The bridge club I play at is located within a Returned Services Club; a licensed club containing bistro, poker (slot) machines, bars and other social facilities. On Monday nights whilst bridge club members are playing bridge in club rooms on Level 2, a 'Texas Hold Em' poker game is played in the main body of the club on Level 1.
Tonight, four armed men dressed in balaclavas, entered the licensed club and held 60 patrons hostage whilst they robbed it of the evening's takings. Meanwhile 44 bridge club members (me included) were upstairs playing bridge blissfully unaware of the drama unfolding downstairs. The first we knew of the robbery was when a Police Inspector entered our club room to inform us.
In a surreal situation, the Inspector then permitted us to complete our bridge game before we dispersed to our homes 30 minutes later whilst the 60 witnesses downstairs faced a long and late evening in the club being interviewed for evidence relating to the robbery.
I can't imagine what our reaction might have been had shots been fired downstairs. Would we have recognised what was happening? Would we mainly senior aged bridge players have reacted bravely or foolishly? I'm glad no shots were fired and apparently noone was injured but it is eerie to think of us playing our innocent card game whilst something sinister was being played out only a few metres away.
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