Wizah - Funny Story - Poker Guys and Girls - By Eric Linge
Around the long maple coffee table sat seven new friends. Four girls three guys. Most of the friends had stacks of multi colored poker chips in front of them. This was not exactly a tournament. Not exactly high stakes. Maybe most had only a vague idea of what the World Series of Poker was past being just a show on TV. Aaron watched the World Series of Poker on TV, and he played online poker. Still, he wasn’t exactly ruling casinos, nor was he old enough to set foot in one. This was a clique of Midwest kids, brand new freshman at NYU, ostensibly playing poker, but really, making friends. The new friends had known each other for maybe four days on average. Aarron had met Michele on the orientation day. Michelle and Renee appeared to be pals, as did Aaron and Sam. Sam had eaten lunch the day before with Kate and Renee. He had also eaten lunch the next day with Jen and Nicole. Jen liked hanging out with Juan. Juan was Aaron’s roommate, and Kate was Renee’s roommate. But they were all new friends, and it’s possible that not everyone even knew everyone else’s name yet.
“I raise you two bucks.” “Do I have to raise here, or can I just put in like as much as everyone else?” a girl asked. “If you think you have a good hand you can raise or if you’re not sure you can put in just as many chips as everyone else,” Aaron told her.
“Ok. I’ll put in as much as everyone else. Six white chips.” “Five white chips make one red chip. Put in a red chip. That’s five bucks.” “But I want to put in six, right?” “Yeah, yeah. Just do it.” The evening went on, and everyone got drunker, and people were breaking off into their own conversations. People were in and out of the poker game. Some people not being dealt into every hand. Chips moving around the table. Aaron gave Nicole some free chips when she lost all of her own chips.
The room was part of Kate’s suite in a dorm building in the East Village. Her room wasn’t lavish, but the walls spoke culture with old French liquor posters pinned to them. There were also empty wine bottles on her window sill. “Where in Wisconsin are you from?” Sam asked Juan. “Milwaukee.” “Oh, I’ve never been there. I’ve been to Wisconsin before, usually just the west. My family’s from Rochester. Minnesota.” “Oh, they have a mall there,” he said excitedly. “Yeah they do. I’ve been there. It’s not that cool. I didn’t grow up there. I grew up in Chicago.” “Oh Chicago is totally fabulous. That’s where the Marshall Field’s home office is. That’s my job. I worked at Marshal Fields in Milwaukee.” Juan seemed shyer earlier in the day, but so did everyone. Juan was sitting with his legs crossed, lounging back into the couch, resting a Corona on his knee and holding it with his hand. He was gesturing as he talked with his other.
Sam could swear Jen was stealing glances at him across the short, makeshift poker table. He thought maybe he was just paranoid because he was also stealing glances. She was the most beautiful girl in the room. He had less than three months before been a high school student at a nearly perfectly white and small and conservative Lutheran high school in southern Minnesota. Jen’s kinky black hair, highlighted brown, bounced in all directions from her head. Her skin was as smooth as cream but dark as hot chocolate. She said her parents were immigrants from Kenya, and she kept such a big smile on her face when she talked. She was sitting on her knees and popping her head from side to side with the beat of the gentle electronic music and obscure pop-hip-hop – Kate’s music.
The poker game was supposedly still being played. Aaron asked who made the last bet. Who was still in the game? Attention around the room was momentarily diverted back to the poker table. Chips were moved. Cards were dealt. Jen picked up where Juan and Sam had left off. “Do you know my mall? Somerset Collection in Detroit?” “Oh my god I do! I talk to Sally on the phone. She’s my friend!” he said gesturing with his hands. Aaron was Sam’s best friend since they’d moved to New York a week ago. Now Aaron was mostly concentrated on Renee, Nicole and Kate. “Yeah, I’ve been up like 200 dollars before and then ended the night owing money,” he told them. “I would get out sooner, but I get addicted and end up playing party poker all night. I’ve got some really fast poker software for playing Texas Hold’em, and I really get into that party poker. I’ve won real big before.”
