It Was a Very Bad Year Read Free Page B

my cousin.’
    â€˜Your cousin?’
    â€˜Well,’ he said, ‘my cousin’s kid, so I guess that makes him my second cousin. He just turned twenty-one and I told him when he did I’d take him to Vegas. So here we are!’
    â€˜Where is he?’
    â€˜Playin’ craps,’ Jerry said. ‘He learned all he could about it, developed a system, and now he says he’s gonna put it to – what was it? – oh yeah, practical use.’
    â€˜Great,’ I said. ‘Vegas loves system players.’
    â€˜I thought maybe you could get away for a drink.’
    â€˜Sure thing.’ I looked around, waved over a guy named Darrel to stand in for me. ‘I’ll be in the lounge if something comes up.’
    â€˜No problem, boss.’
    We got a table in the lounge and ordered two beers. A few losers were sitting at the bar, drowning their sorrows, and a few winners were buying drinks at another table.
    â€˜Where are you staying?’ I asked.
    â€˜Here,’ Jerry said. ‘Billy and me are sharin’ a room.’
    â€˜Why didn’t you call me?’ I asked. ‘I would have got you a suite.’
    â€˜I ain’t lookin for a handout, Mr G.,’ Jerry said. ‘I told the kid I’d take him to Vegas for his twenty-first birthday. I’m footin’ the bill – my present.’
    I had to admire him for that. He knew he could get freebies from me whenever he wanted – and he had never asked.
    â€˜What’re you doin’, these days?’ he asked me.
    â€˜Well,’ I said, ‘I was minding my own business, until today . . .’
    I told him about Joey and Abby Dalton, and the photographer.
    â€˜I seen her on
Hennessy
,’ he said. ‘She’s some dish.’
    â€˜Yeah, she is.’
    â€˜You gettin’ some of that, Mr G.?’
    â€˜No, Jerry, I’m not,’ I said. ‘I’m just trying to help the lady out.’
    â€˜How you gonna do that, exactly?’
    â€˜Well, first I’m going to go and see the photographer,’ I said. ‘He still has a studio in town.’
    â€˜That so? When you goin’?’
    â€˜Tomorrow morning.’
    â€˜You want some company?’
    â€˜What about your cousin?’
    â€˜I’ll leave him at the craps table,’ he said. ‘Come on, Mr G. You know you’ll get into trouble without me.’
    I didn’t think that was true, but on the other hand he was already in town, and he had offered. So where was the harm in letting him ride shotgun?
    â€˜OK, you’re on.’
    â€˜First you gotta buy me some pancakes in the mornin’,’ Jerry said.
    â€˜I knew this was gonna cost me,’ I said.
    â€˜Not so much,’ he promised. ‘Just a coupla stacks.’

FIVE
    W e touched base some more, finished our beers, and then I had to get back to work.
    â€˜I gotta check on the kid anyway, see how much dough he’s got left.’
    He bought the drinks and then we walked back to the casino floor together.
    â€˜Have you seen Mr S., Dino or any of the other guys lately?’ he asked.
    â€˜Just Joey,’ I said. ‘Dino was here last month, but nobody since. Frank Jr.’s coming to Tahoe next month to play Harrahs. Frank will probably come in for a few nights.’
    We split up at my pit and he asked me what time I was working till.
    â€˜Four a.m.’
    â€˜Goin’ home after that?’
    â€˜I’ll spend the night here, so I can meet you down here early. Like nine?’
    â€˜Good,’ he said. ‘I’ll be hungry by then. You mind if I bring the kid?’
    â€˜No, I’d like to meet him,’ I said. ‘I’ve always wondered if your size runs in the family.’
    â€˜Guess you’ll find out tomorrow,’ Jerry said. ‘’Night, Mr G.’
    â€˜Good-night, Jerry.’
    I spent the night in a room I had used before, when staying over was