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January 13, 2020 Solitaire and Basketball

PROMPT January 13th ▼

In your entry today, write about games! Board games, video games, card games, sports games, mind games, etc... Share a memorable story.

Solitaire

Red Six on black Seven,
         Jack on Queen,
spades line up,
                             Ace,
Two, Three, Four.
Another, diamonds this time,
breathing in rhythm
with the numbers.

The click-click,
         slap of the cards
                   is the pulse.
Pupils scan,
register red hearts,
                   black clubs,
parts of a regulated whole.

Chaos abated,
                   order restored.
                    ~~Judi Van Gorder

I play one form or another of Solitaire almost every day. Especially if it has been a stressful day. I play until I win, which can range from one game up to four or five games. The computer says I win 53% of the games played, interesting the useless information the computer just offers up. Playing helps me wind down and take my brain out of gear. It is a great stress reliever and puts everything in order.

Moving right along from the serene to the sublime, I'm a huge Laker fan. I love NBA basketball. I never miss a game on TV and have attended more than a few games in southern California and when the Lakers have visited up here in the north. My son takes me, my husband has no interest. (Note: my son is a football fan, Steelers in particular but he goes to Laker games for his Mom.)

My interest began decades ago. My husband said, let's watch the NBA finals and to make it interesting, let's bet. My first reaction was, what's the NBA? Since he is originally from back east he chose the Boston Celtics and gave me, the California girl, the California team, the LA Lakers. He must have been bored, but he wasn't stupid. He knew the Celts were the championship team. They had been unbeatable for a long time. Lakers were the underdogs. Well, unknowing of this, I took him up on the offer and we took on the finals with enthusiasm. Suffice it to say, I fell in love with basketball, with the Lakers, with the players and we won it all! The underdogs won the championship.

The game was so fast and exciting. I needed to learn it. I bought a book that explained the rules, the skills needed. When the season began again, I watched every game the Lakers played and I kept stats to help me better observe and understand. I continued to keep stats for several seasons. Consequently, I've become quite expert in the terms, the nuances and the skills of the game. My Lakers are currently not champions but they will be back and I will be right there watching.