Harry was a champion chess player—many trophies lined his walls as evidence. If Harry couldn’t find a chess partner, then a good game of bridge was an adequate substitute.

Irene was Harry’s VITAS volunteer in the Dallas program. On her first visit, Harry invited Irene to engage him in a chess match. When she declined, he asked about bridge. On her next visit, Irene arranged for two of her friends to accompany her. She and Harry proved to be a winning bridge team against Irene’s two friends. At the end of the day, the foursome agreed to meet every Tuesday at Harry’s for an afternoon of bridge.

Harry looked forward to Tuesdays. In fact, he asked the other VITAS team members to reschedule their visits around that day. “Please don’t come on Tuesdays,” he would say. “I have very important business on Tuesdays!”

On Tuesdays the foursome played bridge until Harry tired. Sometimes that would take 30 minutes, sometimes more than two hours. Harry always would joke with his new friends, “I can’t be bothered on Tuesdays. No visits, no appointments. And I’ll never die on Tuesday; no way would I miss this. That wouldn’t be good for any of us!”

Harry kept his word. He continued to play bridge every Tuesday and died peacefully one Monday evening.