Seventeen Unit 28 residents gathered at the Wainscotts’ home for an evening of cards, games, food, wine and the kind of laughter that makes the neighbors wonder whether they missed something important.
They did.
The house was divided into several highly competitive—or at least highly enthusiastic—gaming zones. Poker players attempted to maintain their best expressions of complete innocence while quietly plotting one another’s financial ruin. At the mahjong table, tiles clicked, strategies unfolded and mysterious words were spoken with great authority. Meanwhile, the board-game group battled for glory, bragging rights and the satisfaction of knowing they had actually read at least some of the instructions.
No official referees were present, no disputes required legal counsel and everyone remained friends—or at least agreed to behave like friends until the next gathering.
Of course, no Unit 28 event runs on competition alone. Wine flowed, appetizers appeared from every direction and a delicious salmon chowder took center stage. The table was filled with enough wonderful food to suggest that everyone had been told to bring an appetizer—and then interpreted that instruction as “prepare for a small army.”
There was sampling, second sampling and the occasional third trip made purely for quality-control purposes. Calories were not counted because everyone knows that food eaten while playing games and laughing with neighbors is nutritionally invisible.
The real winner of the evening was Unit 28. Seventeen neighbors came together, shared wonderful food, tried their luck, tested their skills and laughed—a lot. Some won, some lost and some may still be debating exactly what happened during that one questionable hand.
By the end of the night, cards had been dealt, tiles had been matched, games had been played and appetizers had been thoroughly investigated. Most importantly, friendships were strengthened and new memories were made.
Game Night at the Wainscotts proved once again that Unit 28 residents know how to turn an ordinary evening into a full-scale social event. If laughter, good food and great company are the measure of success, this gathering hit the jackpot.
The only unanswered question is: When do we play again?
