TWENTY THREE DOLLARS AND MY SISTER
"I'm in," Reed said as he tossed in three fifty dollar chips.
"Raise or call?" Tom asked, without looking at the table. He was sure he
had the winning hand. He had a full house. There hadn't been more than two of
those the entire night.
"He calls, butthead," James snorted, tossing in his own money. "What have
you got?" he asked, dropping his three kings on the table along with a seven and
an ace.
"Full house," Tom tossed his cards out on the table.
"Figures," Reed said, folding his hand. He tasted his drink and grimaced.
"James, haven't you got anything to drink but this crap?"
"Wine," he said, dealing the cards.
Reed picked up his cards and spread them. Looking at his chips he realized
that he was running low. He needed to go big this time. The bidding went up
quickly. Before he knew it he was out of chips. He had a straight and wanted to
bid it up.
"Come on, Reed. If you're out you're out," James reached for the pot. Reed
held up a hand to stop him. "Table stakes," James reminded him, waiting
impatiently.
"I know that," Reed said, reaching into his pocket.
"Oh ho, he was holding out on us," Tom laughed, then he saw that Reed was
holding pictures. He frowned and looked up at Reed in consternation. Reed held
them up. They were pictures of a woman.
"Twenty three dollars and my sister," he said, tossing the pictures into
the center of the table.
"Sorry, man, but I've seen your sister," James laughed. He picked up a
picture and whistled. "I guess I haven't seen her lately," he amended.
Tom grabbed a picture, looked surprised, then shook his head. "You can't
bet your sister, dude."
"Just look at her," Reed said breathlessly. "She has the greatest set of
tits on the face of this Earth. You would pass that up?"
"No, but she would never go along with it. I can just see myself walking
up and telling her I won her in a poker game."
"Me too, and I guarantee she will go along with it. Besides, she likes you
guys. She's said so a million times. Trust me, she'll do it. I'll arrange
everything with her... if I lose. All you have to do is meet her where I tell
you too."
"You're fucking strange," James said, glancing at the pictures again, "but
I'll do it. Hell, I can't pass up a chance like this. And she does have the
greatest tits I've ever seen. Are these recent pictures?"
"Last night," Reed laughed.
"Ok," Tom agreed.
"Ok," James said reluctantly.
"Seven high straight," Reed said triumphantly.
"Ace high straight," Tom turned his cards over with the tip of his finger.
"Fuck!" Reed screamed, hitting the table with his fist. The chips bounced
and fell over on the table. He crossed his arms with a look of anger on his
face.
Tom grabbed a picture and held it up to Reed. "Where and when, dude?"
"Tomorrow night, nine, your place," he said helplessly. He looked at the
naked picture of his sister as Tom held it aloft, and batted it away. It was
obvious from his expression that he was wondering how he would tell his sister.
Reed left that night despondent, bad tempered, and broke. Tom did feel a
little sorry for him, but his sister... She was too hot to pass up. Besides, a
bet was a bet. If nothing else it would teach Reed to make sensible bets.
...CONTINUES
IN THE MEMBERS SECTION