“My boyfriend plays online poker too. I think he’s pretty good,” Kate told him. Aaron smiled at her. “You should start playing online poker. When you sign up you’ll get free chips.” She drank from her beer and moved her eyes away from his and said something to Renee. Sam asked Jen where to go shopping in New York. “It depends what you want,” Jen said and she fixed her eyes on him. He smiled at her. “I want to dress totally pimp like a New York banker or somebody who works on Wall Street,” he said, keeping the smile on his face. “Oh, you should go to Brooks Brothers,” she said. He’d never heard of it. “That’s too formal and old man,” Juan said. “It’s classy,” Jen said, moving her eyes from Juan to Sam. “Girls appreciate class. I think you would look good in a suit and tie.” She got off the floor and sat next to Sam. Sam was between Juan and Jen. Juan and Jen started talking about clothes. Sam listened intently because he was hoping to learn to dress suave in New York. “I need a new pair of leather dress shoes. I really like Tod’s but they’re so expensive. Maybe Banana Republic will have what I want,” Juan said to Sam and Jen.
“Oh I just got a new pair before I came here,” Sam said. “Ooo, what kind did you get?” Jen asked. “Doc Martens, and they’re black with laces.” “We should go shopping,” she said. Sam wasn’t sure if she meant with him or with Juan. He didn’t want to look stupid. He also didn’t know what Tod’s were. Anyway, he probably shouldn’t give Jen the wrong idea. Shopping might be a date, and he still had a high school girlfriend and had already gone to lunch with Jen. He thought she might be into him, but then waved it off and chalked it up to his own arrogance. Anyway, she seemed to like Juan. They came to the poker party together. There was getting to be more empty beer bottles on the table than poker chips or cards. Jen was leaning over Sam to talk to Juan about shopping. She seemed to be kind of into Juan, but her hands were on Sam’s leg. Aaron talked to Sam for a while. Renee talked to Nicole and Kate. Sam noticed that Nicole was pretty pretty too. She was a non-Midwesterner. She was from Boston. She had a bigger and rounded nose and sparkling and big eyes. While Juan and Jen talked, Sam tried to chime into the other girls’ conversation. It halted Juan and Sam and soon everyone was talking about their high schools. Aaron stood from his chair. “Does anyone want a beer?” “I’ll take one if there are any left,” Kate told him.
Aaron had won everyone’s chips, but he felt bad about it. He had split the pot with Kate. Nobody was paying attention to poker anymore. The conversations all continuted to gently and drunkenly roll. Aaron came back from the kitchen and said the beer’s gone and where can we get some more at this time of night? Does anyone have a fake I.D.? “I’m done,” said Kate. “Yeah I think I’m going to go,” Nicole said. Conversations stopped. It seemed like it was time to go. It was 2:30. “I should probably get going,” Sam said. Conversations began to roll again as everyone gathered things. “Do you want me to help you clean up, Kate?” Juan asked. Jen stopped to see if she wanted help. Sam wondered if Juan and Jen would go home together. “Yeah, I’ll get a trash bag for the bottles,” Kate said. Aaron put his poker chips into their carying case quickly, not saying anything. Juan, Jen and Sam threw the bottles into the trash bag Kate held open. “So your parents are from Venezuela?” Jen asked Juan. “Yeah. I couldn’t wait to get out of Wisconsin. I was just suffocating there.” “Are your parents like really conservative?” she asked him. “Yeah,” he said calmly. It didn’t seem like he wanted to say too much. “You Latino guys are so hot,” Nicole said. She smiled. Juan smiled. Renee giggled then so did Nicole. Juan still just smiled. He looked embarrassed.
