“Sit down,” said Max when he looked up and saw me. “You can be the other player in this game of Texas Hold’em. “It’s the only online casino game that keeps my blood circulating these days so I play it all the time. Had some great wins too, old buddy. Okay, ante up!” I push a chip tentatively across the table and I draw a pair of 7’s. Max gets his cards and squeezes a narrow glance at them. I add another chip to my bet and so does Max. I wonder what he’s holding. The guy’s face is a mask, not a muscle twitching. I can’t read anything in his eyes either. I watch as the dealer drops the flop. Jack and a four. No help there.

We are interrupted by an attendant who wheels a trolley into the room. She stops and looks at the screen. “Gambling in an online casino again, are we, Max? Tsk, tsk.” “Time for my pills,” announces Max, swallowing a handful of pills followed by half a glass of water. “As soon as she’s gone we’ll switch to whisky,” he wheezes. The whisky is warm and we drink it out of plastic caps from the water dispenser. “The turn. It’s time for the turn. You betting?” Max peers at me. I add a chip. A Jack and a 7. I’m in there with three 7’s. What has Max got?  He puts down a chip. Must have a great hand as well, I think. He looks pretty confident. He fills the plastic cup with more whisky. The stuff tastes terrible. “Now for the river,” croaks Max turning over a four and a seven.

I have four 7’s, I gloat to myself. Let’s see old Max beat that. His face is like stone as he looks from me to his two still hidden cards. I still cannot read anything in his expression. “Great game this Texas Hold’em,” he says. “The game’s never over till its over,” he says, turning over four Jacks.

Posted on: November 15, 2007

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