By Alan Suderman
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

If you feel like testing your luck, you can find a friendly poker game twice a week in the lounge at Eagle’s Trace. And you’d better bring your “A” game in addition to a little pocket money, because the regulars are no slouches.

But that doesn’t mean they won’t make you feel welcome.

“It’s a good evening of fun,” says resident John DiFrank, as he antes up. “Even though I usually lose.”

Like any poker game, there’s a fair amount of good-natured ribbing. If you forget it’s your turn, you’ll hear about it. Win too many hands, and you’ll hear about that too.

Just ask Vernice Murray— who, they say, usually wins the most.

Queens of the table
“We let her play, even with an Irish last name,” DiFrank says, perhaps referring to the legendary luck of the Irish.

“They say I always win, but it’s not true,” Murray replies.

When one player is showing a pair of queens and looks to be the obvious winner, DiFrank says he’s matching bets “just to be sociable.”

“Well, I’m through being sociable,” jokes Murray as she folds.

Two tables over, a group of ladies is playing the card game golf.

Frankie Hope is sitting to the left of Mary Gasson, and she’s in need of a king.

“Come on, Mary. Come on, Mary,” Hope says, waiting for Gasson to pass her a card. It’s a king. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

Lucky every night
Golf is just one of many games the ladies play most evenings at the lounge. There are plenty of other games, like chickenfoot, bridge, canasta, and rummy cube.

“We play something here almost every night,” Gasson says. “It’s just a lot of fun.”

With the lounge an easy walk away from residents’ homes, it’s easy to  understand why.

“Nobody wants to drive at night,” says Muriel Kessler. “So it’s convenient to come down and play some games.”