The Grand Poker Game

Last night about 6pm the pastor at church, Bro David called. He asked me to do Sunday School this week; there was no one else to do it. I always get so nervous and a good bit of me didn't want to do it. After I started reading a bit on a story he'd suggested, I felt better about it.

I'd only done Sunday School once and it happened in about the same way. Once I started reading, the ideas just came pouring into me. What I get the most nervous about it the age group. The kids are in the middle, age 7 to 11, I think. They're like little sponges and full of questions that I can't answer.

I agreed to do it and sat down with my modern English Bible and a notebook before all our company arrived. We were originally expecting something like 10 people. I'd cleaned the house, top to bottom and cleared a shelf in the fridge for those who brought drinks and soda.

In the end, 2 people showed up.

That afternoon, Joe just said he wasn't coming. Odell had been a car accident a few days ago and had whiplash. Bill and Joann were to arrive about 9:30 but Joann found out yesterday that she had to work on Saturday. My boss, Allan was taking his wife to dinner and said he'd be there about 9 pm or so. (No show) and Shawn's brother-in-law, Lance had asked his brother and Shawn's sister but neither came. Shawn's boss, Kenny was coming after spending some family time but dropped by around 8 and said he'd just gotten out of the office. I'm sure he was tired but it was nice of him to pop in.

"He came all this way just to say he wasn't playing?" Mike (my co-worker) said.
"Yeah," Shawn said. "That's just the kind of guy he is."

I thought it was extremely courteous.

I was pretty disappointed. I had cleaned like a mad person, as always when company is expected. I wasn't really into the game. It was only me and Shawn, Lance, and Mike. It was pretty lively.

I was actually doing quite well after losing half my chips. I had a stack in front of me but lost most of it to Shawn. I was down to my last $5 and he and I battled it out over one hand. I had a full house. He had a better full house.

So I thanked the guys for coming and apologized and said I couldn't do it anymore and I was going to bed. And I did.


You can imagine how I might play poker. As I've told you before, I am horrible with numbers. I might stare at the cards on the table for several minuets before I figure out that I have a straight. Sometimes, I really have something, a really great hand, and not even know it.

In that case, you'd want to throw a little money on the table and bait everyone else into it. In my case, I would win the hand but there might be only $3 to win.

But I had fun with that. It was sort of the theme, the running gag of the night. I made fun of myself and had fun with it. That's all I know to do.

When I got up this morning, I found Shawn's money on the table. It looked like between the two of us we'd lost $5. Oh well. It was something to do on a Friday night and movie tickets for 2 are what now, $15?

Now the furniture needs to be put back where it was, the trash taken out, and so on. I've got to call my mom in a couple hours because she wants to take me shopping for my birthday. I detest shopping. Especially for clothes. I hate trying on shoes and pants but mine are all ragged from work. Nothing ever fits since I'm short and was born with the child-bearing Family Hips.

This is gonna be a great weekend.