“PUNG!” shouts Ruby Tom, aged 99.” “Aiyahhh! You skipped over my turn,” groans the player Lena Fong, aged 92. At another table, you hear a softer Judy Poon, aged 93, calling “Jee-Mo” as she flips her winning three tiles face up.
These ladies look gentle and sweet, but they all have killer instincts!
The ACC Mah Jong Club meetings Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at ACC. The seven tables fill up quickly. The ladies and a few men settle down in groups of four. Once the “MJ” tiles are “washed,” the game is on! The clicking of tiles is mixed in with laughter and whispers about who makes the best dim sum pastry and the old neighborhood gossip that happened 50 years ago!
For some participants, these shared stories are reminders of their youthful days when they once played together as kids in the old neighborhood. They are joined by others from another city, state, country, including those who are new to the game. New friendships form in this special enclave where noisy conversation easily flows through diverse languages, ages, and cultures. Mah Jong Players even banded together to form the third-largest team of the ACC Ohana Walk with 53 members. For them, ACC is truly a place to belong.
The ACC Mah Jong Club members range in age from 65 to over 100 years old. Several moms and dads are joined by their adult children, who themselves are senior citizens. It’s a diverse group: some have limited vision, some cannot hear the overlapping conversations, and beginners are just learning how to play. The passion is the same! Every tile involves strategy and wit, with bad luck changing the best planned moves. It’s a mental workout that energizes the mind and soul! Some rounds end with no winner.
The morning ends with a shared feeling of deep satisfaction. It’s a good thing that gambling is not allowed at ACC. Otherwise we would all be broke, week after fun-filled week. The warm camaraderie at the Mah Jong tables makes every one of us a winner!
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