Pokergeist (18 page)

“And a good vanilla shake,” Kevin persisted.

Stu laughed and then took the cue. “Speaking of vanilla shakes, Telly Martin has shaken up the poker universe with near flawless gameplay.”

The Ant threw down a towel he was using. “I hate you guys!” He stormed off, their laughter echoing after him.

Kevin moved to Telly. “So, Telly, where is Clutch right now?”

Telly turned to face him, his expression relaxed. “Right next to me.”

“That’s simply fascinating,” Kevin said, his eyes bright.

“I’m sure it sounds that way,” Telly responded.

He pulled over a chair to sit. “What is he telling you right now?”

“You’re a turd, Kev,” Clutch leaned over and said into the mike. No one heard but Telly.

Telly took the mike and smiled. “He says he really likes you.”

Kevin beamed. “Well, I like him too. So, if you win the bracelet, in a way so does Clutch.”

“I can’t see it any other way,” Telly agreed.

“The bracelet is mine!” Clutch stood on the table and beat on his chest.

“Are you nervous about going up against the reigning champion?” the announcer asked.

Indignant, Clutch shouted, “No!”

Telly was thoughtful. “Well…”

“No, no, no!” Clutch insisted.

“No,” Telly sighed.

“What’s your strategy?”

Telly was silent for a minute. He looked over at Clutch, who was sitting almost on top of him. Clutch’s face was serene, blissful. He was having the time of his life.
Oops,
Telly amended.
The time of his death, perhaps.
His dreams appeared close to being fulfilled.

“Listen to Clutch,” he said simply.

* * *

“Is this seat taken?” Gretchen asked a bald man, pointing to the seat next to him.

He moved his hat from the cushion. “No, no, it’s yours.”

“Great,” Gretchen smiled.

“Stan Jarvis.” Then he added, “This is Ginny and Ruby.”

Gretchen held out her hand to each of them. “Pleasure to meet you. Are you enjoying the Series?”

Stan blew air from his lips. “This is the most exciting Series I’ve been to. I love that guy, Telly. He’s a character.”

Gretchen smiled. “He’s my fiancé.”

“Well, I love him!” Stan smiled. “He’s some bright guy.”

“He’s brilliant. He designed the computer network for this casino.”

“You don’t say! Why is he driving a cab then?”Stan asked.

“How did you know that?” she asked.

“He took me for a ride.” Stan chuckled.

“Long story. He’s between jobs right now.”

“Happens I need a network. Got to link seventy of my restaurants.” He pulled out a business card. “Tell him to call my man Howard. If Howard approves, I’ve got a nice job for him in Phoenix if he wants it.”

Gretchen took the card and placed it in her purse. Gretchen was having a good day. A very good day.

* * *

The interview ended, and the announcer was brought in to do the opening. “For the thousands in attendance and the millions watching around the world, ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to shuffle up and deaaaal!” Applause and cheers erupted in the gallery. Telly narrowed his eyes but could not see Gretchen. He touched his lips, then his heart, knowing she was doing the same.

“Calm down; just be cool. That little pissant will never know what hit him.” Clutch was bouncing from one foot to the other like a demented boxer.

“And now, sitting on the east end of the table…he’s the defending champion. He’s small, but he can carry his weight in chips. Ladies and gentlemen, Adam ‘the Ant’ Antonowski!”

Clutch was rubbing his shoulders again. “I told you not to do that!” Telly said.

“Sorry.” Clutch leaned close, his cold breath in Telly’s ear. “Now listen, he’s going to try and get into your head. Don’t listen to his smack.”

“Gosh, I don’t know what that feels like,” Telly said sarcastically.

“Oh, you mean me?” Clutch looked innocent. “Just do what I say. No showboating. Don’t let him intimidate you.”

“Now, fighting out of the west end of the stage…a no-name, newbie local who channels the greats of the past. At the end of a near flawless Series—the one, the only, Telly ‘No Tells’ Martin!”

Telly walked into the lighted arena; the table was at center stage. He felt the hair on his neck stand up as the heat of the overhead lights scorched his skin. The air in the room was different—weighted and thick. Telly automatically looked to Clutch, who was, well, white as a ghost. His face was frozen in fear, his eyes opened wide, his mouth drawn back in a silent scream. Suddenly, Clutch ran forward, hissing, “Buster, what the fuck are you doing here?”

