After all these years, I was looking forward to my class reunion. I had moved out of town about 6 weeks after graduation and never looked back.
After a stint in the service, I started doing construction and within a few years started my own business out in the suburbs.
In addition to the guys that work on the construction side, my small construction/real estate business has done well enough to hire some office help.
I met my wife when she applied for the receptionist job I had posted.
A few years later, she took a job at the headquarters of a big corporation in the city.
Most of the alumni coming from out of town were staying at a local hotel so the first night's get together was in the lounge of the hotel.
I won't bore you with the mindless chatter that went on. If you've ever been to one of these things you know what I'm talking about.
About 10:00 pm most of the couples that had traveled a long distance started heading up to their rooms so about a half dozen of us couples
decided to head over to Mark's house for some cards and drinking.
When we got to his house the guys headed down to the finished basement to play some cards while the wives stayed upstairs and talked about the women that weren't there.
Nina was the only outsider in the group so she didn't have much to add to the conversation.
We all started out with between $200.00 and $250.00 but it wasn't long before a few of the guys had lost all they were willing to loose in one night.
Finally, it came down to Mark and I. Going back and forth neither one of us really making any ground on the other.
The rest of the guys were just hanging out B.S.ing and drinking beer.
Eventually I had to get up to take a leak. I asked if it was ok to have Nina come down and watch my cards while I took care of business.
I text-ed her to come down to the basement and she arrived a few minutes later.
I told her it was ok to play a few hands but to not loose the mortgage. Everyone laughed as I headed upstairs.
As I was coming out of the bathroom I saw Greg's wife Bonnie and started talking to her. Next thing I knew, 15 minutes had passed.
I excused myself and hurried back downstairs to the game.
When I returned, almost all of the money was in the pot and Mark and Nina were "seeing" and "raising" each other in $50.00 dollar increments.
She said "I got him! I can't loose! He's bluffing!"
Suddenly, Mark said "I'll see your 50 and raise you... Let's see, let's say another 200. That's everything I've got."
Nina smiled until she realized that she only had $50 left.
"Oh shit!" she said turning to me "Quick. Give me some cash."
"I don't have any more cash." I told her "You spent it on that blouse you're wearing that you just had to have."
