FRESNO, CA
Two couples at a small conservative Mennonite church in Fresno were caught swapping partners during a Rook game, and face an excommunication trial this week.
“Oh, the scandal! They’ve brought shame on us all!” said Mrs. Janz, who caught the couple red-handed after barging in on them Friday night. “As soon as I saw they were playing Rook as couples, I asked who their partners were. Mr. Fehr was with Mrs. Friesen and Mr. Friesen was with Mrs. Fehr. It was disgusting!”
The Fehrs and Friesens tried to explain that Mr. Fehr had called Yellow as the trump colour and Yellow 13 as his partner.
“There was no intent on my part to partner up with Mrs. Friesen. It just happened that way,” explained Mr. Fehr. “Mrs. Friesen and I had stacked up quite the pile of tricks before Mrs. Janz barged in and spoiled all our fun.”
Despite their pleas of innocence the church board is not taking this matter lightly.
“We banned playing cards years ago. If we can’t even trust our own fellow church-goers with Rook cards, then maybe this card-playing thing is not for us,” said Elder Schultz. “Plus that crow seems a little devilish to me. I can’t believe we let this Rook-playing go on as long as it has.”
The elder board is also hearing the case of a married man and a single woman who were caught holding a hymnal together during a recent baptismal service.
