Bridge Over Troubled Waters

As if I don't have more than enough demands on my time these days - play video games, reduce growing pile of DVD movies by watching some, read comics, write Agile book, read books, write blog entries, and a little thing I like to call my day job! - I've made the mistake of showing interest in the game of Bridge.

My wife Vicki is a long-time Bridge enthusiast, and was overjoyed several years ago when daughter Tammy got briefly into the game. They went out and took lessons together or maybe played in fun tournaments (I lost track) and for awhile, Vicki was happily having her Bridge itch scratched (while I stayed home and did the stuff I like to do)... and then it ended, for whatever reason. So imagine her excitement a couple of weeks ago, upon discovering that I was at least interested enough to watch old episodes of the Charles Goren's Championship Bridge TV show from 1960, that she'd recorded on our PVR!

And then fast forward to last week where work sidekick AgileBoy mentioned to me that he'd written a Bridge tracking program in his spare time, prompting me to say, "That's funny, because I've been watching some old Bridge TV show with my wife recently!" Faster than you can say, "Let's race to the AgileCave, old chum!" the conversation turned to bringing together our respective wives and playing some Bridge as a foursome. And that's when I knew that I was in trouble! Oh sure, he was all excited at the prospect, but all I could think about was the fact that watching someone do something complicated is a lot easier than doing it yourself!

And sure enough, Vicki also panicked upon learning that I'd tentatively agreed to play bridge with someone - "but you don't even know how to bid!!" - but fortunately AgileBoy saved the day by volunteering to be my partner, saving my competitive wife the threat of public humiliation (what else would you expect from a faithful sidekick?)

So tomorrow night this house of cards will come tumbling down on my head, but at least then I'll be able to say that I tried Bridge, and be confident that Vicki will never, ever bring it up again in the future! (Or, who knows, maybe I'll like it....)