Monday, January 10, 2011

Bridging the Gap

Well I got this brainstorm that I am going to try a lot of new things this year and I saw this "Learn to play bridge" ad in the local paper and thought, why not? I would really like to have a retro party with friends dressed 50's style and set up the card tables and have martinis and play bridge...

Well, I called and got the specifics and they finished with "you get an instruction book, as well." And I'm thinking, no way. I don't want to read about bridge, I just want to learn to play by trial and error. This sounds like work. It's not like I'm not looking to be in the "World Series of Bridge." I just want to have fun. I had also emailed a bunch of people I thought might want to learn, too and nothing.

So I gave the guy my number and just told him to let me know when they are doing a summer session so I can drag the husband along. I don't mind going alone, but he's more likely to read the book and then he can tell me about it. I hate instruction manuals and such, reading is for pleasure, so I'm just going to put bridge down lower on the list.

But it reminded me of the time I cold-called this woman who owns an Oriental mart and restaurant and I wanted to buy the Mahjong game she had in stock if I could find a place to learn how to play, to which she told me that I should go online to learn. Which is my next least favorite thing, online and video games! She said her group would never tolerate a beginner. She was irritated at the thought of a newcomer trying to join a serious pack of Mahjong-ers.

Whatever happened to the simple phrase, "I'll teach you."

No comments:

Post a Comment