Skip Hand
by Jerry Guarino
Retirement means different
activities for different people. For Anthony, now
72, it meant more time for television, movies,
music and playing online bridge. Ever since his
days in Vietnam, bridge has been a favorite
pastime. Now that he could play online, he could
play it wherever and whenever he wanted, not
needing other players or wasting time passing out
cards.
He set up a media room with
all the technology an old man needed. A fast WIFI
signal, an Apple computer, an iPhone, an iPad, an
Alexa Show and a superior BOSE home theater
system. Bookcases with hundreds of 4K movies
adorned the wall. If he needed to know something,
he could ask Alexa or his AI assistant Claude,
without getting out of his seat. He also had a
small fridge, microwave and toaster for
sustenance. The only comfort missing was a
bathroom, but that was only 15 yards away.
This was his way of passing
the time until the inevitable end of life s
journey. He was pretty content. In short, he had
created his nirvana, a safe space to live out his
days.
When he wasn t watching
television or listening to music, he would play
online bridge. As I stated, the online version
meant he could play whenever he wanted. It also
meant he could end any hand he didn t like. So,
if the opposition players were going to make
their bid, especially a slam, Anthony would just
skip hand and a new set of cards would
automatically appear. He could win virtually
every game, a comfort in his old age. This was
the way he wanted to go out, with unlimited
entertainment of his choosing and mastering a
game he had loved since the Vietnam War.
Everyone approaches their
life journey differently. Anthony found solace in
controlling his environment, as if that might
mean he could control his destiny after death.
Surely his lifestyle wouldn t offend his creator.
He never smoked, used drugs or drank alcohol. He
didn t gamble, an addiction that consumed his
father and kept his family in poverty. He gave to
his church and donated to other charities. He was
a good person and was grateful for his blessings.
Those blessings included
his children and grandchildren, reminders of what
truly matters in life. And of course, his second
wife, a constant source of love. They traveled
more now, even going to Europe and a cruise.
Although they weren t wealthy, they had money to
travel, another way retirees spent their days.
***
Alexa, play chamber music .
Mozart and Hayden compositions played softly to
accompany his mood and prepare for another game.
Anthony opened his iPad and
the bridge game. Hoping to end the day with a win,
he smiled. A run of eight clubs, with aces and
kings in the other suits, meant he could bid a
slam, seven no-trump. He loved bidding no trump
because it gave him some satisfaction that the
political environment demanded. He would sleep
well that night.
Skip
Hand by Jerry Guarino
Copyright July, 2025 All Rights Reserved
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