Skip to main content

The Gamble

 I clutched on to the wooden coffee table. It left wet blotches from my sweaty palms. I took a deep breath. So, this was the poignant moment. The moment that would decide my fate. I gathered my courage and looked him in the eye. He sat across the table, grinning at me. His yellow teeth disgusted me.

‘So, are you ready?’ he asked, laying back on his shiny leather chair.

The yellow light bulb cast an eerie shadow on the wall. It looked larger and meaner than him. My throat closed. So, I nodded.

He took a pair of dice in his hands. As he rolled them between his palms, I bit the inside of my right cheek. I tasted blood and it calmed me. I closed my eyes and heard the rattling of the dice against the golden ring on his index finger. He took his time, teasing and toying with my desperation.

‘Take it,’ he gave the dice to me.

My hands shivered. I took a deep breath and dropped the dice on the coffee table. I saw them rolling on the wooden surface. The few seconds seemed an eternity. Everything that had led me to this moment flashed before my eyes.

First, I gambled away my beautiful, ‘Le Royal Grande’ hotel. As I failed to pay off my debt, he snatched my villa overlooking the snowscape in Shimla. One by one, I gambled away all my money hoping to win back my property. All I have left now is a flat and a coffee shop.

The dice stopped rolling and came to a standstill. I couldn’t bring myself to look at the table.

‘A four and a two,’ he yelled.

I gaped at the coffee table. It took me a few seconds to comprehend what had just happened. I stared at him. His eyebrows furrowed with rage.

‘I did it.’ I stood up and fist-pumped in the air. ‘I did it. I’m getting back my five-star hotel.’

‘Duh, it’s not real,’ he rolled his eyes.

‘I don’t care.’ I beamed as I moved my piece on the Monopoly board. I procured his mansion and bought my hotel with the money. ‘Ha! I win, you lose.’ I bowed down to my imaginary audience.

‘You are such a baby,’ he said.

‘Your teeth are yellower than the Sun,’ I teased. ‘And you are twelve but still afraid of the dentist.’

‘Oh, shut up.’ In one quick motion, he swept all the pieces on the board inside a plastic bag. He put away all the coins and cash, too. He frowned at me. ‘You know I let you win on purpose, right? You are a cry baby.’

‘Oh, the loser speech.’ I giggled.

He tightened his fists and stood up. As he walked towards me, he banged his little toe against the coffee table. He howled in pain.

‘It’s not your day, brother.’ I laughed and walked towards the door. ‘We can play again after you come back from the dental clinic.’

I winked at him. 😉

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Teacher with Two Wheels

Shiny spokes, sturdy pedals and a big basket. My first bicycle holds a lot of fond memories. It was the easiest way for my parents to bribe me into studying harder. Although it never happened, my parents got me one anyway. The art of balancing a bicycle was one of the greatest achievements in my childhood. Just like a bird spreading out its wings and flying without falling for the first time, it was a liberating feeling. From that point, my bicycle became my most reliable friend.   From riding it to school every day, attending tuition classes in the evening, taking part in friendly races and learning to ride without using the handle bars, I spent a lot of time with it. But what a bicycle taught me was more than just riding skills. It taught me important lessons in life. If balancing a bicycle had been simple, I wouldn’t have appreciated the patience, concentration and perseverance it required. I distinctly remember the moment after the training wheels were removed. A...
6 comments
Read more

Farewell, 4D

  A first job is always special and holds fond memories. In 2021, I got a call from Fourth Dimension Software Systems India Pvt Ltd . for the position of content writer. With my educational background, it made more sense to get into software engineering. However, after working as a developer intern, I realised that it was not my cup of tea. So, I thought I'd give the interview a go. If things didn't work out, I still had a safety net as a developer. I got selected for the job. I thought my role was just limited to writing blog posts and newsletters. My senior, Balaji Sundareswaran , introduced me to the exciting world of digital marketing. I donned multiple hats in the field and thoroughly enjoyed each one of them. I felt at home with the amount of creativity and learning the role required. That's when I decided that this was a path that I wanted to traverse for a long time. Two and a half years flew by. I got to work with vibrant teammates like Nanmaran Rajendran . I ma...
1 comment
Read more