Wilbur’s Bane

It was a fine afternoon at Encore in Boston, Massachusetts. Two dissimilar cars pulled into the parking lot. Trentwood, in his freshly polished Z4 m40I BMW,

a grayish silver convertible costing tens of thousands, where one could even see the sun’s reflection every time you look at it, stepped out of the car with intentions of winning more thousands, in a tuxedo, along with dress pants and some black dress shoes. He rubbed his face, unveiling his beautiful brown beard, shaped like James Harden’s.

Trentwood Erbs walked over to Wilbur Francis, his friend. He was met with a 70s Buick Park Avenue.

Wilbur, in his rectangular car, which from, when opening the door, one received a warm odor of feet and unwashed hair, the interior all worn down where it could be seen, for candy bar and fast food wrappers covered everything, stepped out of the car with the intentions of surviving, along with sagging white clothes with red shorts and some beat Nikes. It almost seemed that Wilbur didn’t want to be here. You could tell by his facial reaction. He looked slumped and his attire didn’t fit for this occasion.

            “Hey, man what’s with the outfit?”

“Nothing much, why ask?”
            “You just don’t look like you, ummmm, you know what, let’s head in.”

            The two headed past two large doors. The heat of the casino and the surround sound blasting hip hop to the maximum hit them at once, thrilling them. Then they saw the poker table. It was as if it was glowing, calling their name. This was the place where they would reside and spend the rest of the day at. They first grabbed some beers then settled down.

***

Wilbur was a strange man. A sort of boy-child, or half-grown infant, he was now in his late 30s, had a bald spot, and for all who knew him, came across as a flabby hanger-on, a loser, and a welch.

For over two years, he’d been living in his Buick; at a younger age his mother let him wander on his own throughout his childhood. Around the house he would sneak up to his attic where a poker set lay and would go through some games just for fun. Then this started to be a habit as several times a day he would go up. What made his interest in poker spike was that his family and cousins would actually bet on the game during family gatherings and the winner would take all of the cash. His mother encouraged this as she would pay for his entry every time. Gradually as time went by Wilbur never let go of the game. When he grew older, the casino was where he basically lived. He was there 24/7 with his friends. 

One of those friends was Trentwood who he met back in high school. Trentwood was a flashy kid as his parents were loaded. He always had a chain on and wore expensive shoes. As life went on for him, he continued the family tree as he became a lawyer and made bank. The two boys were really close to each other, always side by side with each other. It was as if they were brothers. They would come over to their houses and soon their mothers were even talking to each other as one of them had to be picked up by the other. After high school though, the two parted ways.

Two decades passed and these boys, now men, had met again, only four days prior. 

Wilbur had grown into a festering wound – a threat to society, a man consumed by a gambling addiction that had eaten out his relationships, his work, and his soul. In his Buick, he constantly changed his location for sleeping to avoid confrontations with the police.

He only was able to shower once a week, and this, only in the wee hours of the morning, for his mother wanted nothing to do with him.  

On this particular morning, he’d gotten all fresh, and, after sleeping for a few hours in the backseat, parked his car off of Maple Avenue and entered a convenience store to pick up breakfast. There was Trentwood, his long-lost friend.

Wilbur had walked into the convenience store looking slouched. He was walking down the aisle to see another man walking down the other way on the same aisle. They both had this feeling where they recognized each other but couldn’t piece it together. They walked by, both staring, intensely trying to piece it together. After passing by again, they turned their heads and Wilbur finally pieced it together.

“Trentwood?”

Trentwood turned his head, “Do I know you?”

“I’m Wilbur, gamble guy, hanging out, you remember man?”

“OH SHOOT! I do remember. It’s been a minute man, bring it in. Dang, I haven’t seen you in like, 5, 10, 15, 20 years. What rock you been hidin’ under?”

“I know, it’s been forever, I’m just doing the usual, getting breakfast nothing too out of the ordinary. How have you been doing?”

“Man I’m chilling, I got a wife and kids, you know, dad stuff. You got a wife man?”

“Nah, probably going to stay single for the rest of my life. I remember back in the day, only if we brought that back, that was fun dude.”

“Man you right, let’s run that back dude. It would be so much fun. What do you say? Encore at 12 on Friday? I mean let’s recreate the past.”

“I mean man, I’m not sure, I-I-I, btbth [but to be totally honest], you know what, yeah sure.”

“Alright great, so just to make sure, this Friday at the Encore at Boston at noon?”

“Yeah!”

“Alright Wilbur, gotta buy this pack of sliced meat and bounce!”

Trentwood stepped up to the cashier. Wilbur couldn’t believe that he’d just agreed to go to Encore – it was like an alcoholic who hasn’t taken a drink in years agreeing to meet at a bar. 

