Chapter 32

We received an invitation to a couple's house to play cards. I told her I was free on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays to play. We set up a game for Friday and there were three other couples. One was younger and they were in college. One was in their mid-twenties and the other was late twenties or early thirties. Dottie and I were the extremes on age at seventeen and fortyish. We met at the older couple's home about a mile from campus. She worked at Shands Hospital as a nurse and he worked as a professor at Santa Fe Community College. We were going to play a round robin and they wanted to play for money. The college kids were reluctant and offered a penny a point. The DINK's wanted to go for a dollar a point, (dual income no kids). I didn't care and neither did Dottie.

In a game to 500 I have seen spreads of over 400 points, so I said, "Why don't we set stakes on a per game basis. When we play against Lucy and Doug, (the college kids) we can play for fun or a penny a point. When we play against Bruce and Nancy, we can play a dollar or ten dollars a point. We can find a comfort zone with Liz and Mike as well. I think we need to go to the lowest common denominator or this game will be over before it starts."

Everyone agreed that was fair. Bruce and Nancy must have been behind on their mortgage because they wanted to go big. We played them first. Bruce said, "Were you serious about $10 a point?"

"We can go $100 a point but you will have to take a check if we lose by more than ten points. I only have a grand or so with me." The look he gave was one of surprise and greed. He was surprised I would have that much on me, but he wanted it all.

He said, "We can do that."

I asked, "Do what?"

"$100 a point." He responded.

I said, "If we win 500 to nothing that is $50,000. Are you serious about that? To be honest, I could come up with $5,000 in cash and a good check for another $15,000 tonight. It would take three days for the rest to clear my bank but I could have it to you by next Thursday."

"We are about the same." Bruce replied.

"So are we going to do this for real?" I asked. "If we are, I want a new deck of cards and would prefer an impartial dealer so that we are all comfortable with the results. For that kind of money I'm sure the others wouldn't mind watching."

The others were already standing and moving their chairs. Mike offered to be the dealer and got out a new deck. He shuffled seven times and then we cut to see who would be in the dealer spot. Dottie was the dealer and Mike dealt accordingly. Both teams bet aggressively and we each made our bids. We were up 80 to 50. The next hand I had two aces and a king but was light on the spades and had many cards in the ace and king suits. I bid nil which means I have to take zero hands to win 100 points. Dottie looked nervous but bid three. The others bid five. There was eight total bid. This did not look good. The cards lay out perfectly and at the end, they took four of the five extra hands. We made 131 points for the hand and they made 54. We were up 211 to 104. The next hand went almost the same except Dottie bid nil and I bid four.

I took my four exactly, Dottie made her nil and we went up another 140 points. We were at 351 and they made another 54 to get to 158. Two more bags (number of hands won more than the number they bid) and they would lose 100 points. The heat was turning up. At 351 to 158, the writing was on the wall and we were beating them soundly. The next hand we bid five for us, they bid six, and we each got our bids plus a bag (extra hand) we were at 402 they were at 219. I bid low the next hand. The bid was five and five. This left three bags or extra hands. If they took one of the three, they would lose 100 points. Their focus was so much on not taking any extra bags that I took the three extra bags plus one more to set them (they didn't take the number of hands they bid). We made 54 points to bring us to 456 but they were set and lost 50 so they were back at 169.

We bid five so we would have an extra couple to play with and not get set. Bruce bid nil to try to get 100 points. Nancy bid four. Dottie and I played as a team and we would take the hands we knew we had to take and would trump after Bruce had played his suited card. Nancy did her best but she was trying so hard to help Bruce that she took six. We took six and Bruce took one. We made 51 points to take us over 500 at 507. Nancy got 42 for her hands but lost 100 when they crossed over 10 bags for the game so they lost 58 from her. Bruce had one too many spades, took a hand, and ended up set for a minus 100. They lost 158 of their 169 points so the game was over and we had beat them 507 to 11. That is 496 points at $100 a point or $49,600. Nancy started to cry. Bruce was close but said. "Double or nothing?"

I said, "I think we have done enough damage for one night."

"You have to give us a chance to win our money back. It's only fair." He said.

I said, "OK. This is what we will do. You will give me $5,000 in cash tonight and a good check for another $15,000. We will come by on Wednesday and you will have the other $29,600 in cash. At that point I'll let you play again for the double or nothing." If you want to show me some bank statements or investment statements then I'll consider playing right now but I'm not going to offer you credit on your word. I can take your house but would want an appraisal and a copy of your mortgage first. I think that is fair."

He said, "I have about $1,000 here at the house and another $1,000 at the bank. I'll have to get the rest for our rematch on Wednesday."

"That wasn't the deal." I pulled out my wallet and I had more than I thought. I had some small stuff and fifteen $100 bills. I said, "I can go get another $5,000 tonight like I said. That is over $6,500. I can write a check on Barnett Bank down the street that you can cash on Monday. I can sell some stock and have the rest after it clears in three days. You said you could do the same. Now I get $2,000 now and hope you can borrow $98,000 by Wednesday. We won't play if you don't have money to cover tonight's losses, plus what if you lose a second time. It looks like your $10,000 max was a little low."

