Crokinole

You didn't meet Don Crooks, did you? 

Yes, I did get the chance...

Don and I are great pals.

He mentioned that.

He did?

He said "You absolutely must not leave without getting a chance to talk with Beryl, because she knows everything."

Well, dear, I always liked Don.  He used to come here a lot.  They played "croak in the hole."  Did you ever hear tell of the game Crokinole?

No, I never did

Didn't you?!

What's Crokinole?

It's got a big board, and there's little round disks, and you sink them, you know.  Yes, my husband made a couple of boards.  He had the pattern, one that was bought from the store.

We would gather at different houses, play games in the winter evenings.

I figure that you must be a Scrabble player, because...oh, here's Crokinole...

Yes...

Did Barney make this board?

Let me see it.  Yep, that's the one he made.

So, two people could play--you and I could play--or four people could play.

...That looks like a fun game!

Yes.  And Don was really interested in that.

Well, I said I knew you must play Scrabble because the other night we were playing, and in the box was a piece of paper that had been used as a score sheet, and one of the names was Beryl.

Yes, oh yes.  Well, the lady from down the road, she was here this afternoon, and I beat her.  Just so happened I got some good letters.

I can remember as a boy, when we visited here, we stayed at the home of Claire Fanning...

Oh, yes...

And I remember playing Scrabble with her.

Is that right?  I love to play Scrabble.

My mother and I...we play a lot...

I live with my daughter over in Sherbrooke in the winter and...oh, she don't like for me to beat her.  She always wants to win!