Poker At My House!

A few years after we moved into our current home, which is in what was at that time a new neighborhood, one of our neighbors died of cancer. He was not yet 40 and just the sweetest guy you ever met. He went from being diagnosed to dying in less than five months and after he died I realized that I had missed an opportunity to really get to know this great guy.

Sure, I knew him and his family, but I couldn't tell you a thing about his passions. He seemed to really embrace life and I had no idea why, of what drove him or moved him. I decided I needed to know my neighbors better, so I formed a neighborhood poker group.

I invited every man in the neighborhood and I explained that all you had to do to participate is take your turn hosting the game. Oh, and you had to share something about yourself with the men. Over the years this last requirement has kind of gone by the wayside, though I still do it when I host. We are going on our eighth or ninth year now. Some have dropped out or moved out of the neighborhood, and others have joined in. We normally have somewhere between 10 and 15 people each month.

Playing poker is not the real draw for the evenings; it's really just an excuse for a social event. Hell, some months we get so involved in conversation and drinking and whatever that we don't even play poker. When we do it's a very friendly game. Mostly we drink and we eat. The host has to provide dinner. I always cook for the men; some others do to, though many just get the game catered. Since part of what I want to share is my Cajun heritage, I always cook and I always cook Cajun food.

This month I made red beans and rice and shrimp au gratin and some devastating banana pudding. I also shared some of my artwork with the men. I think my invitation went over well.