I have now officially become my mother. I play Mah Jongg, sometimes twice weekly. My foray into this new game began last July on Fire Island. Friends encouraged me to learn, I watched several games, one gave me a very instructive and helpful book by Elaine Sandberg, and the other introduced me to an online game where I could practice my skills. Eventually, I played with “real” people and even won occasionally.
I have fond memories of my mother playing Mah Jongg weekly with 4 other women. When it was her time to host, she would set up the card table and they would decide who was the “dealer,” or “East.” The 5th woman would sit out until the game was over and then she’d take a seat, and the rotation would begin again. Thus, each woman was out 1/5 of the time….Just enough time to sample the goodies my mother supplied.
The clacking of the tiles on the table and the joyous shouts of “Mah Jongg!” were
heard throughout the evening.
There was a pot of coffee on a separate table with a fancy cake and china cups and saucers. I, however, was more interested in the snacks provided around the card table. “Bridge mix,” or chocolate covered raisins and nuts, was my favorite. There was usually a box of Loft’s or Barricini’s chocolate as well.
The husbands of these women were gathered in another house where they played pinochle. I never observed what went on there or, if, indeed they just used the excuse to go to a bar and schmooze.
My mother would pay me a quarter to “play with her hair,” by combing, etc. A tactile experience both my daughter and I currently enjoy; we call it “keppy rubbing.” Once, when she was going though “the changes,” she broke out in a drenching sweat and quickly removed her blouse, sitting for the rest of the game in her bra until the hot flash passed.
Mah Jongg is part of my life now and the women I play with often recount memories of their mothers like the ones I have just shared. Some even own the old sets their mothers played with, providing a tactile memory as well.
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