Rounders Page #3

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selling 'em dime bags

of oregano, nunchakus

and firecrackers from Chinatown.

- Where's the rest?

- Kept us in lunch money.

- Thank you.

- Until the time we went for...

more than just pocket change

and got caught.

We had the starting five take a dive

against Friends Academy.

The point guard snapped

and gave Worm up.

They hauled him up before

the school board, offered him a deal.

Tell us who else was involved,

and we'll go easy on you.

Worm didn't say a f***in' word.

Got himself expelled.

- I stayed in school and graduated.

- [Guard] Crank the outside.

[Bell Rings]

Not many guys would stand up

for a friend like that.

- Ta-da!

- [Both Laugh]

- Mike McD. God. I knew you'd be here.

- Aw, man.

- You never let me down.

- I would have been there

every week if you let me, man.

I know, I know. I couldn't

let you see me in this sh*t hole.

- Look at you. You look great, man.

- You too, you too.

- Did they toughen you up in there?

- No, no.

It was a piece of cake.

Piece of cake.

Man, look at your ride. You've been

prospering while I've been away.

- What have you been up to?

- I borrowed it.

Whatever. Just get in it and

drive me far away from here.

There's like two whole economies in

there... there's cash and there's trade.

So I gotta keep three games

going at once, all right?

A game with the white guys,

a game with the brothers,

and a game with the guards.

And the trick is, I gotta take

enough cash off the white guys...

to lose it to the guards so that

they keep doing me favors and sh*t,

but I gotta trim enough smokes

off the black guys that I can

trade and keep myself...

in the style that I've grown

accustomed to, and all of this

without getting my ass kicked.

So you're working

with a partner?

No. Who the hell

am I gonna trust in there?

- It's just me all alone.

- What's this? Come here.

- You like that? Isn't that beautiful?

- What is that?

It's like an ace up my sleeve.

What else?

Wait till I show you some of my chops,

man. I've gotten pretty blinding.

- It's like, it's like, you know...

- All right.

It's gonna blow your mind,

blow your mind.

You been working?

Is your game sharp?

No, man,

I'm off it.

What, are you...

you gettin' cold cards?

No, man,

I mean I quit.

- [Laughs] What, are you shitting me?

- No, man, l...

- I got cleaned out.

- Mike McD? You lost?

Yeah, man, l... It was a real

blood game over at KGB's place.

You sat down with the Mad Russian

and he emptied your pockets?

Yeah. I didn't want to tell you

while you were in there.

I didn't want to

dispirit you like that.

Jesus, what were you thinking?

So, you're just a student now?

- What are you doing for money?

- I'm driving Knish's truck.

Oh, God, you're killin' me. Mike, Mike,

we gotta get you back on the game.

- The old partners here,

we're gonna run like...

- No, no, no, I'm off it.

I mean, I really am. Done.

You are, huh? All right. I know a game

perfect for the two of us.

It's a berry patch right outside

New York City... prime pickings.

- I'll drop you... I'll drop you off.

- Okay.

- I mean it. No, I'm really off it.

- I know, I know.

This is it,

this is it.

So get this, here's the plan.

I know this girl Barbara.

She's f***in' hot. I was this close

to bangin' her when they sent me away.

She works as a hostess for all these

f***in' trust fund babies in here.

She got me into

their little game.

She introduced me as her cousin

from out of town who loves to

gamble but wants to learn poker.

That sounds solid.

That's a nice hookup.

It's all the way nice. There's only

one problem. I got this feeling.

- What feeling is that, exactly?

- You know this feeling very well.

- You know, when you got

your table all set.

- Uh-huh.

- Knife, fork, sauce,

A-1, Luger's, but...

- Yeah.

- You just don't have the stake.

- Exactly. Glad you understand.

A nickel would start me

very nicely.

Whoa, Jesus, what have you

been livin' on?

I'm livin' a little light,

I told you.

- Anyway, that's $220,

so that'll get you started.

- $220, I mean...

Hey, thanks, but I mean,

that's, like, 11 bets.

I mean, I can't

even get a table on this...

Good, so forget this game. I'll

straighten you out in the city tomorrow.

No way. I gotta get started.

[Chuckles]

I mean, I'm already

behind here.

You just got out.

What's the big f***in' hurry?

The hurry is, other than you,

my friend, there's about five guys,

like, eagerly awaiting

my release.

- How much do you owe?

- Like, ten.

- Ten?

- I can't even figure it with the juice.

Hey, look, I can get

started on this easy

if it's you and me working together.

I heard you asking before, and I hear

you asking now, but I can't do that.

I just can't do that.

I've made promises.

Hey, you know what? What am I saying?

I totally understand, I do.

It's fine. I'll make a couple of moves

earlier than I would have normally...

- But thanks, I appreciate it.

- Premium hands.

- I'll catch you in the city tomorrow?

- Yeah.

Hey, Mike, man.

F***in' great to see ya.

You too.

[Mike Narrating] In Confessions of

a Winning Poker Player, Jack King said,

"Few players recall big pots

they have won, strange as it seems,

"but every player can remember

with remarkable accuracy...

the outstanding tough beats

of his career."

Seems true to me.

'Cause walking in here,

I can hardly remember

how I built my bankroll,

but I can't stop thinking

of how I lost it.

Mike.

- Hi.

- Barbara. Worm said

you'd be running a little late.

Just follow me.

I probably won't even sit.

You know, just kinda keep him company.

No, no, that's

not gonna work.

Here's the play...

you're my new boyfriend,

you're looking for a regular game.

Really? Well, I'm not

much of a card player.

Bullshit. Worm tells me that's

precisely what you are.

My cut is 25 per cent.

- I see.

- Good. Come on.

Gentlemen.

- This is my boyfriend Michael.

- [Group] Hello, Michael.

[Barbara]

Be nice to him.

- Leave him enough money

to buy me breakfast.

- [Laughter]

- Good luck.

- Thanks, sweetie.

Here, why don't you

pull up a chair.

- Okay, this one's Chicago.

- You know Chicago?

- Uh, remind me.

- Stud game.

High spade in the hole

wins half the pot.

Okay, well,

deal me in, I guess.

- That's you.

- Oh, thanks.

Okay.

- That's two on you, Murph.

- Oh, yeah. Sorry.

- I'm in.

- I'm gonna make it five.

Hey, big spender.

[Mike Narrating]

Worm and I fall into our old rhythm

like Clyde Frazier and Pearl Monroe.

We bring out all the old school tricks,

stuff that would

never play in the city...

signalling, chip placing,

trapping.

- We even run the old best hand play.

- Raise.

I can probably crack the game

just as quickly straight up,

but there's no risk

in this room.

Now, some people might look down on

Worm's mechanics, call it immoral.

But as Canada Bill Jones said, "It's

immoral to let a sucker keep his money."

Like they teach you

in One-L...

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