"My house, my clothes, my medical records, everything I owned to that storm." said the old man sitting next to me in the poker room at Harrah's in Atlantic City. He was from Mississippi and was enjoying retired life when Hurricane Katrina decided to roll on through his town and take everything with it. He was suddenly homeless with nothing but the clothes on his back and whatever money he had in his bank account. The Red Cross gave him a change of clothing and $200 and he decided to go to Atlantic City.
"Drinks, cocktails anyone?" said the waitress with the bulging busoms as she paraded around the poker table early this Saturday morning. "I'll have a bloddy mary!" slurred the old man from Mississippi. "A virgin bloddy mary sir coming right up" and off she went to fetch the old guy his drink. I had just been dealt a Jack and a 5 and called the bet. The old man was in the hand too. The flop comes out as a 6, 10, and a queen. No help for me but the old man bets quick. So I raised him. He shoots me a look and we continue playing. The turn card is a 5 I now have a pair of 5's, nothing on this table really but I'm going to play it. The old man bets again and again I raise him. Another look at me and we continue. The river card comes up and it's a King. Like clockwork the old man bets again and again I raise him. Ever one else still in the hand folds. It's now heads up with me and him. The bet is to him he can call my pair of 5's or raise me which would have scared me out of the hand. "I don't know what you have but I'm thinking you got me in this hand, I'm out." and he leans over to show me a pair of 6's as he's folding. I take a look at the huge pot I just won and smile at him. I show him and only him my Jack, 5 and he looks dejected. I took close to $60 off of him in this hand alone and he would have won if he had called me. Instead I outplayed him and he knows it. The young buck beating the old. "You tickled me just enough to take the last bit of money I had. I'm left with nothing now." he snorts. "No sir, I just played poker" as I sat there counting all of my chips and drinking hot chocolate.
14 comments:
I still think he was lying. But, if he wasn't lying, and he went to Atlantic City & gambled away his relief money, then he deserves to sleep on the street.
Damn you cruel boy.
Ih he'd known his poker, he'd also have known that, through history, the best bluffers have drunk hot chocolate at the table.
I'd have raised you.
I felt bad at first, but then I thought screw him.
And wdky if you had raised I would have folded. The bet was going to be too expensive.
That drink is the 'Doyle Brunson' isn't it? Even in Vegas..
It might be. It was early Saturday morning and it was pouring rain outside. So when she asked what I wanted I said hot cocoa.
It powered me to walk away from the table with a shitload of cash.
I don't know whether to laugh and give a thumbs up or just feel sad. I know people in dire straights do strange things.
However, I don't think going to Atlantic City would really be a way to try and forget the pain of losing everything. I don't think you were wrong... Hell, I don't even know if he was just saying that to try and guilt people into throwing the games for him.
I just am shaking my head.
Congrats on playing a good game.
*Hot chocolate sounds very good!*
I was shocked you didn't fold and let him win...but then, I've been to Casino Windsor many times and you hear some of the craziest stories of people supposedly down on their luck just playing that sympathy card. Good for you takin' his money-he'll just have to go to the ATM and get some money out of his stash and try to sucker the next guy into folding and letting him win.
Good for you KOW for stickin' it to the man.
kow -- I had no idea you were a poker player...hmmmmm....we should play sometime. ;-)
So, you bluffed a homeless Katrina victim that had lost everything out of the last remaining dollars to his name and left him with nothing--I like your style.
Sunday night I cleaned out a couple of Hurricane Wilma refugees from Florida in a big keno game at the United Way. It was like taking candy from a baby. Or, more aptly, like taking money from the elderly.
Maybe next weekend you & I can swing by the Meals-for-Wheels truck by Logan Park and eat up all of the hot food before the homeless get there...
KARMA. If that was truly his story...then he deserved what he got.
Oh yes U B I play poker. After the old guy got up from the table another player asked me "Where do you play?" I simply replied "Everywhere".
well if he lost everything that surely sucks. but whats a dude who'se got nothign doing gambling??? trying to win back his fortune??? riiight.
also, most medical reocrds are backed up, as there exist hospital networks. Whatever, I just think he was looking for some pity.
I agree with NYM...and K O W I would have raised you :P
Post a Comment