Writing for Fun
August 2016
It's More Important Than That - Sue Barker
It's my first cruise and I didn't know what to expect. As we approach the Crown Princess my eyes travel up and up this ship holds just over 3000 passengers and is the biggest ugliest beast I've ever seen. Have I made a mistake I ask myself? Check in goes quickly and then we board.
Wow once inside it's magnificent, the atrium is beautiful, everything shines and I can't wait to explore. Once I get to my cabin I find the luggage hasn't arrived, totally overwhelmed I burst into tears, I'm worried we've spent a fortune on a holiday that won't work out. Poor Mike does his very best to comfort me.
After the luggage arrives I settle down and off we sail. I have to say not once on the ten day cruise were we in the part of the ship we thought we'd be, but in the end that just became funny. We even saw a Japanese party trying to find each other by walkie-talkie. The first evening went well, the people on our table were friendly and good fun. As expected the food was excellent. After dinner sitting watching the sunset from the Crows nest bar enjoying a cocktail was the nearest thing to heaven I could imagine. I know we've chosen the right holiday now.
The second day we were sailing all day so we decided to join in one of the activities. We chose something we thought we'd both enjoy and went along to the lounge at the appointed time, but if I'd known it would involve partner swapping you wouldn't have seen me for dust. So we sat down, the whist sheets were given out and the cards were dealt.
I started off with my husband Mike and my being a novice I was very nervous. Although he's better at it than me, he's also very patient. That game went well, and then we moved round. I was worried as I hate letting anyone down, but I am not a very competitive person. It's the enjoyment of playing the game not necessarily winning.
My next partner was an elderly gent who was quite muddled and played the wrong card occasionally, no problem for me as it's only a game. ONLY A GAME! The woman playing against us got so cross and said, 'In my whist group you would lose points for playing the wrong card,' to which I replied, 'Be my guest, please add some points to your score.' Crisis defused and off we went again.
Then it happened, or should I say then he happened. My new partner joined me, this middle aged, slightly overweight man sat down, we had a brief chat before playing, he said he came from the Midlands, and that was all he said. Obviously he was not there for small talk, no problem, I'm sure the game would be fun. It didn't take me long to realise how badly he wanted to win. Boy had he got the wrong partner, but I tried my best; sadly we lost, oh well never mind. The rest of the games went well and I had a laugh with one or two of the players.
Day three was also at sea, so we went back for another afternoon of whist. Everyone was laughing and chatting, except for him, the man from yesterday. We started off again, moving round the tables, I was doing okay, nothing stunning but okay. Then he was my partner again, I smiled and greeted him. He looked me in the eye and growled, 'I like a partner that I can anticipate what they will play, and I can't tell what you are going to do next.' I felt the embarrassment creep up my neck, of course he couldn't anticipate what I would lay, I never know what I'm going to play next so why should he. I tried, I really tried but again we lost.
It's strange because I was playing better each game until he was my partner.
We had a couple of days off the ship, so I forgot about the cards and that man. The next full day at sea we went back for the whist, I secretly hoped he wouldn't play anymore. But there he was glowering at me I think he really hoped I wouldn't play anymore.
Oh well off we go again, I'm actually doing quite well, one last move and yes it's him again. I smile weakly at him and say hello. No response, I say hello again thinking he hadn't heard me but again no reply. I realise he is ignoring me. I didn't know whether to laugh in his face, which frankly was what I wanted to do, instead I sat in horrible embarrassment, I felt slightly sick, it was just too important for him to win. I didn't want the game spoiled for our opponents but I couldn't do anything to lighten the atmosphere. We played the first hand, and then I looked up at this glowering man and I played the wrong card. His sigh must have been heard on the top deck, my nerves were shot and I just couldn't think. But by some fluke time we won the game, and thankfully that was the end of the afternoon.
I could have given up and not gone back, but to be honest I didn't want to give him the satisfaction. The only time I saw him smile was when he partnered a really glamorous lady, so he could be polite and friendly, just not to me. They went on to win the whole 13 tricks in their game. I couldn't applaud him, I just couldn't; how petty of me. Up to this point I hadn't realised that winning at whist was a matter of life and death. If he had his way I know who would be dead, he'd tried to kill me with his death stare enough times.
The holiday flew by and the last afternoon of whist was played. He won the tournament, of course he did. The satisfaction on his face was pathetic, but he'd won and the prize he needed so badly a stupid plastic folder to hold his passport! After his prize giving he trotted off, the rest of the room let out a collective sigh, 'Thank goodness he's gone,' someone muttered. Oh the relief; it wasn't just me, I had been sure it was personal but it wasn't, he was just a childish prat.
We've been on a couple of other cruises and played whist and luckily never met another man like him (or woman for that matter).
When we joined the U3A we decided to start a whist group and the only rule is that it isn't to be taken too seriously and so far so good.