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The porters on the Pullman sleepers were among the few African Americans who enjoyed stable employment in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These men, some of whom were college educated, were accorded a high level of respect within the black community. The porters played Bid Whist during their runs. Consequently, much of the lingo used to describe game maneuvers is travel language. For example, the cross-country run from the West Coast to Boston was "going all the way." In the game when a team takes all the books it is called "running a Boston." Indicating whether the value sequence of the cards will be from high to low or low to high is referred to as "going uptown" or "going downtown." The trash talking that is so much a part of Bid Whist, was an essential part of the porters' enjoyment of the game.