| General Fiction posted December 19, 2022 | Chapters: |
...19 20 -21- 22... 
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Abby starts organizing a bridge game
A chapter in the book Some Call It Luck
Some Call It Luck - Chapter 21
by Jim Wile
| Background A brilliant and beautiful but insecure, nerdy young woman befriends a going nowhere older alcoholic caddie. Together, they bring out the best in each other and collaborate on a startling new invention |
Abby St. Claire
That evening
August, 1986
I got home around 4:30, parked my car in the driveway, and headed inside the house to talk to my great Aunt Helen. She’s the one who told me about the summer job at Brentwood and was kind enough to offer to let me stay at their house. With free room and board for the summer, how could I pass it up? I’ll be starting my senior year at Penn State in the fall, and the money I’ll be earning at Brentwood (plus saving by living with Aunt Helen and Uncle Bert) will enable me to complete my mathematics degree.
She and Uncle Bert were in the kitchen. Uncle Bert was reading the newspaper while Aunt Helen was just beginning to fix dinner.
“Hi sweetie. How was your day?” she asked me when I walked over to give her a kiss.
“It was good, though kind of hot. I think I’ve made a new friend there.”
“One of the members? There are some handsome young men there now that they are selling junior memberships.”
“No, actually he’s one of the caddies. Maybe you know him? His name is E.J.”
Uncle Bert put his paper down and looked up sharply when I said that. “You’re kidding. That guy?”
“Yeah. He’s a bit, uh… unkempt I guess, but he’s really nice and seems quite intelligent.”
“He never gave me that impression. He’s the worst caddie there. I think he’s drunk half the time.”
“Well, I don’t know. He’s interesting to talk to. I gave him a bridge book to read yesterday, and he finished it in an hour and a half, he said. He wants to borrow another one now.”
“He’s caddied for me before,” said Aunt Helen. “I think he’s a nice fellow, if a little distracted sometimes.”
“He seems anxious to play in a bridge game. He used to play a little bit in high school, so he’s not a rank beginner. Would you be willing to play with him, Aunt Helen?”
“Of course. When were you thinking about playing?”
“Maybe tomorrow night? How about you, Uncle Bert?”
“No way, not with that guy! I don’t even want him in my house!”
“Oh, hush, Bert. I’ll bet my friend Marj would want to play,” Aunt Helen said to me.
“Okay, I’ll let you know tomorrow after I ask him. I’m going to go take a shower now because I’m really sweaty, but I’ll be back down around 5:30.”
“Take your time. We probably won’t be eating until 6:00.”
“Okay, see you later,” I said as I went out the back door and over to the stairs leading up to my apartment over the garage.
As I mounted the stairs, there was Lester waiting on the landing. He was often there when I returned from work. Sometimes there was a dead bird or rodent by his side, but not today. “Hi Lester! How’s my best boy?” I said as I knelt down to scratch his head and neck. I put my head close to his and he gave me a few head bumps. “Let’s go in where it’s a lot cooler. Did you catch any mice today? ….. Just two? So, you must be kind of hungry now, huh? ….. You say you want Ocean Fish in Creamed Gravy tonight? Okay, I’ll see if we’ve got some.”
Even though he had slowly gone deaf over the years and couldn’t hear me, I often conversed with Lester, providing both sides of the conversation—a holdover from my grade school years when I didn’t have any friends to talk to. Except for Fred, of course. I still think about him from time to time and wonder what he’s doing now. I haven’t had any boyfriends since him. I’ve had a few dates in college, but nothing very serious yet. I’ve been hit on quite a lot, but I don’t really respond too well to that. The few guys I’ve agreed to go out with were nice enough, and I’ve remained friendly with them, but that’s about all.
My thoughts then turned to E.J. There’s nothing romantic there, but he sure is an interesting guy. He seems like he has a lot of baggage and certainly a drinking problem, but I sense real potential in him if he can somehow cast away whatever is holding him back. I’d like to get to know him better as a friend. I’m happy he has taken to bridge so. I haven’t played in a few months, and I miss playing. I hope he feels comfortable enough to join us for a game tomorrow.
Abby hopes that, with bridge, E.J. will find another shovel, besides golf, that he can use to dig himself out of the hole he's been in for some time. He fascinates her and she feels real friend potential there.
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