When heavy rains fall, the river behind Eddy Manoppo's house in Manado overflows. Water floods the living room where Eddy, Henky Lasu and their friends play bridge.

No matter. They just lift their legs onto their chairs and keep on playing.

"Bridge is like opium for us," Henky said when retelling the story of his youth to Tempo. "Wherever and whatever the circumstances, we always wanted to play it again."

Henky is 67 now. His hair has turned whit