Lucky Toss

To wed or not to wed? A man from Texas lets the toss of a coin decide

“Heads we get married, tails we don’t”

“What? Is everything a game to you?”

“A game? No. It’s simple. You have your opinion. I have mine. The coin is neutral.”

“I don’t want to marry you if you don’t want to marry me.”

“That’s not it. It’s that you’re trying to change me.”

“NO.”

“Yeah, saying I can’t gamble anymore. It’s who I am. I was like that when you met me. If this goes a certain way, I’ll be like that when you leave. Call it in the air.”

“I won’t.”

“Ahh have some fun woman. That’s your problem, you’re too uptight.”

“No, you’re just senseless. Senseless and useless.”

“You want to marry me. What’s that say about you?”

“Heads.”

He flips the coin into the air and catches it on his palm. “Think it’s heads?”

“Yeah. Let’s see.”

He lifts up his hand. “Look’a here. It’s heads. I guess you best start planning a wedding. I don’t want nothing big. Simple is good. Dont go getting carried away with all that stuff.”

“But what about what I want?”

“It was head’s wasn’t it. I’ll be back.” He sets the coin on the table

“Where are you going?”

“Really?”

He grabs his jacket off of the back of the chair and throws it over his shoulder. He turns and looks at her and tips his hat. “Until later dolly.” She smiles as he steps through the doorway.

“I guess I got what I wanted.” She says picking up the coin. “I always get what I want.”  She flips the coin over revealing the double-sided heads.

“Figured a gambler would check the coin. Guess he’s always getting off on the odds. Too bad they weren’t in his favor.”

 She smiles as she rubs her fingers over the surface of the coin.

Two weeks later

“You did good dolly” He says as he kisses her on the cheek. “Nothing says I do like a few cows, a pig and just the people that I like. I didn’t mind your folks either.”

“Glad you liked it.”

“Well, let’s get outta here. I’m feeling like I need to bet on 10.”

“You’re always feeling like that.”

“Naw, tonight’s different. I’m feeling like I need to put it all on 10.”

“Don’t be foolish. Let’s relax tonight. None of the bettin’ talk and none of the bettin’ “

“That’s all I know dolly.”

“You know more than that. Just don’t show it is all.”

“Come with me. Let’s put it on 10 and then we can get outta here and do somethin’ special.”

“Like?”

“OH I don’t know Dolly. Figured you’d have one of them ideas in your head. You always do.”

“Yeah, I can think of a thing or two.”

“Let’s get goin’ then. Soon as I can get it then we can get.”

They get to the casino and walk to the craps table.

“We’re in luck. Marker’s black.”

“What?”

“Don’t worry on it dolly. How much you got on you? I got $200. Looking to double that.”

“Here.” She gives him $150. All the cash I have.” She frowns

“Don’t go worrying. We’ll get it back”

“He puts the money on the table.”

“Back again Jim.” the dealer says.

“Yeah, good night. Saw and owl just before I came in here. Had a rat in his left claw. Last I saw that I hit it big.”

“Yeah, a few years back right?”

“First night you saw me in here.”

“What’ll it be?”

“50 on ten.”

The other two players place their bets.

The dice lands on 6.

Next bet

“50 on ten”

The dice lands on 15.

Next bet

“50 on ten”

The dice lands on 27.

Next bet

“Not looking good Jim.” the dealer says.

“Ohh I’m not worried. This is it. 100 on ten” He looks to his new bride and kisses her on the cheek. She gives him a weary smile. “This is it Dolly. Figured out where we’re goin?”

“Yeah. New Orleans.”

“New Orleans?” 

“Yeah. Heard Bourbon street is fun. Ain’t Mardi Gras comin’ up?”

“Yeah.” He says with a smile “I did right by you.”

Jim looks up as the dice stop rolling. 9. He looks at the dealer.

“Well Jim, next time.”

Jim looks at the dice. He looks at his wife. He looks at the dice.

“Ain’t right.” he says to the dealer

“Fair is fair.”

“Ain’t right.”

“Sayin’ I’m not running this straight?”

“No sayin’ that should’a been ten is all.” He takes his hat off and looks around. His eyes land on her. She frowns.

“Next time. I’ll get it next time.” He walks away from the table.

“So that’s it?” He wife says trailing behind.

“Yeah, ‘less you have anymore money.”

“Not for you to go throwing it away on some game.”

“Some game? I’ve won that game.”

“Yeah, maybe. Didn’t tonight. Now we don’t have any money.”

“Happens like that sometimes.”

“What are we going to eat?”

“Don’t go worryin’ yourself Dolly. I always make due.”

“Yeah, when it’s just you. But you got me to think about now.”

“What you wanted. Don’t complain.”

“I’m not. But maybe this isn’t what I want.”

“What?”

“Yeah. Maybe we rushed this.”

“You’ve been on me for months bout this weddin’ thing and now that we’ve gone and did it you want out?”

“Yeah. You had to go and gamble on tonight. You couldn’t wait. This is more important to you than me.”

“If that’s what you think.” he turns and walks out of the casino.

“Wait! Don’t leave me.”

“Not leavin’ just walkin’. You right here anyhow. Can’t leave you if you’re still here.”

“Oh.”

“What you wanna to do Dolly?”

“I don’t know.”

“How ‘bout we flip for it. Heads we go get somethin’ to eat, tails we split.”

Reviews

[Marie]

Once a gambler, always a gambler. Dolly should have kown that. If he'd won on 10, he'd have lost on something else.

Good story.

[Bookish Brooks]

Thank you for the review. I was nervous to post this story because I was not sure how it would be perceived.