Whist!

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1970: IIT KGP:

Faculty Club:

I never could play card games. They called for more brains.

One evening when I was coolly reading my Oliver Wendell Holmes alone in the Club Library, there was this commotion in the Hall and Prof RSN, the Club Secretary, ran in and dragged me into the Hall. 

Apparently, a game of Whist (or its variant) was scheduled. 

That required 20 players (5 X 4), playing on 5 tables. As usual the 20th chap didn't turn up and the thing was held up. I was persuaded by RSN to stand by. The players would shuffle partners continually after every deal so that everyone would get me as his or her partner once by the time the damn thing was through. And each player would get a consolidated score which would decide the First, Second and the Third Prize. 

It went like swell and everyone had a roaring time, trying to make me the eternal dummy. 

And I retired to the Library after an hour and more and reverted to my Holmes. The Prize Distribution was going on in the Hall and suddenly there was this cry:

“GPS, where is he?”

And I was dragged back into the Main Hall. 

 

RSN asked everyone to clap, and amidst much cheering, I was awarded a Special ‘Guest’ Prize (a Rs 10 Note from RSN’s pocket) for making the event at all possible and getting the perfect score of ZERO. 

I asked RSN to sign his 10 Rupee Note, and preserved it for a long time, till I needed it desperately for a packet of Gold Flakes...

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