Mahjong Anyone?
On July 4th, friends invited us over to learn how to play Mahjong.
Mahjong!
The game my mother and her girlfriends played when I was growing up. I remember those ladies laughing and calling out tiles as I passed through the kitchen on my way to the refrigerator. I’d hear “two crack,” “three bam,” “five dot,” as they rapidly went around the table. They’d smoke cigarettes, sip refreshments and talk endlessly. Often their voices would rise in excitement, rolling into laughter. I never knew what they were talking about—and if I happened to linger too long—I was told to keep moving.
My turn
So, it was with great interest that I accepted the invitation to join a group of friends learning the game. After all, I thought rather arrogantly, how hard can it really be?
It was hard. Very hard.
And as I played, trying to figure out what the hell was going on, I couldn’t help but think of my mother. How did she ever carry on a conversation and play this game? How many rounds did she endure before she no longer needed to concentrate? And why is this game so much harder than poker?
American version
It seems that there are two versions of Mahjong. The American—which I was learning—and the Chinese—which was being played by a group of men seated behind me. I’m guessing the American version is easier—but being new to it—it was like learning Hebrew (and that’s hard). The other guys kept saying it’s like playing gin rummy. I know gin rummy. I get the comparison. But this was beyond gin rummy. If you don’t believe me, check out the video explaining the basics. http://bit.ly/2uuMSqY
And as all things these days, pictures of the event were posted on Facebook. Sure enough, there was a photo of me concentrating, unable to even look up from the tile rack. What I had assumed easy, proved to be quite a challenge.
The real lesson
My mother’s been gone nearly 30 years. That’s a long time. And I must say, one afternoon of Mahjong brought her right back to me. I guess you’re never too old to learn new things. The game of Mahjong and that your mom was a smart lady. I miss you mom!
