Monologs with Murray, Day Five 11.22.02

A Mouth like a Volcano-Words as weapons.

Last night we were paying bridge with our old friends Ed and Joan.

In one hand, when the bidding ended, Joan was to play it in “three no trump” and when she saw Ed’s hand, Joan exploded at him:

“You can’t put me in ‘three no trump’ with a hand like that!
Your bid was ridiculous! Absolutely ridiculous!”
She played the hand and made the contract.

As the next hand was being dealt, I said :

“Joan, it puzzles me, You used the word “ridiculous”. There are so many other words you could have used, like “wrong, mistaken, not correct”, but you chose the most hurtful one you could think of .”Only slightly abashed, “But he should know better.” she said.

On most other topics she will defer to him for information or to confirm something she may have believed.

But the game of bridge is her area of expertise and she will brook no trespassers.

Whole arsenals of insults, painful memories of years past, and secret admissions made in loving confidence are carefully hoarded for that inevitable day of reckoning when all bars are down and the ‘victim’ feels weakest.