“WAIT!”

It was too late, Trentwood was out the door.

***

Wilbur had been at the table for about an hour when he started to feel it – his desperation to win back his money that he owed. From one game to the next, chatting with Trentwood and getting a little lubed up with the free beer, Wilbur began to feel that old familiar tug – a sensation that felt like a combination of drowning in chocolate, or falling asleep on a bed of melted sugar. He felt happy, but overwhelmed, sickened, yet giddy with sweet aromas – it was noxious and yet enthralling … Wilbur felt something on the back of his neck. His neck prickled. He looked behind him and saw a quick turn of the head from a security guard. Did he recognize that face? Did that face recognize Wilbur? He couldn’t be sure…

            Alright, this could be my last day ever to take a breath. This man Trentwood, why did he have to ask me, he could have asked anyone else on this Earth and he chose me. I literally made a bet with Bennet (who I took a 1 million dollar loan from) that I needed to come out of the casino with around $50,000 in earnings or else his goons would hunt me down until I’m dead. During this casino run today, I would have to turn this $500 into $50,000 before midnight. Okay, I need to prepare for these games. Let’s go over the game plan: if I get a horrible hand, I’m just going to fold, but every once in a while I will bluff. Only if I’m up in profit though. If I do get a pretty decent hand, I will definitely play the hand. I’m just in general going to play very passive and conservative. I’m not risking my life for some stupid poker game. 

            “Alright gentleman, are we ready for another game of poker?”

            “Of course we are sir!”

            The dealer dealt the cards and of course Wilbur started off with the worst hand ever. You might think he would fold but no, he decided to bet $100. Another player called and they were off to face off with each other. The next couple cards come in the opponent’s favor. Wilbur checked.

            “All in!”

            “I fold.”

Alright, this is not the ideal beginning, but every beginning has an end, and this wasn’t the end. I probably should have folded that, but I thought I could have won my first game but instead I’m down $100. Next time Wilbur, why don’t I play smarter and not put out money for fun. This time, if I get a bad hand, I’m folding. If I get a semi-decent hand, I’ll play it. There is no “buts”, it’s just how it’s going to work. 

The next set came around and Wilbur had a pretty decent hand with pocket 7s and looked to throw off everyone. The majority of people called the blind and so did Wilbur. So it was a 5 way to the flop. The next came out to be 2s more 7s and an ace. As of this play right here Wilbur had the best hand out of anybody on the table. With that knowledge, he decided to go all in and risked it all. Two other players called and everyone showed their hands. One man had two aces and the other had two kings. In order for Wilbur to win, the next two cards couldn’t be an ace or two kings. The first card that came out was a king, and Wilbur started to tremble as he might lose. The final card turned out to be a jack and Wilbur’s money was safe for now. That pot he just won just put him up $1,000!

After this tight match he thought he would take a break from poker and decided to play at the roulette table. This game worked this way: you tried to guess a color or number and if you guessed correctly you won big. So he waited and now was his time to shine. Was his luck going to run out or stay strong? He decided to put in $500 and picked black. The roulette was spun and the ball landed in a red square, how unfortunate! Wait hold up, still bouncing, it landed in a black square. God gave him a second chance! On the next bet he chose the color red this time and had the chance to win $3,200. The wheel was spun and the ball bounced. God must have been watching over his shoulder as He altered the ball’s pathway to land in this red colored spot. Wilbur won $3,200!

Wilbur went back to the poker table and was given pocket aces where he had the highest percent to win. He raised to $1,000 and two other people called, which made Wilbur more nervous about his hand. The cards came out to be two other kings and an ace. Wilbur then raised the pot and went all in. The other two called and $9,600 was in the pot. One man had two kings and the lady had two queens. In order for Wilbur to win, he needed one of the next two cards to be an ace. The next card came out to be a queen. Then the last card came out to be another ace and Wilbur won the pot!

“LET’S GO! AIN’T NOBODY GOING TO STOP ME NOW!”

“Well played, they all had great hands and I’m not sure how you pulled that one out,” intoned the dealer.

Wilbur celebrated and Trentwood joined him.

“Man, I knew you could do it Wilbur. I have always believed in you. You can finally rent out an apartment instead of living in your rundown car.”

“If you don’t shut your trap, I’ll shut that for you.”

“Alright, master Wilbur. Whatever you say.”

Wilbur might have just won this huge hand but just you watch me go nuts after my next couple of wins. I’m feeling it. I haven’t really won tonight but I’m destined to win something now. It’s about time. Maybe I should try to play this hand no matter what. If I get a good hand then I’ll act normal but if I get a terrible hand I might just try to bluff my way through.

“Alright settle down, give me the cards so I can deal a new hand. Thank you! Alright good luck!” The dealer was excited too, and dealt four.

