Silent Stranger

11 - Playing Gin

A person didn't need to speak to play cards well. Sophie was ruthless and aggressive. Sometimes too aggressive. Often, she knocked too soon and would be set back. We sat at my small kitchen table and played Gin for about an hour. Each of us won the same number of games. When I asked if she wanted to play something else, she was adamant about playing a tiebreaker.

After a few hands, my score was 96 to her 98. The next hand would determine the winner. By dumb luck, I was dealt a perfect run and a set of two kings. When Sophie discarded a king, I knew I had won with a big gin.

I almost didn't pick up the king, thinking I should let her win. Maybe she needed a small triumph. If she discovered I handed a victory to her though, I didn't think she'd like it. She'd want to beat me on her own terms.

I picked up the king and threw down. "Gin!"

Sophie blew a stray lock of hair that had fallen in front of her eyes and shrugged in a you win some, you lose some gesture. Then she picked up her pad and wrote: Can I drink one of the beers in your fridge?

I hesitated, remembering her age. "Just one, okay?"

She saluted and wrote: You want one?

"Not tonight."

Sophie returned to the table with her beer and regarded me.

After a few minutes of silence, I asked, "What do you plan to do tomorrow while I'm at work?"

She sipped her beer and seemed lost in thought. She picked up her pad: Make your breakfast, read my Bible, and then I'm going to clean your cabin.

"No, Sophie, you don't have to clean. You're my guest, and I want you to relax."

Cleaning relaxes me, and your windows are filthy. Have you ever washed them?

"Why should I? That's what the rain is for."

I'm gonna come across this table and squeeze your wrists.

I made a big deal out of sitting on my hands. "Please don't, they're already black and blue."

She grinned. What about breakfast? What do you eat?

"I get up at half past four in order to be at work by six, and I don't eat breakfast. Please don't get up early on my account."

I'm used to getting up early and going to bed early.

"Because you grew up on a farm?"

She cocked her head. How do you know that?

"You told me about shooting groundhogs."

She nodded.

It seemed the perfect opportunity to pry more information from her. "What kind of farm?"

After studying me for a long moment, she wrote: Dairy.

Her curt response and cautious facial expression left me with the impression I shouldn't push further.

After finishing her beer, Sophie moved to the sofa. I had left the TV on after watching the news. The last few minutes of Jeopardy was being broadcast.

I joined her and we watched until the show was over.

I pulled the iPad out from the end table drawer. "Sophie, I can only get a few local stations with my digital antenna. If you want more variety, I can open a browser window and sign us up for Netflix."

She shook her head and wrote: I don't watch much.

"You're really a low maintenance woman, you know that?"