Minister wants to leave it to God
FRANK STEWART TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY
“Let me show you a deal in which I displayed fine bidding judgment,” Unlucky Louie told me.
I groaned, but Louie produced today’s layout and plunged into his narrative.
“I was East,” Louie said, “and after two passes, I opened four hearts. South overcalled four spades, and after two passes, I doubled to show my extra defensive strength.”
“So with probably the best hand at the table,” I sighed, “you preempted and then expected your partner to know what to do?”
“He passed,” Louie said, “and led his singleton heart. I won with the ten and led the ace — my highest remaining heart as a suit-preference signal. Declarer ruffed with the jack of trumps, and my partner discarded instead of overruffing with a sure trump trick.
“South next took the ace of trumps,” Louie went on, “and led the nine. My partner put up the queen and duly led a diamond to my ace. Then I led another heart, and whether declarer ruffed high or low, he had to lose a trump to partner’s eight. Down one.
“I would have gone down at four hearts,” Louie said proudly, “but my tactical opening bid pushed South into a losing contract.”
I don’t think much of Louie’s “preempt” with 16 high-card points. At Trick Two, South must discard his diamond loser instead of ruffing. On the next heart, he ruffs with the jack, winning. He takes the ace and leads the nine, and the defense gets only one trump trick.
SENSE & SENSITIVITY HARRIETTE COLE
Dear Harriette: I have been very active in my church for years. That’s why it has been extra-hard to stay away all these weeks recently. But I get it. Now that our city is opening up, our minister is eager to start services again, but I haven’t heard anything about setting up social distancing measures. He has called me many times to ask me to come in and lead Sunday school for the children and basically get things moving again. When I asked about safeguards because of the coronavirus, he shrugged it off. He said, “God will provide.”
As much as I love my church, I don’t want to risk my life. I don’t think that we can leave this up to God. What should I do?
— Back To Church Dear Back To Church: Do not succumb to peer pressure. You are right. Outbreaks from congregations gathering at spiritual centers are up. It is not worth it to go and sit too close to parishioners, sing, cry, touch — it’s just too much right now.
I say this knowing that there are strong opinions against my position. I go with the science. It has been proven unequivocally that people who gather together too closely often get sick, especially at church.
So don’t give in. Tell your pastor you will do anything he needs from the safety of your home. If he rejects you, find a new house of worship — starting with those who have online services. I know this is hard to swallow, but it’s smarter than going to church and dying.
Send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.