My grandmother by this time was no longer in the mood for the competitiveness that would come from playing cards. Everyone who has ever played Spades knows what happens when you renege. Reneging is when a particular suit has led the board, and you play off that suit. If you come back to that suit, and the other team catches you, that’s 3 books you forfeit. My Nana wanted nothing to do with that drama. I never saw my grandfather play cards, and my mother could leave a card game in tears, because she was a bit sensitive.
Nevertheless, my ten year old immature fearless self, walked into a new world where only the strong survived. For as long as I can remember I used to hear the laughing and sometimes arguing amongst the married partners, if they lost. It was funny and entertaining. I was hooked! I couldn’t wait to learn to play this game. Bid Whist! Every holiday, family reunion, Sunday dinner, you name the event—they played at all of them. That night it was my turn. I got a quick tutorial; the dealer deals 12 cards to each player, and 6 in the Kitty. The kitty goes in the middle of the table. The player who wins the bid gets the Kitty. Now, I say that Spades and Bid Whist are similar, but then gets very different. With Spades—spades is the trump suit, Bid Whist, the trump can differ. If your hand has 5 clubs and you have all of the high clubs, then you would bid a 5 uptown. This means, that all the high cards no matter what suit will beat the other cards, and then your clubs will win over all other suits. Another difference is that when playing bid whist, you can go low. If you have low cards, you can bid 4 downtown; the lowest card in each suit will win. If you win a bid, you may not have to call a trump at all. As I am getting my tutorial from my two aunts and uncle, I kept hearing over and over, watch the board, watch your partner. Aunt Hattie was my partner. She was actually my great great aunt. She was my grandfather’s aunt. Aunt Hattie loved to play cards. And, she was good! This wasn’t my first time playing cards with her. She visited us at least three to four times a year when we lived Upstate and she lived in Brooklyn. When I would come home from school we would play 21 Blackjack. I learned how to add in my head playing that game with her. As the game started, I became a bit nervous. I was so worried that I would let them down. I got my 12 cards, all four Aces’, 3 Kings, a Joker, four Queens, I don’t even remember bidding, but I remember Aunt Hattie and I won the bid. I am realizing now, that we must have bid pretty high because Aunt Virginia and Uncle Rudy just wanted to bump us. When you bump that means you didn’t make the bid you said you would. Each card played, Aunt Hattie would collect the books made. By the 7Th or 8Th round, it was evident that we were winning. Uncle Rudolph began to get snippy, and frowned, and Aunt Virginia would snap right back. Aunt Hattie was grinning from ear to ear. As the last card hit the table someone yelled out she just ran a BOSTON. The crowd just went wild. I guess I forgot to mention that this game of paramount proportions drew a crowd. Everyone in the house gathered around that dining room table, at my grandparents’ house, on Lang Road, to witness my first game. It was history in the making. People where laughing and shouting, “Shani ran a Boston!” I started grinning and laughing too. I didn’t know what a Boston was, but I knew it was good. I was so excited I wanted to play again. What is a Boston? I looked over to my mother, and asked she was laughing and joking too. A Boston meant that we had won all 13 books (we got 1 book from that Kitty I mentioned earlier) The game was over. My aunt said I was a natural, I was trump tight. My uncle asked me “How did you run that Boston?” I replied, I just played the hand I was dealt.
At 10 years old I was saying something so profound. We use that saying today when things don’t always go as planned in life. “Oh, I was just playing the hand life dealt me”. I was trump tight that night. My cards won every book. Everything just fell into pieces. I really didn’t do anything. I followed the rules that were given with ease and just played each card and it all worked in my favor.
We have a trump card that we sometimes use in emergency only situations. Jesus. Our book of instructions we have online, in various languages, in many translations, at the dollar tree, or probably sitting in eyesight of where you are right now reading this, but when was the last time you picked it up. The Holy Bible. It tells us the instructions on how to live an abundant life, a life free of fear, free of doubt, free of everything that keeps us in bondage. But, why don’t follow it? We pick it up at our leisure, and our convenience. We keep going through life just accepting that this is just the hand we are dealt, but NO! You can have a life that is filled “Bostons!” You can win! God told Joshua he will give him the recipe for good success. Not just success, but good success. Thankfully when we renege on the things we should be doing, God’s grace gives us another opportunity to get it right. Praise God that when we renege His mercy endures forever and ever.
All things work for good, who are good and are called according to His purpose. If you stay obedient to the plan that God has for you, it will all work out. Your life is in God’s hands, He doesn’t make mistakes. He has dealt the cards, but he doesn’t want to make you pick them up. I am so grateful that when I get bumped from time to time I have a Trump Card in HIM who will always WIN. Matthew 19:26 tells us that with God all things are possible. You can have the best partner ever—if you ask!
When you are faced with any and all situations, good or bad, happy or sad, difficult or easy, remember that you are not in this world alone. Put your trust in Him like you do your partner in Spades, or bridge, or pinochle, or even my favorite -- Bid Whist! With Jesus you will always be TRUMP TIGHT!
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