Mrs. Smith was dismayed as she hung up the telephone.  Mrs. Jones had car trouble and could not attend Mrs. Smith’s weekly Thursday afternoon bridge game.  The other two ladies present convinced Mrs. Smith she could substitute her son, Billy, a bright 10-year-old.

After a 15-minute bridge primer, the game began with Billy as dealer.  Billy studied his hand and bid 4♣.  After two passes, Mrs. Smith, Billy’s RHO, holding a plethora of aces and kings, doubled.  Undeterred, Billy carefully perused his hand and bid 4♦.  After two more passes, Mrs. Smith, becoming quite agitated, doubled again.  Not to be denied and after careful consideration, Billy bid 4♥.  Mrs. Smith was near the boiling point as she doubled again.

But Billy, heeding the advice of his mother to bid the shape of his hand, proudly said, “And 1♠.”

At today's game, Mary Ann duFresne arrived at her next table and found Whit Campbell's convention card had been left behind.  Somebody wanted to know who he was playing with, so she read the top line to see, and noticed it was showing his mother, Donis, who wasn't there today.

But she knew who it was -- Don Bowen, her dear friend, who is half Whit's size.  So she quipped "Oh, its Half-Whit!"

The room burst out laughing.  Good one, Mary Ann!

With this year’s Naples’ tournament looming on the horizon, my thoughts turned to an incident that happened a couple of years ago. Three members of our club traveled to Naples together, and had reservations in the Best Western approximately 3 miles south of the playing site.