Seniors love game and playful banter

Several Green River seniors gather each week, not only for the love of a card game, but for the socialization that comes with it.

Friday afternoon was no different. Walking down the hall to find where the card game "31" was being played, all one could hear was laughter.

A quick glance into the conference room, and one could see a group of ladies eating popcorn, laughing and teasing each other as they played the game.

One would accuse the other of hiding their quarters behind their popcorn, while another would accuse someone else of giving them the worst cards. Of course, it was all in good fun.

During a game of "31," each player is dealt three cards. The object is to get as many of the three cards as possible in the same suit and closest to 31 as possible. The person with the lowest amount loses the round and has to put a quarter in.

"It will get really wild," senior Kathy Tarter said.

"The object of the game is to watch what everyone is throwing because if you are waiting for that card you're in trouble," player Annabelle Martinez said.

"It's all in the luck of the draw," player Gloria Culp said.

As the cards go around, the player has the option to pick up the previous player's discarded card or draw. When a player is going to lay down their cards, they knock on the table to let the other players know they are going to lay down the next time around. This gives the other players a chance to get rid of any unwanted cards and try to improve their hands.

The group likes to keep the players to a maximum of seven per table.

"If you get too many it's too hard," Culp said. "Seven is the max."

However, others looked at more players at the table in a different light.

"The more at the table, the bigger the pot," Tarter said.

"One time I got $21 dollars. I won three games in a row," Martinez said.

"Ya. We're glad you're moving to another table," Tarter said to Martinez.

The ladies and a couple of gentlemen, who arrived later, enjoy their time together.

"Just think. If we were sitting at home we wouldn't be laughing like this because I am by myself," senior Jean Kirby said.

Most of those in attendance agreed Saturdays for them is the worst day of the week because they are at home alone.

The players continued to play, until they paused the game to present one of the players, Phyllis Bingham, with a birthday cake. It was her birthday Friday and the ladies made sure she had a cake to celebrate it. After they were done eating their cake, it was business as usual.