Hard at Play

Marie was eight years old. Uncle Ronny was twenty-six. Despite their gender and age differences, they had identical hair colour and length. But Marie was a hardcore tomboy and Uncle Ronny was the lead guitarist for Cheap Shout Louie.

Marie held up her hand of cards, pushing the Joker up a little bit higher than her other cards. Hopefully, Uncle Ronny would take it. Uncle Ronny's arm was already extending towards Marie. His hand was hovering just over the Joker.

Take it, take it!

Uncle Ronny's hand quickly moves to the side and snatches the card next to it.

"Oh, a number eight. Cool. Guess I got lucky."

Yeah, you goy lucky Uncle Ronny! But not for long! It was Marie's turn. Uncle Ronny's got one card up. That must be a Joker! I won't take that one. Um...

Her hand hovers over the other cards. The card on the end was unusually low. Uncle Ronny's face flinched when Marie's hand went over the end card.

Uncle Ronny must be trying to keep that one from me. It must be an Ace!

Marie took it... what a mistake!

"Ha ha! You got the second Joker! You lose!"

Marie's eyes filled with tears.

"That's not fair! You tricked me! Stupid jerk!"

"Marie, we don't use that kind of language!" Marie's mom said. "Go to your room."

"No! Uncle Ronny's being mean!"

"Fine, I'll go to your room," Uncle Ronny said.

"Ronny," Marie's mom sighed. "Don't do that to her."

Too late. Uncle Ronny and Marie were racing to Marie's room. Unfortunately for Marie, Uncle Ronny's long legs got the best of her. There were no locks on the doors, but Uncle Ronny managed to close the door and scoot the bed in front of the door before Marie right before Marie caught up.

"UNCLE RONNY! LET! ME! IN!"

Uncle Ronny moved the dresser behind the bed.

"I hear you moving my stuff! You better let me in!"

Quietly, Uncle Ronny opened the window, climbed outside, and closed it. He returned to the living room where they had been playing Card Fever.

Marie's mom was sitting on the couch watching the news. Uncle Ronny took a seat next to her.

"UNCLE RONNY! LET ME... IIIN!!"

"You are so bad," Marie's mom said. "I remember when you did that to our cutest little brother."

"Charlie wasn't cute-he was a pain."

"Not any more than you were." She hugs him tight.

After 20 minutes of screaming and banging on the door, Marie entered the living room whining, until she saw Uncle Ronny.

"How long have you been out here?"

"About twenty minutes now."

"Why did you do that?" Marie whines. "That's not funny."

"I thought it was quite funny. Baby girl, you need to learn to calm down and just chill. That's my purpose in life-to help you learn to chill out."

Marie was exhausted. Instead of arguing with her Uncle Ronny, she climbs into her mother's lap, staring thoughtfully into her Uncle Ronny's eyes.