Chapter Eighteen in “Decades with the Squad,” by my late father, William Palmer Jervey, Jr.

This one came as a possible D.O.A. Upon our arrival at the scene we discovered a rather remarkable situation. It did indeed include a D.O.A. There was an 86-year-old female lying on the floor beside a table strewn with cards and poker chips. She was quite dead. Beside her lay the walker she had used and a heavy glass ashtray with points like a star. There was no blood and no sign of injury other than a small indentation on her left temple.

An on-the-spot investigation was conducted by the sheriff and this much was determined: Four elderly people (two males, two females) lived in the house together. All were in their 80’s, three using a walker and one a cane. They were playing poker and an argument broke out. An 85-year-old male threw the ashtry at the 86-year-old female, striking her in the temple and killing her instantly.

“I done it but I ain’t go to kill her,” said the old man.

At this point, we moved out with the body for autopsy while the investigation continued. I never found out what happened, but several weeks later I encountered the sheriff and asked him what the outcome was.

“He was given life,” he promptly replied, tongue in cheek, and would say no more.

Such irony! You live 86 years and get killed in a poker game brawl!!!