Thursday, April 29, 2010

Small Time Gamblers

When I was ten, I used to watch the teenager guys from our street play cards under a huge steel arch shelter on an empty lot beside my grandparent's house. It must have been about 15 feet wide inside it. I think the shelter used to be a container that was cut in half. That shelter was such a great hangout because we were able to use it during rainy days or just lie on top of it during hot days when it was under the shade of the coconut tree beside it.

In one particular afternoon there must have been a dozen older teenagers and adults gambling away. I got tired of watching after an hour and left to go to my grandparent's place which was just over the fence next to the empty lot. A few minutes later I heard a couple of police cars screeched to a stop at the gate of the lot. It was a raid. Through the window I saw guys scrambling for their lives. It wouldn't have been good to end up in jail at ten. We still played cards betting with coins on somedays after the raid.

I still like playing cards, for quarters and dimes.

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