Trentwood was looking at pocket kings. 

“Okay, I start?”

“Yea.”

“Okay, I’ll raise the pot to $500.”

“Dang man, I just won this huge pot and you’re trying to hustle me. Okay, if you’re like that, I’ll call.”

It was now just the two that played this hand and the next upcoming cards were a king and two 3s. Wilbur raised the pot to $3,500. 

“What you got there kid. Pocket 3s? There’s no shot, right? Nah, I’m calling your bluff. I call.”

“Alright bud, you do what you do best.” 

The cards came out to be a 9 and a 10. Both of them checked and Wilbur showed pocket 3s and with this hand, he took home another win, but this time it felt like he’d stolen money from his buddy Trentwood. Good thing Trent was loaded.

“Oh, I’m going to pay off my debt. Thank you, Lord Almighty.”

“You got debt, man? Is that why you were so hesitant to play? Bro, you could have asked me to pay it off man. You know I’m loaded. How much you got to cough up? Like 20,000? 30,000?”

“So like, a couple 100,000…times 10.”

“Never mind dude, I ain’t that loaded, how you spending that much money without thinking that you got to pay it off?”

“Nah, you’re all good man, I got to live with my consequences. Well, I’m up big time with $12,100 in the bank.”

“Hold up, everything is starting to piece together, you’re in debt but on that day I met you, you were squeaky clean, but now you look all rubbish and dead inside. Are you telling me that you bursted into someone’s house and took a shower and just left as soon as possible? And you actually meant it that you were getting breakfast at the store? Damn man, I didn’t know your life was that bad. My bad for dragging you into the casino, I mean you’re up now.”

“Yea I mean it was a blessing for you to bring me here as I’m up. And half of that story is true and the other half is wrong. I was all clean because I just came from my mom’s house where I took a nice shower. But breaking into someone’s house was not true at all. Let’s just get back to the game.”

“Yea let’s go Wilbur.”

The next hand was dealt, then there was a commotion: Bennett’s goons had appeared. 

“IS THERE A WILBUR FRANCIS IN THE BUILDING, I REPEAT IS THERE A WILBUR FRANCIS IN THE BUILDING!”

The whole room went dead silent then one hand was raised.

“YOU, COME HERE, YOU’RE MANDATED TO WIN AT LEAST $50,000 TODAY OR ELSE WE’LL BE BACK.”

The goons tossed Wilbur to the floor. Trentwood grabbed him by the arm to get him out of there, and the goons stared down Wilbur and spat on him. Wilbur placed his hand on his back to make sure it was all fine. People were asking many questions and the answer to all of them was his grunts along with his huffs and puffs.

“Yo Wilbur, come to the bathroom with me. I need a word with you. WHAT THE ACTUAL FLIP IS GOING ON! Bro these guards even hunting you down my man. What’s up with you?” 

“Man, that debt I was talking about, I’ve had it for months now, and I couldn’t cough up the money because I didn’t have none.”

“Alright man, you better go out of this bathroom and quintuple your cash because I ain’t losing a soul today.”

Wilbur placed his hand on his head, saluting Trentwood. “Yes sir!”

“LOUDER!”

“YES SIR!”

“Good, you’re excused.”

The two exited the bathroom and sat back down at their tables. It was as if no one cared one bit about Wilbur. With the goons gone, Wilbur could go one with his day and hopefully cash in another 40 grand. 

Honestly, that might have been the scariest moment. I’m just glad that those goons didn’t end his life right there and then. Alright I got to change up my game plan. From now on and out, if we get in a situation I’m just going to fold so the profits can go to Wilbur. This night was supposed to be all fun and games but now this is life or death for my boy Wilbur.

The next set of cards had been dealt and Wilbur had pocket queens and Trentwood had pocket kings. The whole table called the blind and the first three cards were queen, king, king. Wilbur had the first move and to throw people off, bet 5 grand. Most people folded but Trentwood, some old man and Wilbur went to the next card. It came out to be a 10. With Wilbur’s turn again, he made a poker face and acted like he thought intensely. He raised the pot to 10 grand and Trentwood called but the other lady folded. Now it was just Wilbur and Trentwood as they went to the last card. It came out to be another 10 and Wilbur had a zero percentage of winning. But with no knowledge of that he decided to go all in. Trentwood, knowing that he was going to win, folded for Wilbur so he could make his way to his goal of 50k. 

From a quick look: Appreciate that man. Means a lot deep down.

Yea no worries, I didn’t have anything good anyways.

Wilbur had about $25,000 in chips currently and was halfway to his goal. Will he make it? Will Bennet’s goons come once again to seize him? 

Comment below if you want me to continue writing this story.