I was struck speechless. What the hell? This could be looked at through many different lenses and all of them bad in my mind. Where did this “best domino player in all of California” come from? That was never said. I suspected and soon came to understand that Peter could be quite antagonizing at times though otherwise a great friend too.
The domino table closest to us seemed to just ignore Peter and went on like nothing was ever said but the one towards the rear reacted quite differently. They shot looks back and forth at each other before two players on one side reluctantly got up and walked away from the table. Peter put a hand on my shoulder and seemed to push me forward and we sat down in the two empty seats.
To say I was intimidated would be an understatement. Our two opponents both glared at me as I tried to just relax a little when the barmaid brought four beers to the table. A warm Guinness for Peter (his usual), cold Red Stripe for me and two warm Red Stripes for them. My wife was smiling. She always seemed to know what to do. It loosened the atmosphere considerably.
Peter mixed the bones and pushed them to the center of the table. I noticed right away that they were old, and all seemed to have some distinguishing characteristics to them like discolorations and chips. In other words, those that played with them all the time knew which domino had which number. A definite advantage. The mad scramble for the good numbers left me with mostly double numbers on my draw. A definite disadvantage. Plus, when at home, we would all stand our dominoes up in front of us and play them one at a time. Here, they picked all seven into two hands hidden by their fingers. I tried but I kept dropping them. What have I gotten myself into? The double six is pounded to the table.
It is my turn and I play a six-three. In my opinion, an exceptionally good play and look for approval. Get none. It seems I only get to follow with the only domino in my hand the rest of the game or pass until the other side slams their dominoes and wins. Peter explains the “six-love” concept which I know nothing about and chides me to pay better attention. And so, it goes for a few games before we manage to win one and break but then lose right away again.
By this time, it seems that every resident of this area and some of their friends from up and down the hill are watching the game. It is about this time that I realize that I am playing a different game of dominoes than they are. In California we play “All Fives” where the object is to put fives or combinations that add up to fives on the ends. They are playing “Partner” dominoes where the object is to get rid of your dominoes first or have the lowest total of any dominoes once the game is blocked.
It was a true epiphany. It was now nearing midnight and I had stopped drinking and smoking some time ago and the fog was lifting from my brain just in time to figure out how to play. And it went back and forth for an hour or two more with neither side getting a “six-love” win when it finally happened.
“Six-Love!” “The best domino player in all of California has just…….”
