20
“He’s shady,” the owner said, and the
muscleheads came over and tore my shirt.
“See how you cheat now.”
I looked around. Mark and the muscleheads
were trying not to laugh.
Were they going to turn down the AC for me?
Everyone was looking at us.
William had a cigarette in his left hand, and a
cup in the right. “What do you want to play?
I’ll do anything.”
“Poker,” I said.
William put his hand down. “Deal.”
On the dealer’s deal, I got a 5 and he got a 6,
I got a K and he got an A, I got three 6’s and
he got three 7’s.
He kept getting the better hand.
At the end, he was just letting me flip his
<
cards.
Soon, I had lost all 20K.
“No way. You’re cheating. I can’t lose every
hand!” I stood up, pointing at him.
The owner pushed me down. “You think
you’re as good as him? William is the best
gambler in this casino!”
William said, “He’s young. It’s okay.”
I sat on the ground.
“You want to borrow money?” William said.
“I’ll lend you money and we can keep playing.”
“Not from you!” I said to the owner. “Give me
some money.”
The owner laughed. “Why would I?”
“I’ll give you my kidney,” I said.
The owner squinted. “Are you serious?”
“How much for it?”
“150K.”
“That’s it?”
“Take it or leave it.”
“Okay!”
His men brought the paperwork.
I signed.
Two of them. 300K.
“Wait!” William said. “I can buy his kidneys. I’ll
add 100K!”
Was he trying to kill me?
“William, I can get more than that!”
“I’ll add 200K! No, 300K!”
The owner said, “Deal.”
He signed a note for 600K.
