Thirty years later in 2002 I had knee replacement surgery and needed something to do while recuperating.  I found the Palo Alto Bridge club and began playing there. The first two sessions I showed up without a partner.  The director, Sherry Greenberg, was kind enough to find me a partner.  In spite of my long absence, with the help of my two also inexperienced partners, we finished first in the A stratification both times. I was hooked and continued to play there once or twice a week.  A typical month would include playing with as many as six players during the eight sessions. The Palo Alto club offered free lectures every other week by the more experienced players on almost any topic related to bridge and I took advantage of many of them. 

 

My wife and I moved to Bend Oregon in March 2020 to be near our daughter’s family and Covid-19 cancelled all face-to-face games. Fortunately Pat Dennis, one of the directors at the Bend Bridge club, was a neighbor of my daughter.  She was able to help me find the Cascade Duplicate Bridge Club online game and I was able to meet some partners before the live games, which I prefer, resumed. 

 

I owe it to bridge and my many partners for keeping me mentally engaged. There is alway something new that presents itself at the table and trying to work through them is a real challenge. My philosophy is that my partners can never be blamed for any mistake because my only requirement in a partner is that they be pleasant and willing to put up with me.