Ballad of the King
You can say that I've known him for a long time. It was thirty years ago but I remember the day I met him as if it were yesterday. Of course, my hair wasn't grey then. It was a simple time. I remember that Chubby Checker's "The Twist" had just come out. I was at the new Night Club – Dark Door.
I was at the poker table flexing my muscle; he was on the floor dancing with all the women. All men could do was stand by the wall and be jealous. I admit I too was jealous, but I admired him. I could tell that he was not quite welcome at that establishment; the owner of the club had a brother who died in Pearl Harbor. You could dice the tension in the room and serve it with a side salad.
I hadn't spoken to him prior. None of us knew about him. Except that he sure could do the twist about as well as Chubby himself and sure had a funny hairstyle. This was the time of grease-backs and pompadours but his hair was wild. But I digress. I was at the tables and I was hot tonight. I had already won a grand – not bad for an anthropologist. People underestimated me because of the fact and I took their money. That's how it went.
On the table there were 3-4-A-5-A. Fat Tony and I were the only guys left in the table with $2000 in the pot. He was undoubtedly good, but he was an open book. His face screamed 'Straight'. I would have bet another thousand just on his hand being a 2 and a 6. Texas Hold 'Em is game of chance but I made my own luck…
Fat Tony layed down his cards: 2 of clubs and 6 of hearts. "Straight," says the obese Italian.
Arthur smiled. "This fat guido fell right into my trap."The blond lays down an Ace of Clubs and 3 of Diamonds. "Three Aces and two threes. Full House." Tony pulled out a .44 millimeter. It was mostly a surprise that he could fit those sausages through the hole.
"I should kill you here and now, you cheating cockroach," Tony yelled at the Anthropologist. The Italian reeked of beef and marinara sauce.
"I didn't cheat!" Arthur tried his best to keep his cool but his voice jumped.
The fat man moves his finger closer to the trigger. "I'm gonna lay you out here and now. I own this town."
"Just keep the money. I would rather live."
"You think you're off the hook, Hopkins? I fucking hate people who cheat me. Ten-thousand Dollars. That's the price of your life."
The blond anthropologist falls back in his seat. "I-I-I don't have that kind of money Tony!"
"Too fucking bad!"
"I do," a calm voice said. A wad of cash fell right in front of Tony, ready for his snacking. It was the wild-haired dancer. The fat pointed the gun at the Japanese man. "This don't concern you, ya Jap."
"I berieve it does," the man reached into his pocket for a cigarette and placed it in his mouth. He then reached into his back pocket and pulled out a zippo with the inscription "Game Time" written on it. The flame ignited the cigarette and the pulled the stick from his mouth. "I am buying this man's rife."
"You a friend of his or something?"
"Something rike that."
Arthur was speechless. His mouth quivered, hung on every action of the man of the east. Tony let out a heavy laugh.
"You're funny, samurai-boy. He ain't off the hook. That 10,000 bucks you just gave me was the deposit. You'll be playing me for his life. They got poker in Japan, Toji or are you too busy dropping bombs on each other to care about fine games such as this? If you win, you keep your money and take this piece of shit with you. If you lose, There will be two nameless plots somewhere in Upstate New York."
"You sure talk a rot, Mr. Fat Tony." The Japanese man smirked and huffs a bit more of his cigarette. "I accept your terms."
"Is he for real?
"You're Big Blind." Tony bended over and pulled out money from the safe next to him. He dropped ten thousand cash. The dealer dealt Tony and the Japanese man two cards each. The crazy-haired man doesn't flinch while Tony seems excited. The dealer puts down a King of Diamonds, a Jack of Diamonds and a King of Hearts. That fat man's cheeks flared. "I already won this."
"The rast two cards have not been deart."
The dealer put down 10 of Diamonds and King of Clubs.
"Boom! You fucks are dead!" Tony flashed his cards: King of Spades and Ace of Spades. Four Kings – I win.
The Japanese man smiled. "No. You have not. Your hand is powerfur but you rack the fundamentar and understanding of the game. You rack the Heart of the Cards." He turned his cards over and reveals Ace of Diamonds and Queen of Diamonds. "Game!"
Royal Flush!
"He won!" Arthur yelled. Tony reached for his gun. The obese man struggled to point at the winner. There was something in the Japanese man's eyes, a monster within him had been awakened. The beast lurked in the shadow of his eyes, bloodlust. The God of Gambling was on surely on his side.
The man of the east punched his lights out. Arthur grabbed the gun and pointed it at the dealer.
"You better leave this town, Arthur. You're not welcome here no more," the dealer said.
The Japanese man stood up and took back his money. "Ret's go!" The two exited together. Arthur kicked the gun in the sewage drain. The mysterious man walked in the opposite direction. Arthur stood in front of the man.
"Wait. You saved my life. I owe you."
"You owe me nothing. Stay out of troubre," said the man as he attempted to walk around the Anthropologist. Arthur grabs the man's hand left hand with his right. The man snatches it from Arthur.
"I berieve you have the wrong idea."
"Please hear me out. I cheated."
"You think I did not know that. It was written arr over your face."
"Then why did you save me?"
The man shakes his head. "I saved you because you are a good guy. You just but off more than you could chew."
Arthur rubbed the back of his head and awkwardly smiled. "I guess I am transparent. At least tell me your name."
"I am Mutou Sugoroku."
"Y-y-you're Sugoroku Mutou. You're the King of Games!" Arthur eyes bulged.
"I am not a fan of such titres, but I do enjoy games. I was hoping to stay here for a week more but I see that I go."
"Where are you going?"
"Egypt." Sugoroku put another cigarette in his mouth.
Arthur lit the stick. "Let me go with you."
Mutou dropped the cigarette and tried to escape the blond. "I am not so sure."
"Please. Let me go with you. I can be helpful."
Mutou placed his hands over his face. "…Fine."
We shook on it. I knew I annoyed him but something about him made me want to stay. I have never been a person to want friends, but Suguroku Mutou was the exception.