This is not going to be about Sydney Harbour Bridge
As it sometimes happens, a coincidence may lead to
something important. This is how it was this time. I used to play bridge when I
was a student and then life happened. Marriage, changing countries, intensive work,
setting a home, then setting another home… There was no time for bridge and nobody
around me was interested in card games. I always loved cards so I played patience
from time to time. And now I was a member of a bridge club and even got regular
information on club activities. One day I thought, why not pay a visit to the
club and find out what is going on there. I have been paying for being a
member, after all.
I started to play as a beginner and realized that I do
not know much about the game. It is not a rubber game that I knew years ago but
something called duplicate bridge. The rules of play and behaviour are very
different to the ones I remembered. But most of all bidding is done in a
totally different way to the one I once practiced. It started as a confusing
fun. For a year, I played once or twice a week not having a regular partner. My
game was not to bad, I still remembered few things and using logic helped as
well. For bidding I used my own convention called common sense and this of
course is not type of bridge one plays in clubs. I did not know the language of
bidding and I still know very little of it, but I am on my way to learn.
 |
| We stayed in Waldorf Leura Gardens. Nice old fashioned place. |
Few weeks ago I came across information about a bridge
holiday in Blue Mountains and again I
thought - why not… I asked the club director if my current bridge level will be
sufficient and if a lack of a partner would make me unsuitable and I got
re-assurance that I will be fine and welcome. He is a very kind man. When I
started to assess my move I got cold feet but my shy tries to get out of the
deal met with reassurance that I will be fine. So, last week I went to Leura
being very nervous. The nervousness was fully justified and in fact it was
harder than I had expected. I managed, but the feeling of inadequacy was overwhelming
and justified. The gap between me and the rest of the players was enormous. I
guess it was OK in a spinach type of way. It did not taste decent but it was good
for me. I was aware that at times I did not understand what I was told (in the
bidding language) and that my answers were often surprising and confusing. I
had my better moments when my brain was not cooked to destruction, but they
were not that frequent.
On positive side, being exhausted I slept very well
each night.
Have I learned a lot of bridge in the process? Not
really, but I have learned a lot of bridge etiquette and made a good plan how
to keep learning. I also met a lot of great people and found out things about
Australians and their life style. I especially liked people from the country. Old
fashioned, in the best way, type of people. Kind, down to earth, straight forward,
with great sense of humour and, I would imagine, honest and trustworthy.
| This is how I spent four days. Hmm... |
But the most positive outcome is being invited as a
bridge partner. My club is divided into two rooms. One for beginners as myself
and one for bridge grown ups. I have been playing in the kindergarten but now,
to my delight, once a week I will be
paying with a very charming lady and a good bridge player as an intermediate. I
am thrilled and very proud.
I have jumped into deep water but I have not sunk.
This is some kind of achievement even if my ego was seriously bruised.
