J. D. informed Dr Anne that she played games, not a favourite occupation of Dr Anne. On Christmas Day, she had a quiz and Call my Bluff, on Boxing Day, bagatelle and stacking chairs, at New Year, Domino 12. All was good fun. The test was to come.
Dr Anne volunteered J. D. to play scrabble with the intrepid ladies of Macrae Court. Her appearance was anxiously awaited and J. D. was guided to the playing venue. J. D. was informed that she was sitting in the scoring seat and that she was also in charge of the dictionary. She sat in the appropriate seat with her back to the fire. A. C. was on her left, B opposite and M. R. on her right. J. D. started scoring to be told that wasn't the way they scored. She was also told that the group used the old rules.
The group was ready to go. J. D. laid down her word and totted up her score, A. C. had her word down and scored, B had her word down and was scoring, M. R. was setting down her word. They finished and were looking formidably at J. D. who had not yet chosen her letters or even looked at the board. The pace was that of a Formula 1 race.
And so it went on for four games... J. D. was last in every game. J. D. was red in the face and exhausted when Dr Anne received a telephone call to come and collect her. The intrepid ladies were afraid she would get lost on the way back to East Neuk - i.e. across the road.
Brave J. D. spent the next few days studying the dictionary. She went back well prepared for a second round of Scrabble:
- it was more relaxed;
- there was chat;
- it was at a slower pace;
- J. D. had an early tea and a rest before she set out;
- J. D. knew the rules;
- J. D. wore a blouse rather than her outdoor sweater;
- J. D. was no longer the competition.
J. D. had been drawn into the bosom of the Macrae Scrabblers.
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