The Gambler Page #5

I'm not putting on a show

for your goddamn amusement!

What are you doing? Making sure

you got nothing left at all?

- Here.

- All right. Lakers come through...

I'll be here with this

in the morning, plus what you win.

Plan on it.

- You all right?

- Yeah.

Look, I don't understand

any of this.

Do you like havin' people come up,

break in on you while you're asleep?

Huh? 'Cause I sure don't.

The way it seems to me,

you're just throwing it away.

And I don't mean only money.

Look, it's just something

I like to do.

I like the uncertainty of it.

I like the threat of losing.

And the idea that...

I could lose, but that somehow

I won't, because I don't want to.

That's what I like.

I love winning.

Even though it never lasts.

Will you come to bed

with me now?

In a little while.

I want to take a bath.

Seattle has a spectacular rally

here in the fourth quarter.

They've got the lead now over

the Lakers by a score of 109-108...

and they're about to blow

the lid off this place.

Right now, just nine seconds

remaining in the game.

Jerry West is at the foul line.

A three to make two situation.

He could put the Lakers

back in front.

Jerry is up there

for the first one.

It dips in, spins around,

comes out. No good.

Piece of sh*t!

Like a motorcycle in a motordrome.

Here's the second one.

That looks short and is short.

Comes off the lip of the rim.

And now the pressure really

mounts on Mr. Clutch.

Missed, you scumbag.

All Jerry can do is tie it up.

Something is said there

between Hairston and Jerry West.

Here's the third shot.

It's no good!

- He missed with the hat trick.

- Three f***in' shots.

It comes right back to Jerry West

at the free throw line.

He fakes to his left, goes up.

Fires from 15 feet.

It's good!

The Lakers lead it, 110 to 109.

Seattle has no time-outs left.

Here's a surprise.

Seven-footerJim McDaniels

having the ball out.

Throws it the length of the court.

It's intended for Spencer Hayward.

Gail Goodrich hits the ball.

It rolls into the corner.

Hayward's after it.

One second left. He picks it up.

He hooks.

There goes the buzzer!

The shot is good!

Seattle wins the ball game.

Fans, Seattle has defeated

the Lakers on an incredible shot.

The final score:

Seattle 111, Los Angeles 110.

The crowd coming out. Hayward

punches his teammates'shoulders.

One of the most inspiring victories

in the history...

of the Seattle franchise...

Not home.

Billie?

Hey, Axel! Pull up a chair.

- What do you wanna eat?

- Just orange juice.

- Orange juice? That's all?

- Yeah.

Gus, four orange juice.

Here, eat this while you're waitin'.

What are you gonna do

with four orange juice?

That's Axel Freed.

He's a famous writer and professor.

He just got out of the

worst trouble of his life.

Yeah? I had a teacher, used to bet

with me. Horses and baseball.

He disappeared last year.

What do you teach? Shorthand?

- English.

- Yeah. That's what he taught.

Shorthand and speed readin'.

Roast beef sandwiches

all right with you guys?

I'm so sick about the Columbia-Brown

game, I'm lucky I could swallow.

Tell us about it, Benny.

Tell what? I got

middled on the game.

Rotten, lowlife,

Ivy League faggots.

- Hey, Axel's a Harvard.

- That's all right. He don't mind.

Come on.

We'll be right back.

Leave us alone, all right?

I'm short, Hips.

How short?

I had it all, but I

lost most of it back.

- How much you got?

- Fifteen.

Fifteen, huh?

Fifteen thousand is all

you got out of forty-four.

Fifteen hundred.

What did you tell me

you had it for?

Don't you know what this does to me?

I had it promised out.

Now what am I supposed to do,

print it myself?

- Give me a week.

- I don't have it to give you.

If you don't come up

with that money in 24 hours...

it's outta my hands.

- Whose hands is it in then?

- Don't even ask me.

Just get the money.

- Yeah?

- It's Axel. Is Monkey there?

- Who are you with?

- No one.

- You sure?

- Come on. Push the buzzer, Howie.

- Can't be too careful. You know?

- Right.

- Where have you been?

- How are ya, you sick f***?

- I been lookin' for ya.

- How 'bout that, you degenerate!

I'm mad at you. You got

that Big Bernie on my back!

He's a creep.

What's the matter?

You don't snort no more?

Not even to be sociable?

Come on. Just to be sociable, huh?

Hey, Howie.

Tell Axel to be sociable.

Be sociable, Axel.

I need cash.

- I said to play black, didn't I?

- Yes.

Black was the hot color,

and you had a nice streak goin'.

Axel's in the hole again.

- How'd you get in the hole again?

- I maneuvered.

Losing's easier than winnin'.

Am I right, or not?

What do you need, sweetheart?

Another Shylock?

There's a smelly Syrian

just opened up downtown, babe.

- I need three winners to get back.

- Do you hear him?

If I had three winners, would I

be with an ugly junkie like this?

- Gimme a winner, you germ.

- Stop calling in a winner.

The game ain't even started yet.

How do you like this guy?

Give him a game.

Lakers over Orlando, layin' nine.

Get down early.

It'll be off the board by 6:15.

Thank you.

Hey, Axel. You wanna

f*** my girlfriend?

She's $60 on the street.

For you, nothin'.

- I'll take a rain check.

- I won't even watch.

I'll lock the door.

You can tape the keyhole.

Sports in the NBA tonight.

The Knicks were idle...

but Boston gained on first place

by downing Atlanta, 108 to 94.

Detroit slipped past Chicago,

96-95.

- Golden State beat Philadelphia...

- You wanna turn that thing off?

- In later starts, a final is in.

- Jesus! Come on.

The Los Angeles Lakers stomped

the Atlanta Hawks, 156 to 102.

Yes!

What is this, a joke?

It's gonna help you about as much

as a roll of toilet paper.

- Wanna give me a ride to Mexico?

- It ain't far enough.

As a matter of fact, nowhere's

far enough for you right now.

I don't understand you, Axel.

You didn't need this sh*t!

You could've coasted

on what you had goin'.

Listen.

I'm gonna tell you something

I never told a customer before.

Personally, I never made a bet

in my life. You know why?

Because I've observed firsthand

the people addicted to gambling.

What we would call degenerates.

There's one thing that makes

all of them the same.

- You know what that is?

- Yes. They're all looking to lose.

You mean you know that!

I could've wiped the floor

with your ass.

Yeah? How?

- Playing just games I knew I'd win.

- Then why didn't you?

Listen, if all my bets were safe,

there just wouldn't be any juice.

- Juice.

- Juice.

Whatever that means,

I hope you got a lot saved up...

because you're sure

gonna be needing something.

Billie?

Who was that?

- Nobody.

- I said who was that?

It's no good. You gotta

leave me alone for a while.

What do you mean? Is it some burden

to see me? Some sacrifice?

That's not what I'm saying.

I can't go trailin'

after you everywhere.

I got my own stuff to do.

- Come here.

- No, Axel!

Stop it.

Come on.

Simply because you're near me

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