BEACH MUSINGS: You Can Tell A Lot About a Girl Based on her Mahjongg Set

      Faithful followers of me on Facebook will know I play Mahjongg.  A lot.  Not the solitaire game on the computer where you match and remove tiles (oaky I play that a lot too!), but the REAL game that resembles Gin Rummy, only more challenging. MUCH more challenging.  The game features prominently in my latest release, “Life is a Cabernet” in the 50 Shades of Cabernet anthology, a collection of stories that combine two of my favorite things: mystery and wine!  Add in my story about mahjongg, and this is perhaps my favorite story I’ve ever written.

    I’ve been playing for 10 years now, different versions with different ladies.  It is a bit of a thinking game, so I’m hoping it keeps my cognitive wheels from rusting out. If not, well, I always enjoyed playing, even if on days I didn’t win a single round.

    In addition to the game, it is always fun—and sometimes a challenge—to play with different sets.  Mahjongg tiles are not like a deck of cards, where the backs may differ but the faces are all the same.  There are different sets of characters on the tiles, and some can be confusing.

     The most interesting thing about the different sets is each set has a story as to how the owner selected them.

     There are beautiful antique sets handed down through generations. The earliest tile sets date back to the 1870s, but I have never seen anything older than the 1920s, when mahjongg was all the rage in NYC and DC. They show beautiful craftsmanship with hand carved images and bamboo backing.

        There are antique sets purchased at an antique store, where it had been handed down through generations until the last generation didn’t think it was “cool” to play so threw the set into the donation bin! 

     There are more contemporary sets (made with granite or resin backs colorful stamped faces) and that players sell to newer players so that they can get a more custom set. 

     And it’s not unusual once a new player has caught the Mahjongg bug to ask for a set from Santa (one often carefully selected with a link sent to “Santa” so there is no mistake on which set to purchase.)

     My first set was received that way, a travel set I found under the Christmas tree one morning.

     About 5 years ago, I purchased a custom set, made to my specifications. There are so many options to choose from, from sparkly to solid, classic to kitschy, and that’s just the back.  More choices await on the character set itself.

    I chose a “sand” granite tile back, because we live near the beach. I chose a specific character set, because the “Birdie Bam” tile (the #1 Bamboo) looks like a parrot.  (Many of you know my real name is Parrott.) And I like the traditional symbols for red and green dragons.  But the best part was I had the option to say what was printed on the joker tile, limited 8 letters.  So I chose “Whoo hoo!” because one group I play with always said that when they pulled that tile. 

     So next time you play mahjongg, be sure and ask the owner about the tiles.  There’s sure to be a story there. 

    Until then, remember to...