded us, Isn’t Mala, our school friend, an expert bridge player? With excitement bubbling, we reached out to Mala, who, despite her busy schedule travels across the globe; graciously agreed to teach us. She was thrilled at the chance to share her passion and keep her former school friends engaged during these trying times.
Mala told us about the absolutely amazing BBO app which we downloaded, and our first lesson was filled with laughter and confusion as Mala explained the basics over a video call. "Bridge is a game of strategy and teamwork," she began, "It will keep you on your toes, I promise."
True to her word, the game was challenging. We learned about suits, tricks, and bidding. I (ngoel) made hysterical notes on the rules, Yasmin (YasJav) was eager to learn the various techniques, and Tasneem (tasneemp8) often got lost in the complexities. But, Mala was patient and encouraging, making each lesson a delightful blend of learning and fun.
As weeks turned into months, we became more adept at the game. Bridge, with its intricate strategies and need for sharp thinking, became our escape from the monotony of lockdown. We even started playing friendly matches against Mala, who never ceased to amaze us with her skill and cunning moves.
We found ourselves discussing strategies late into the night, sharing videos, doing homework and celebrating each small victory. Eventually, the lockdown restrictions began to ease, but the bond us friends had formed over bridge remained strong. Mala’s (mkrishna) presence as our bridge teacher will always remain as a comforting reminder of how we had navigated through challenging times together.
Bridge has taught us the value of patience, teamwork, and the joy of learning something new. And so, we carry on, grateful for the game that had made the lockdown bearable and for the teacher who had so graciously shared her wisdom and love for bridge.
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Nice story! Really enjoyed it. Thanks.
O loved bota stories. Thank you