San Francisco State University - Franciscan Yearbook (San Francisco, CA)

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y V , W ,. W wWW--.-W-,--------.- l P k l Bill dealt the next hand and called the same game. Tommy took his cards in the same careful way. He peeked at them and was elated to see a pair of queens. I wonder what these guys have, Tommy thoughtg I can't afford to lose another one. He opened the pot for three, kept the queens, and drew three cards. He felt he' had to win this one. The evening was almost over and he was out money. The thought saddened as well as enraged him. He thought over what he could have done with the money if he hadn't lo st. The amount grew in his mind until it seemed he had lost thousands. Hell, I'm going to make sure this time, he thought. He peeked at the three cards he had drawn. His spirits soared as he saw another queen and apair of six's. l'll fix these guys now, he thought. Aloud he said, l'll get us some beer, fellas. Tommy rose and went into the dark kitchen. He rattled glasses and bottles, making as much noise as possible to make sure they heard him. Then he hurriedly set down the things on the sinkboard and tip- toed to the crack between the door and wall. He looked at the exposed cards of his three friends. Pete, on the right, had three of a kind. Bill was in the middle and held a pair of aces. Rayan was too far left of the crack for Tommy to see his hand clearly, but it looked like two pair. -He squinted, trying to see that last card. ' Hey, Tommy! Come on with that beer! Bill yelled and looked toward the kitchen. Tommy started back in surprise. Had Bill seen him? He felt tense and shaky. As he tiptoed back to the sink, his elbow knocked an empty pan off the stove. It hit the floor with a crash. What the hell are you doing in there? Pete asked, and Tommy heard his chair scrape as he got up. Tommy answered in a quivering voice, I can't find the opener. Pete came in and switched on the light. This might help. You've been here enough times to know where the light is. He opened the drawer and took out the opener. Look out. I can have this done before you could get the cap off of one of them. Tommy retreated to the other room, avoiding Pete's eyes. He could feel them knifing into his back. He was sure they knew what he had been up to, and he was afraid to face the others. He walked stiff-legged and it seemed to him he was making himself obvious. Bill and Rayan looked up as he walked into the roomy their eyes seemed to accuse him. He wondered what he would say if Bill should ask him why he had peek- ed through the crack. It was so real in his mind that he found himself 2

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-7.ffiQk's A ' 'i i-3 -Q A, 1 ag, 132.71 ., ,. l. ' f f ,rig-317. Q r W I 'Q Z yi 'iiQQhlS 21i'i' 'Et ' t f - , M... f - jg xiii. 92 h -..- ,, ,cg ,,V . .fy y ' .1 tl--, a ' 5 L. f , Q' ., -t ii: 3' l 'Sgt - ,., 4:5 - - . 'l , .:' tr' ' ni V 3, V FRIDAY night SPORT The game had been in progress since eight o'clock. It was the regu- lar Friday night session which had started almost a year ago among Tommy Eavers, Pete Nunley, Hill Johnson, and Teddy Rayan. Tommy had been losing and, with the other three kidding him, had sunk deeper and deeper into a nasty mood. It wasn't that they always kidded the loser, but Tommy had been the winner for weeks on end and had made' wise remarks about superior playing every time they had gotten together. Now with the situation reversed, they were getting back at him in a good-natured way. We'll play a little draw, Pete said as he dealt. Jacks or better to open. Tommy picked up his cards with great care as they were dealt, mak- ing sure he didn't see any of them before he had all five. He felt that if he saw any of them singly, it would bring him bad luck. He turned them over and slowly slid them apart, squinting his eyes and holding his breath as if to make his wish come true. As they came into view, he saw three, four, five, and six of spades. His heart beat faster. Then the two of clubs showed and rage took the place of hope. Ah hell! The damn cards are against me! I can't draw a lousy thing! He threw his cards on the table with such force that they skid- ded off and fell to the floor. 21

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answering half aloud, Peeking, I didn't ... What the hell are you mumbling about? Rayan asked, looking at Tommy in surprise. Say, Tommy, are you sick? You're whiter than a spook? A Tommy felt this was his break, at least a way out. Yeah, Hayan, I got hit kind of sudden out in the kitchen. Must be that damn flu. Lemme sit down for a minute, I'll be okay. He pretended faintness as he walked shakily to his seat. Think we ought to break up the game, Tommy? Bill asked. No, fellas. No. l'll be okay in a minute. I just haven't gotten over the effects of flu. There's no need to break up the game. Pete came with the beer. Why the hell didn't you say something in the kitchen? he said. I didn't mean to yell at you out there. I thought you were taking your time and we were waiting to play. A glow of self-importance grew in Tommy. A feeling of brotherly love choked him. Sit down and play, fellas. l'm okay. Honest. Hell, a little flu isn't going to break up our poker game, is it? He said it in a brag- ging voice to show- he didn't care a bit for his own feelings so long as the rest of them were happy. They were all seated now and picked up their cards still giving him concerned looks. Tommy picked up his cards with an intense feeling of happiness. I'm glad that's over, he thoughtg I'd hate to have them catch me cheating. He shuffled his cards, his hands still shaking. He fanned them out and thrilled anew. at the sight of the three queens and two six's, just as if he hadn't known they were there. He was a little an- noyed because he didn't know what Rayan had, but he felt he had to take some chances. He knew he had the other two beat. O . V 'll ff? O T , W - , 23