“Juan I love your shoes,” Jen said. “Wait. I love those pants too.” Her gaze went from his pants to his face and his embarrassment seemed to go away and he said, “Thanks.” She asked, “Where did you get those pants?” “I know a designer in Wisconsin, and he hand sews them and sells him in his store.” “Wow, that is so cool.” “Cleaning’s easy,” Sam said, totally oblivious to Juan and Jen. Kate tied the bag off and said she’d walk everyone out. Renee said bye. Giggling caught on as everyone was filing out of the room. Kate shushed everyone in the hallway, but she was giggling too. She leaned into the wall as she was walking down the hallway but put herself upright again and shushed everyone. Aaron tickled Nicole and she gave a high-pitched yelp and giggled more. Everyone tried to get a hold of themselves and stop laughing while waiting for the elevator and everyone was smiling. Kate said good-bye and everyone got in the elevator. “Which floors does everyone live on?” Aaron said inside the elevator. “I live on the 14th” Nicole said. “That’s only one floor down!” Aaron seemed upset by this. Everyone started giggling again. Aaron pressed the button. “What other floors?” Sam said, “I’m going outside to get a sandwich.” Aaron hit the Lobby button. “I’m on six,” Nicole said. “I’m going to go outside too,” Juan said.
Nicole and Aaron got out on the 14th. Nicole was laughing, and Aaron wasn’t laughing but smiling. They both said good night as they walked out, and Sam saw through the closing elevator door Aaron put his arm around Nicole’s back. “Did you see that?” Sam asked. He realized it was a nosy question, and the elevator was quiet and Sam felt awkward because he thought maybe Jen was going to start making out with Juan or something. It seemed like an uncomfortable silence, but then in a much quieter and sober voice the drunk girl, Jen, said, “Juan, we should go shopping sometime.” “OK,” he said and he coolly leaned against the wall, bumping his head against the sheet steal. “We’ll take Sam with us to. He’s never done any serious shopping before.” “I’ve been shopping before.” “Didn’t you say you wanted a new wardrobe?” she said. “Well I’m in New York now. It’s a new game. I wanna look good like the guys on the street.” “Be careful wishing for that street fashion. I’ve seen more than one man here dressed in neon lycra. I was like, you need to put that thing away,” Juan said, bowing his head down as if in total gut wrenching laughter and placing his hand on Sam’s shoulder. “What? You’re talking about joggers,” Jen said so serious. “Exactly,” and they were all laughing, Sam quieter.
The elevator opened to the lobby. Sam felt awkward with these two fashion obsessives. He held the glass door open to the street for Jen, and Sam went through too. They all came to a halt on the sidewalk and turned to look at each other. “I’m going to go get a sandwich,” Sam said. “Can I come too?” Jen asked. Sam looked in her eyes and she had them opened big and expectantly and her eyebrows were raised. Her kinky hair shot from her head, framing her face, like an afro. “Sure,” he said. He was totally surprised. Maybe she’s not horny but hungry. The two started away and asked if Juan was going to come. He stood there, and in a happy and smiling voice he said he was going to go rent a movie. “At this time of night?” “Sure, why not?” “We can all go together.” “No, I’m going to go around the corner down Broadway. You guys probably want to go to 14th St.” “Ok. See you around or in class or something,” Sam said. “Bye bye,” Juan said. Jen waved. “I’ll call you about shopping!” He waved back and turned and left. Sam wasn’t expecting to end up just Jen and him. He felt lucky to be with such a beautiful girl at the end of the night, even if they were just going to a deli. They started walking and nobody said anything at first. “Don’t these streets seem so different when there’re nobody on them? It’s like, kinda weird,” she said. “Yeah. It’s nice cause you don’t have to walk around people and it’s relaxing.” “Kinda romantic?” “Yeah, I guess so.” His heart jumped a beat. She grabbed his hand and spun in front of him and put her other hand around his back. She paused for a short second, leaned into kiss him, light and long, for a few minutes. Sam pulled his face back. With a half laugh he asked if she was hungry. “Not really.” She smiled and began kissing him some more. In between kisses he forced out: “You are. So hot.” He was thinking they were in the middle of the sidewalk. He was also thinking this was too good to be true. She was too hot.
