Wind Chimes
We were on the balcony at the Riverside sipping drinks. It was a pleasant evening, although an increasing breeze was rippling the surface of the river. There was a hint that the weather was worsening.
“What is it about wind chimes? Why are they so popular?” Millie mused. I assumed the questions were rhetorical and declined an opinion rightly so. She went on to explain that her neighbour’s wooden chimes clattered away day and night whenever it was windy. They were close to her bedroom window and disturbed her sleep. “What’s to like about them?” she continued. “They’re supposed to be calming, not irritating.”
I was unable to offer any advice; my knowledge of the devices was limited. I had heard soft musical sounds from nearby gardens and found them soothing. “Anyway,” she concluded venomously, “I think they might have an accident in this increasing wind.”
I could hear the director calling for order in the bridge room, so we returned through the bar where Millie topped up her brandy before we resumed our seats at the table. George and Sarah greeted us cordially as we arrived to play this board.
Dealer South. Love All.
| West George | North Wendy | East Sarah | South Millie |
| Pass | 1❤️ | Pass | 1♠️ |
| Pass | 3♣️ | Pass | 4♠️ |
| All Pass | |||
Millie (South) opened 1♣️. Our opponents passed throughout. I responded 1❤️ and Millie rebid 1♠️. I had to choose between 2♣️ or 3♣️, and chose the latter. Millie accepted and bid the spade game. With hardly any wasted values in hearts, the contract looked possible.
Dummy’s singleton jack won from George’s opening lead of the ♣️ 4. Millie, as declarer, ducked a trump from dummy round to George, who played one back. Millie rose with the ace and Sarah’s queen dropped. On a small heart from dummy, Sarah ducked. George won with the king, cashed the ♠️ K, then a heart was covered and ruffed. Sarah now had two spades and five hearts. If the opening lead was from four to the queen (as seemed likely), the contract had a good chance of making.
At this point, rather unethically but with humorous intent, George whispered, “If this contract makes, I’ll buy everyone a drink.” Millie decided to place the ♦️ J in the four cards held by George. She cashed the ace, then the king of clubs, and when the queen didn’t fall she finessed the ♦️ 10. Then she continued with ♦️ Q, came to hand to cash the top two diamonds, and finally ruffed her club loser in dummy.
Looking straight at George as the contract made, Millie announced, “Mine’s a double brandy. Wendy, you’ll have another glass of claret, won’t you dear?” Then in a louder voice to the room: “What are the rest of you drinking?”
“I only meant this table,” murmured George, crestfallen, regretting his promise. Sarah was annoyed and accused him of breaking bridge laws and breaching BBB guidelines. The traveller showed that 3♣️ and 4♠️ were popular contracts making nine or ten tricks.
George apologised and kept his promise by delivering a double brandy and a large glass of claret to our table during the next round. I noticed Sarah with a gin and tonic, presumably her consolation.
Later in the pub, Kate had no instant recall of the deal in question. With difficulty, the board was located on her scorecard as 3♣️ making nine tricks. “I hope George isn’t too upset,” I remarked. “I doubt it,” Millie replied. “But if he is, I’ll find him a wind chime to soothe his tortured soul. In fact, I know where I can get one for free I expect it’ll be lying in my garden in the morning. The wind is certainly getting up. Drinks all round, everybody – this time they’re on me!”
