The Northwest Times

slammed his remaining ten dollars into the growing pot.
"My cards says another five raise." Takashi tried to sound calm, but he knew he was almost shouting. Takashi was scared, especially when that ten was his last, except for the diminishing pile of silver.
"Ain't worth it." Creeps murmured and added his cards to the pile of discarded hands.
Johnny counted out eight dollars and without hesitation called.
Sadao looked at Takashi and laughed:
"Feeling prosperous, Tak? What if I bump back, you got enough to come along?"
Takashi almost let his fist fly.
His knuckles turned white as he tightened his fist, but instead he shouted back:
"Sure, I can take your damned bumps, anytime!" Takashi was thinking about the envelope in his hip pocket when he said that and hoped Sadao wouldn't bump back.
"Well, that's nice to hear. In that case it's going to cost money to tag along in this game. Let's make the game more interesting . . . say to the tune of another ten." Sadao stood up again and fingered his bills and added another ten
Takashi didn't know what to do.
He wasn't sure of himself. If he wanted to go along with the game, it meant that he would have to take out the money from the envelope. His face turned red and then he reached for the envelope.
The money wasn't his own. It belonged to the company he worked for. He was supposed to have turned the money over to the manager, but when Takashi returned from the message, the manager had gone home. Eighty dollars rested in the envelope. Eight fresh ten dollar bills were itching his palm.
"Besides, if I win this hand ... I'll be just about even . . . I'll be able to return the money and no one will know the difference." Ta- kashi thought for a moment and then ripping the envelope open he drew out one ten dollar bill
"I'll only take one ... I'm not going to touch the rest. I'm not going to use anymore of the money."
So thinking and solemnly promising to himself, Takashi threw in the ten.
"It's cost me ten beans already. I might as well go all the way now."
Johnny dropped his ten in the center of the table and quickly discarded two cards. Sadao didn't even bother looking at his hand. He slid the top card off and tossed it away and drew one.
Takashi placed the deck on the table and then looked carefully at his cards. An eight of hearts, a six of diamonds and a five and four of spades and a club ace.
A Pat Hand?
Pat Hand! Takashi looked at his cards. Yet, maybe Sadao had something good. He might outdraw him.
Takashi felt as if his luck was changing. Besides, if he drew a three or even a seven . . . Takashi threw the eight away and drew one.
Johnny sat back, his cigarette dangling from the corner of his thin lips, squeezed the cards for what they were worth. He waited and then muttered to himself.
"Check." Takashi smiled to himself. "One man gone . . . only one to beat." He was afraid to look at his cards. He looked at Sadao's face, and hoped he would check, too.
Sadao leaned forward straining every muscle in his face and hands as he tried to catch the corner of the card. Then he sat back and started drumming on the edge of the table. For a moment Takashi thought Sadao looked worried. He waited. Sadao turned to Takashi and without looking picked two tens off the stack in front of him and flipped them into the pot.
Cold sweat broke out over Takashi's body. He felt giddy as he watched Sadao's serious look break into a wry smile. He had to look at his card. He felt his hands sticky and clammy. He tried to look as calm as possible but he felt his hands shake as he gazed too intently at his cards. It meant everything to Takashi. He had to win!
His luck had to change . . . it just had to! The same six, five, four and ace stared him in the face and slowly . . . very slowly, he pushed the cards open . . . just enough to reveal the top of a seven! His luck did change!
"Come on, you getting cold feet?"
(Continued from Page Three)
What the hell's wrong with you, careful to throw in your dough?" do taunted him and Takashi.
The words cut into Takashi like a knife and made him fluster a minute.
Takashi dug into his pocket again and drew out the envelope. He took out the remaining ten crisp ten-dollar bills and crumpled the envelope in his hand.
Takashi knew his luck would change. He was ready to show Sadao who held the better hand. He was ready to whip Sadao at his own game.
"If I win this hand, I'll put away eighty bucks and never touch it again," Takashi promised over and over again.
With this promise on his lips, he dropped the whole seventy dollars into the pot.
"All I've got! Beat it if you can!"
Takashi felt light. He felt good. His luck had changed!
For the first time that night Sadao looked at Takashi with some sort of respect and fear.
He nervously fingered his cards and looked at the crisp new bills Takashi had thrown into the pile of money in the middle of the table. He glanced at his cards again and then at his own little pile of greenbacks.
Sadao rubbed his fingers against his shirt as if to clean his hands and then licked the tips of his fingers.
No one spoke.
Takashi stared at Sadao while the others tried to look as unconcerned as possible. As if to make up his mind, Sadao heaved a sigh. He counted out the money in front of him and pushed the fifty dollars into the pot.
"Call." One word! One solitary word drummed into Takashi's whirling head as he stared down at Sadao's upturned cards. He felt cold and dizzy when his eyes caught Sadao's seven, six, five, three and...
Takashi left his cards on the table face down, slowly rose from his stool, and without a word walked to the door. Just as he closed the door after him, he heard Sadao laugh mercilessly:
"Too bad, Tak... too bad, you can't beat a better man." Someone turned the cards over and Creeps explained:
"Geeze, beaten by one card, ain't that the luck?"
Takashi stepped out into the cool night air. His head was still whirling as he wandered aimlessly down the street.
My Last Chance
"If I wasn't a d'mn fool and raise.
If...
If only I had the three instead of Sad Sack. How am I gonna rake up eighty bucks?"
Takashi was almost shouting.
"I gotta make eighty bucks somewhere!"
Takashi felt in his pocket.
The pathetic bit of silver jingled in his pocket. Takashi took it out and stared at it.
"One hundred and sixty bucks now nine quarters and two dimes."
"My only chance... I gotta win... My luck's gotta change!" Takashi cried aloud as he looked at the pitiful bits of silver he held in his shaking hand. He hurried down the desolate street and made his way to Chinatown.
"My luck's gotta change.
I've got to make eighty bucks.
Just eighty...
That's all I want.
No more gambling for me if I make it I promise.
I swear it I promise...
I quit.
Just eighty bucks!" Takashi cried and pleaded with himself as he disappeared into one of the shadowed doorways along Chinatown's narrow street with the little silver he possessed.
—Continental Times.