Twenty years ago, Marcia Miller, who is now deceased, and Kathleen Ernster brought to Cuero a game that they had been playing with their Rockport friends —Mah Jongg, an activity filled with fun, fellowship, and exercise for the brain Originating in China, it uses colorful tiles that are somewhat like dominoes and that you make into hands similar to the ones in Gin Rummy. Kathleen and Marcia formed a group that plays on Tuesdays either at the County Club or in members’ homes.
One great feature of Mah Jongg is its fluid nature. Unlike Bridge, where if you don’t have a fourth player you’re stuck, a table of four is ideal but three can make it work. If there are five players, one can rotate in after a round of play which lasts about fifteen minutes.
Most winning hands are worth twenty-five cents. Skill and luck are both important, and while a penny a point with a $5.00 limit on losses for a day may not seem very steep, everyone wants to come home with a nicely filled coin purse. Those quarters can give you a lift, but even on a bad day, where else could you have that much fun for five dollars?
The group has members ranging in age from their sixties to 100 years old! We have named ourselves the Wildflowers because of the importance of wildflowers in Cuero culture and since one of the important Mah Jongg tiles is called a Flower. While not actually very wild, we do have fun and through the years have gone through many significant life events together.
Various members have gone to tournaments as far away as Las Vegas, Charleston, South Carolina, and Nashville. Cuero ladies are regulars at tournaments in Rockport and other nearby towns, and we usually are serious competitors. If you asked any one of us how much we enjoy the game, we would all say we love it and admit that we’re somewhat addicted!