Bruce started to say something and then Nancy cut him off. "We don't have the money. Right now, we are behind on our payments. If it weren't payday, we wouldn't have what he has now. He 'knew' that he could win if he only had the chance. He let greed lead him into this game. Although we are behind on the payments, we do have equity in the house of about $35,000. We can either sell it or give it to you. I'm getting a divorce but I'll guarantee the difference if you will take payments over time."

I liked her. I said, "Nancy we will work something out. Why don't we come over on Wednesday and get this all settled."

She said, "I hate gambling. He has cost us everything. He got us into the mess and then destroyed us trying to get out."

We all left and Liz asked as we walked to the cars, "Are you really going to put them out on the street?"

I said, "I don't know. I'm sure Bruce will be out of the house. I'll try to take care of Nancy if I can."

When we got back to Dottie's, she said, "I was so excited when we won but was very sad when I found out their situation."

"That is the second time in a week where I was in a bet where the loser bit off more than they could handle. I had a feeling based on his actions before the game that he was either a cheat or desperate. I had no visions of walking out of there with all of my winnings."

She asked, "I had the same feeling. Why did you put us at risk if you knew the reward wouldn't be there on the other end?"

I replied, "I wanted the challenge. I thought 100 points would be the spread as well. We played a perfect game. We were in tune with each other's strategy and after the second hand, they were so desperate to come back that they took risks that were too big and didn't pay off. Maybe we can hire a nurse to move in with you and take care of our baby. We can rent out the house we get from Bruce and Nancy to put income into our baby's trust fund." I said.

"Let's keep working on the making a baby part." I gave her two loads before I left.

Sundays had calmed down and Mandy was less demanding. We still played for cash but left out the massages. Most Sunday nights, April still fucked me or sucked me off. I think Chris was the one that got the short end of the stick.

To jump ahead, Bruce and Nancy did get a divorce and he walked with nothing. He was responsible for 3/4 of the debt not on the house. He never did pay me and I never went after him. Nancy got the house, the mortgage and 1/4 of the debt or $10,000. I took the house and sold it. I got $32,000 and gave Nancy $10,000. I kept the $22,000 or just short of Bruce's part of the bet. She was debt free and had a job. Dottie offered her a room to rent and she took it. Her rent went into an account for the baby. Dottie did get pregnant after four months of trying. Nancy worked three twelve hour shifts a week and then stayed and took care of our little boy, Bill Ferguson. We did set up a trust and I managed it for them. Bill graduated college with more money than I had when I graduated. Dottie told him from day one about us and about the arrangement. He took it well and knew that his mom had asked me for a gift of a child and he was the gift she received. I would stop by and visit when I was in town, but he called me Britt and I was more like an uncle than a dad.

Dottie went to work for Penny and helped grow her business quite a bit. They were a good team. They started to buy houses when the price was right and they ended up owning over fifty rental units for college kids. Dottie and I did go camping with the camping club. They asked us not to come back after the noises they heard from our tent most of the night.

Six weeks into the semester, I received a very interesting phone call. It was from Michelle Widener. She was the teacher that taught photography my first semester and taught all types of art at the local high school. She was bisexual and sleeping with Karen. She called and asked if I would want to help one of her students?

Michelle said, "I have a girl in my photography class that wants to go further. She is looking to become a professional someday but is just starting. I mentioned you and she asked if you would consider tutoring her."

"Is she cute?"

"You are such a pig, but to answer your question, I wouldn't kick her out of my bed."

"Can I come by and see her work and meet her?" I asked.

"Today is Tuesday. I can talk to her tomorrow and see if she can bring her work in on Thursday. We can meet after school in my room. School is out at 3:30. Can you make it then?"

"Yes, I finish at one on Thursday. I'll ride over to the school. How will I find your class?"

She said, "I'll come down and wait for you out front."

On Thursday, I packed up my camera bag and all of my negatives and prints. I put them into the storage bins on the Harley and rode over to school. I parked right in front, in one of the visitor's spots. There were still kids around although the busses had just pulled out. I guessed the kids were either upper classmen with cars or they had sports or something after school. I had slung my bag over my shoulder when Michelle came up and gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek. I was a little surprised. I had been reminding myself to tone it down since she was at work.

She said, "Thanks for coming. Lisa is in my room, so let me show you the way." She took my hand and we walked to her class."

Lisa was a pretty girl and she reminded me of Maria from the cruise. She was Latin looking with olive-colored skin. She had long black hair and deep brown eyes, was about 5' 6'' and had a set of perfect breasts, not too big but not too small. She had a smile that made my heart stop.

I said, "Hello, you must be Lisa. Michelle told me that you have some talent."