Old- fashioned ? I suppose it is. We are all close neighbors, close in a couple of ways . Each of our homes are within comfortable horse and buggy distance to the others. That’s old-fashioned, isn’t it?

We’re all close friends. We all came to know each other, way back when, through horses in one way or another.

We all gathered last night at one of our homes to play cards. How’s that for old-fashioned ? No television. Nothing electronic, with the exception of light and heat. Surely, no video games. No one futzed with their cell phone.

Just cards and exuberant conversation. The hilarity with this group becomes infectious. Sooner, rather than later, the laughter reaches a decibel level, challenging even to those not hard of hearing. Call me odd man out.

It’s not as though we play some abstruse card game, not even poker or gin rummy. Given the aforementioned laughter level, you might guess otherwise, but we play a game that even knuckleheads can comprehend. It’s called PASS THE ACE. It’s so easy, a cave man can do it.

Players have no “hand”, rather a single card rendered by the dealer to each at the table. An Ace is your adversary. Get rid of it , if at all possible. Even get rid of cards of lesser value than the Ace, in immediate descending order. BUT, King you wish to keep. A Queen, a Jack, a Ten, a Nine… get did of them.

O.K. Commence game: You, with your single card , when it’s your turn, have the option to keep your card OR pass it to the player on your left. If you pass it, however, you must take the card of the person to whom you’ve just given yours.

(All cards are face down.)

Remember, if your card is the Ace, pass it ! Remember also, descending order is your friend. If your card is a Two, don’t pass it. If you have a Queen, by all means, pass her to the player on your left.

You do not pass your King. Possession of it precludes any player’s right to pass their card to you. (No sexist inference is intended here.) Queens just rank too highly for this game.

As the game progresses, inevitable reality sets in : what goes around, comes around. Now the person next to you, to your right, is passing to the person on their left… you.

They may have the dreaded Ace, maybe a Queen, maybe even a Ten; not advantageous cards.

Have I managed to confuse you at all ? I hope so. Normally, a general state of delirium is what we’re after.