The 'Stache'
I was still reflecting on that cigar I had at the BLEND a few nights ago ( Cubans are nice, but give me a Nicaraguian with an Ecuadorian wrapper and I'll savor it like it was the first Rage Against the Machine cd.) when I got the call. It was from the only backer the pack had ever had. We called him the 'Stache' for obvious reason had you ever seen him. Chances are though that you never would unless you found yourself in the worst case senario or in our case he just liked you for one reason or another, and believe me he doesn't like many people.
I knew the 'Stache' in a way that some may call personally, but others would be more correct in calling grabbing a beer with your former boss. See I had worked at a restaurant he owned a few years back. He had came in every Saturday night to review the books for the week and when he did he would sit at the end of the bar, order a Bass and smoke a cig. Occasionally after I finished up and he was still there he'd ask me to grab a beer and we'd chat. We never talked about him in any depth he just asked what I liked doing besides bartending and flirting with the girls I worked with. After a few of our talks I guess he deduced either I was a pretty good card player or a really good liar, (now I know he knew both) because he had invited me to a poker game being held at one of his associates places of business after hours.
He gave me directions and just told that when I got there to tell them who I was and I'd be taken care of. I admit that at the time I didn't really know what that meant at the time just that it was okay for me to be there. When I got there I instantly realized that the game I was at was seriously above my stakes, they were playing $5/10 Limit Hold'em and all had in my pocket time was $500 and that would be gone in a few rounds unless I got really lucky. I had walked up to the guy running the game feeling just as nervous as when I had walked in, but when I told him who sent me he just looked up at me and chuckled "Sorry, should've known, he said you'd be over dressed and probably wearing what you called your 'lucky fedora', but hell I thought he was just messing with me." I remember thinking at the time that I never thought of the 'Stache' as a jokester. Sam, the one running the game, told me to go sit where I'd like and when I did he motioned to the dealer who in turn slid me a stack of multi-colored chips that looked to be around 2 grands worth and I hadn't given anyone a dime yet. Before I could say anything a guy at the table piped up and said "Looks like your playing on borrowed money, no pressure huh" he laughed. I had realized that the 'Stache' had staked me without me knowing, which made me feel a little proud and reluctant at the time. I told myself that night 'Hell I have a $500 back up and I can always quit the restaurant.". Well it's a good thing that I killed the game that night because it would be much later when I would realize just how big the 'Staches' influence really was. And the jerk from that night who made his little comment...yeah well I busted him first, and then again after he bought back in.
Memories...back to the phone. I answered and it was the 'Stache', he was just calling to "GENTLY" remind me that the pack still owed him his backing money from a tournament that we got had cleaned up at but lost almost all of it at some shady cash games afterwards. Remember how I said he "liked" me, well if he didn't he wouldn't call, there wouldn't even be a knock on the door, just a swift "good bye".--It's good to have friends. Time to call the pack, first on the list DMartini.
--SinatrasStyle
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