The Ultimate Gaming System

[enitharmon]

It fits easily into the palm of the hand. It comes bundled with hundreds of games, some of them for solo play, some for exciting multi-player real-time interactive play. It's very reasonably priced, if you can find it. But it's very hard to find.

I went looking for a pack of cards this morning. Not that I actually needed one at the moment but I wanted to know where to get one when I do. Nothing fancy. Just plain, standard backs. Nothing promotional. Nothing with Harry Potter or Star Wars characters in place of the court cards. Not Pokemon or Top Trumps or other collecting cards. Not in a big box with plastic poker chips and your own green eyeshade. Just a pack of playing cards. Simple enough, really.

I did find a source. Tucked away at the remotest corner of the top floor of John Lewis, with the childrens toys.

Well, you can't make a fat profit from playing cards, can you? You can't market a New Improved Hi Tech version every Christmas and make parents feel mean for not buying one at great expense. You can't tie it in with fast food or reality TV.


What depresses me almost as much as the lack of availability of simple pleasures is the sheer gullibility of a public which lets itself be manipulated by the marketing oiks. They should be first against the wall when the revolution comes.

Comments

[abitstormyout]

I'm proud to say that The Patisserie, Long Melford does indeed stock ordinary, common or garden playing cards.

I know this because my colleague Alex bought a pack on the 27th of December when it was really dead in the shop that evening and we were playing Gin. Or Rummy. I forget!!

[beebarf.livejournal.com]

Surprisingly, our local "Tesco Metro" sells them. Having taken out half the food offering when the store was revamped, we get these - as well as a gondola end full of grey plastic coathangers, for some reason...

As soon as my gran knew we knew our numbers (I was four) she started us off on rummy and newmarket - for money! And we weren't allowed to cry when we lost either ...

Oh yes, cards gave us endless hours of fun - some of my best memories of my childhood centre round the card table

[scaree.livejournal.com]

Heh.

I'm still not allowed to play Brag with anyone who really knows me. Or cribbage, come to that ...

I blame my Uncle who aught us all the gambling games (and dirty rhymes!).

Those games were fun though.

[beebarf.livejournal.com]

I find it difficult to get takers for Rummy - I was the only person able to consistently beat my gran :o)

Oh, and my family won't play Trivial Pursuit with me either ...

[dyfferent.livejournal.com]

The Entertainer has 'em with the cheap toys, or did before Xmas.

[scaree.livejournal.com]

Oddly enough, three shops within 50 yards of mine sell them.

One had three different sizes and four styles of the basic size, one with large numerals for those with visual problems (like me).

I suspect Eastbourne has more card players than a lot of areas, or more gamblers, possibly. Or it may be the link with Tommy Cooper and magic shows ...

[tvor.livejournal.com]

Odd that with the renewed interest in poker, you wouldn't be able to find decks of cards, even without all the accessories. Pound stores or grocery stores perhaps?

[zemarl.livejournal.com]

odd, that you can't find them. they're everywhere here, last i looked. i do agree that going to a game/toy store you'd be unlucky with normal things like old-fashioned monopoly and plain playing cards, but drugstores, grocery stores, walmart all have them.

[cereswunderkind.livejournal.com]

I got a pack in an xmas cracker...

[will-42.livejournal.com]

I prefer my heritage cards from Alfred to Elizabeth II - an upshoot of which is that no-one can cheat when playing poker, because they don't have the same cards.