“You are soooo cute,” she told him, running her fingers through his light, soft and clean hair. “Come back to my room.” “Ok.” He hadn’t forgot that he had a girlfriend. He was even trying to gauge whether kissing Jen felt any different from kissing her. She was blonde, wore glasses and was a freshman at Northwestern. “You know, I kinda thought you liked Juan,” Sam said. “I’m pretty sure Juan is, like. He like doesn’t like girls. Besides. You’re waay hotter.” She smiled at him, ran her fingers through his hair, kissed him some more, grabbed his hand and pulled him back down the sidewalk, back to their dorm.
Aaron and Sam met the next afternoon to go to the gym. Aaron wasn’t really sure how to break the news to Aaron that he had sex last night and that he cheated on his girlfriend after being away at college barely a week. They walked toward the gym together. Sam asked Aaron about Nicole.
“No dude. I like tried to start kissing her, and she was kissing me back, but then she was like, ‘This is wrong. I can’t do it,’ and I was like, ‘what do you mean? You’re doing it already?’ and she was like, ‘I don’t feel good.’ So I was like whatever. I called Kate’s cell phone and she didn’t answer.” “Are you serious? A booty call?” “Yeah, why not? Might as well. Man, girls here want to hook up.” “So what did you end up doing? Did you watch the movie with Juan?” “Dude I don’t know what happened to Juan last night. I went to bed at like five, and Juan wasn’t home yet, then he was in bed when I left this morning. Or afternoon, I guess.” It was 3p.m. “That’s weird. After you got off the elevator last night, he said he was going to go get a movie.” “After none of my booty calls happened I just sat on the Internet for a while and ended up playing online poker for a like a real long time. I downloaded some new poker software and got like 50 free chips or something. It’s party poker. You know, like online casinos and stuff – texas hold’em. I played for like four hours or something.” “Man, everyone plays poker.” “Do you play much?” “Not really. I’m not really into it.” “Dude you should play. You should join a tournament with me. You know the rules don’t you?” “Yeah. We’ll see. I think schoolwork will start picking up. We’ll see if I have time for online poker, and I don’t know about a tournament. Did you win any money?” “Nah, I just spent all those free chips.”
Sam decided to just come out and say it. It was so awesome he couldn’t get it out of his mind. “Dude, I had sex with Jen last night.” Aaron slapped him on the chest and turned and looked at him. “Nuh-uh!” Sam smiled and shot his glance to the ground and said yeah. “Holy shit! That’s awesome!” Aaron said. “Yeah dude. I can’t believe it. She’s so hot.” “Dude her hair is like crazy. I’m not really into black girls, but I could totally see how she’d be hot. That’s awesome though. What are you going to tell your girlfriend?” “I don’t know. I’ll tell her I played poker at my friends’ dorm and then played online poker and went to bed.” “No what are going to tell her like about your relationship?” “Eh, I’m not like all into talking about feelings and stuff. I’ll just try to not talk to her at all.” “Ok whatever.” Inside the gym, in the weight room, Sam said, “That’s so weird about Juan. Where did he go last night?” “You know, I’m pretty sure he’s gay.” “Really? How do you know?” “I don’t know, he just seems a little feminine. He gets even more feminine when he’s drunk. He was all talking about jeans that make him look slim and buying new shoes.” “So where do you think he went last night?” Aaron shook his head and gave a ha. “I don’t know. To have sex maybe?”
Sam thought it was weird to know a gay guy. He’d never actually known one before. All through high school his friends had called him gay all the time even though he had a girlfriend. He also called his friends gay. It was almost a term of endearment. Whenever something sucked, they said it was gay. “Do you have a problem with that?” Sam asked Aaron. “No, of course not.” “Yeah,” Sam said. “This is a totally new game.”
Email Adam@wizah.com