Jim Doran and his two brothers-in-law, Joe and Steve Mirota, are carefully scrutinizing their cards as they engage in a friendly game of Pinochle. They don’t even seem to notice they are having their picture taken. Back in the 1950s when family got together, the men often regrouped at the dinner table to play Pinochle or some other card game while the women retreated to the front parlor to catch up on family gossip. We children might have been sent outdoors or to the sun porch to play board games and admonished to be quiet and to stay out of the grownups way.

This photograph was taken at Steve and Jean Mirota’s lovely home in Dunellen, NJ, probably in the late 1950s. Two tables are butted up against each other to make room for everyone. An ash tray is on the table as all three of the men smoked cigarettes back then. I don’t think any of the Mirota women ever smoked as it wasn’t considered by them to be ladylike. The two tables haven’t been separated so dessert and coffee will probably come later. Since there are only three players this particular day they don’t need the fourth side of the table anyway.

Pinochle is not a game I ever learned to play. I had to look it up on Wikipedia to find out that “each hand is played in three phases: bidding, melds, and tricks.” Since there are no cards on the table yet, they are probably still in the bidding phase.  Can anyone guess from this photograph who is going to bid first? From left to right they are Joe, Jim and Steve.

“Six Word Saturday” is the brain child of Cate at Show My Face. She encourages everyone to play along by posting 6 words that describe your life or a moment of it. You can keep your post to six words or add some background to explain.