Bad MJ Experience

Caption: DON’T TELL ME HOW TO PLAY MJ

I am sorry to say that every once in a while you have a bad experience playing mah jongg because you wind up playing with a disgruntled or bossy player. Today I had that happen to me. The woman I was playing with immediately took issue when I explained that I had to leave the game a half hour early for a doctor’s appointment. “You always leave early,” she barked while turning the tiles facedown to begin the first game. The tiles clattered and spat with her annoyance that was ill-founded. First of all, we usually stopped playing at the time I announced I would be leaving the game; and second, her assertion was not true. I always stayed the three hours set for the game, even longer to put the tiles away and to return the game table and chairs to their places in the club room.

Then, after the Charleston, when I took a moment to look over the card to decide what hand I would play she accused me to taking too long and holding up the game.

“Now, wait a minute,” one of the players admonished, “Marsha is simply studying the card. We are not in a rush to go anywhere. What is so terrible if she takes her time figuring out the card?”

“Well she’s holding us up… blah blah blah.”

This was the tone of the game for the next hour until my sympathetic player announced she had enough. “This is not why I am here. You have made the game very unpleasant, and I am leaving when we finish this round.”

I was delighted that X spoke up since I tend to be a bit intimidated by nasty players. I certainly did not want to create a scene and ruin it for the third player who was like the mute Republicans who refuse to stand up to our President when he bullies our allies.

I guess you get the picture.

I left the game feeling sad for a ruined afternoon of mah jongg and for the woman who never apologized for her behavior.

If you have had a similar experience, please send in your story.