43
Scrabbled together
Photo
Isabel Huber, left, and Elaine Monteleone play Scrabble at the Poland Library. The friends have been playing Scrabble together for more than four years and enjoy each other’s company.
STORY and PHOTOS
By KATIE RICKMAN
POLAND
The game is just around the corner from Kravitz Deli inside the Poland Library — where the winner will buy dessert.
“Oh! I knew you would find something good,” Elaine exclaimed while looking down at her Scrabble tiles, hoping for a strong comeback after her friend Isabel upped her several points, winning the round at the library on a recent Thursday.
The women, both of Salem, have been playing Scrabble together weekly for more than four years. The friends first met at a Scrabble tournament at their hometown library in Salem and have continued playing. The two friends have traveled as far as Punderson State Park in Newbury to play a few hours of the lengthy game.
Since the weather change, the two decided to take a drive to the Poland Library. “We love it [the game] … It’s challenging, you learn new words and it gets us together and out of the house” said Huber.
Although the games the friends play are intense and serious, they joke in between turns, keeping track of their progress on a sheet of paper while enjoying time out together.