Monday, October 31, 2005

a cemetery is like a long-running poker game...

The Tombstone Hold 'Em tourney in Kansas City's Historic Elmwood Cemetery was a beautiful way to spend a Halloween weekend. You can see my photos from the KC game here.

In the morning, Kiyash and I ran the annual 5K Graveyard Run through the cemetery, and finished with respectable times for the very hilly course: just under 28 minutes. The cemetery was actually a pretty inspiring setting for a race. When I got frustrated with the hills, I'd just look around me and think, "Look, would you rather be running up this damn hill, or be dead?" Right. Morbid, but effective.

By the way, for those of you who haven't heard Lucky's thoughts about cemeteries and poker games yet, I thought I'd post 'em here. Also pretty inspiring stuff.

A cemetery is like a long-running poker game. Same fellas at the table, by and large; a new kid dropping in from time to time. As a rule the dead play tight, and they hate to lose. Tombstones have tells too, you know. Not just what’s carved into them, either. There’s a hundred little things: the plot they chose in life, and the way the grass grows around it; whether the visitors leave fake flowers or real ones. Whether there are visitors at all. Humor an old man, and get to know a few of the better cemeteries. Think about the people there. They cussed and dreamed and drank like you do now. To love and lose is what it means to be human. We haven’t all of us loved as much as we should. —Lucky Brown

1 comment:

The Dancing Kids said...

wait.

you ran 5k... without a MONSTER chasing you?

not sure i comprehend....