Giancarlo Rinaldi - Poker Chips
Runner-Up in Dumfries & Galloway Arts Association Flash Fiction Competition 2006. Read by Bruce MacKenzie.
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Poker Chips
The big game. Five-card draw, six players and seven days' takings on the table. An old school affair that started on a Monday night and finished on a Wednesday morning.
"Right guys, last hand.
"That was old Pietro speaking and when he said it was time to finish it was time to finish. Otherwise his wife would chase them all out with a pasta ladle.
The cards slid smoothly across the table before being examined intently by a dozen arched eyebrows.
"Open for four hundred.
"It was typical Carlo on the final hand of the night - trying the kind of bluff that was as transparent as greaseproof paper.
"Raise it to eight.
"This time it was big Giuliano who spoke. Everybody paid a bit more attention. Three silver-haired veterans dropped out - only Carlo and Sergio stayed with him. Another big bet left just Giuliano and Sergio at the showdown.
"Three aces," said Giuliano.
"Three kings," responded Sergio with a smile.
"Jesus Sergio," said Pietro. "You must have lost £5,000 tonight and you're still smiling!"
"Five thousand?" said Sergio. "That's amazing. Fantastic, in fact. The shop must have been a lot busier than I thought..."
© Giancarlo Rinaldi 2006
listen to story
Poker Chips
The big game. Five-card draw, six players and seven days' takings on the table. An old school affair that started on a Monday night and finished on a Wednesday morning.
"Right guys, last hand.
"That was old Pietro speaking and when he said it was time to finish it was time to finish. Otherwise his wife would chase them all out with a pasta ladle.
The cards slid smoothly across the table before being examined intently by a dozen arched eyebrows.
"Open for four hundred.
"It was typical Carlo on the final hand of the night - trying the kind of bluff that was as transparent as greaseproof paper.
"Raise it to eight.
"This time it was big Giuliano who spoke. Everybody paid a bit more attention. Three silver-haired veterans dropped out - only Carlo and Sergio stayed with him. Another big bet left just Giuliano and Sergio at the showdown.
"Three aces," said Giuliano.
"Three kings," responded Sergio with a smile.
"Jesus Sergio," said Pietro. "You must have lost £5,000 tonight and you're still smiling!"
"Five thousand?" said Sergio. "That's amazing. Fantastic, in fact. The shop must have been a lot busier than I thought..."
© Giancarlo Rinaldi 2006
posted by Jules Horne at 1:28 pm
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