Telly looked into the abyss on the other side of the room and caught an ominous dark shadow ponderously making its way across the stage. It was oppressive, a hulking presence that sucked the light and air from the room.

Clutch checked himself, his form vibrating with anger. “Holy shit.” He turned to Sten, who was calmly leaning against a camera, and demanded, “Did you know he was here?”

Telly heard him. “Sten?” He looked around. There were more of them?

“What’s the matter, Clutch? You look like you saw a ghost,” Buster said with a laugh. Only Clutch could hear it. He was in hell.

“Get lost, Gramps,” Clutch sneered. “This is my game.”

“Like hell, Oliver. You don’t own the world. You’re nothing but a two-bit cheat and card shark.”

“Ready, old man?” the Ant asked.

Telly looked at him, perplexed. “I’m not old. Who are you talking to?”

The Ant looked around the stage as if he were listening to directions. “Who are
you
talking to?”

Telly pointed to him slowly. “I’m talking to
you
.”

Clutch walked in front of Telly to confront the hulking shadow. “You’re helping this little insect?” His voice dripped with anger.

“You bet I am,” Buster told him.

Clutch stood for a minute in stunned silence. “You hustled me? The whole tourney, you hustled me? How come I didn’t see you?”

“You only see what you want to see, Oliver. That’s been your problem all along.”

Telly turned to Clutch and whispered, “Who are you talking to?”

The Ant stood, the veins on his neck bulging. “I said I was talking to you!”

“Did you help him win last year, Buster?” Clutch asked.

Telly repeated, “Buster?”

The old man laughed and said, “Oh, Clutch, that was one hell of a game.”

The Ant looked at Telly, finally realizing what was going on and said, “Clutch?”

Telly put it together: he could hear Clutch, and the Ant was apparently listening to Buster Henderson, the ghost of Clutch’s grandfather.

Kevin jumped out of his seat. “This is unprecedented, folks. In a nod to two of the greatest poker legends in the history of the game, the Ant is calling Telly
Clutch,
and Telly is calling the Ant
Buster,
Clutch’s grandfather.”

“Wow,” Stu said in awe. “This is a change from the disrespect we’ve seen at the tables lately. Maybe Telly ‘No Tells’ has brought manners back to the game. This is so special.”

Kevin agreed. “This Series will go down in history as a real game changer.”

Clutch was so still that Telly could barely see him.

“You told him my hand,” Clutch accused.

“Yup,” Buster said with no malice, but a hint of sadness.

Telly heard the hurt in Clutch’s voice when he asked, “Why did you ruin my game, Grandpa? Why?”

“Oh, Clutch, you still don’t get it. After all this time, you don’t understand. You never learned the real game. Poker is a game of respect.”

“Like you respected me last year?” Clutch stomped forward, his hands fisted.

“You were selfish then, and you are selfish now. All you ever cared about was yourself.”

“Well, someone had to!” Clutch yelled. “Nobody else did.” He reached out to punch the shadow. Telly watched, aghast, as something drove Clutch to his knees.

On the screens, the anchormen watched as Telly and the Ant simply stared at each other silently, their faces blank. Cards were dealt, and Telly looked at his pocket sevens, waiting to hear what to do. The Ant studied the cards in his hand, his hoodie off, sweat dripping down his forehead.

Buster and Clutch, on the other hand, were duking it out like prizefighters. All the Ant heard was Buster’s grunts as he watched his huge body being slammed to the floor.

Telly stared as Clutch rolled across the stage, locked in combat with an unseen foe.

“You piece of shit. How could you do that to me? I’m your blood!” Clutch shouted.

“You’re nothing better than cow turd. Lazy care-for-nothing narcissist!” Buster responded hotly.

“Narcissist? Where’d you learn that word? From him, I bet!” He pointed to Sten, who watched impassively.

“All you ever cared about was your own pleasure. Never gave two shits about anyone else—not your kid, not Jenny, not Ginny. Redemption’s a bitch,” Buster said between punches. “You never worked for or appreciated anything in your life.”

“That’s a lie!” Clutch was enraged. “You took the bracelet away from me!”

“That’s right, boy. That’s why I
really
called you Clutch, because you want everything in your greedy clutches.”

“I had to be that way. I never had anything, just your leavings. No mother, no father, just you and that old besom, Ruth. You never cared for me. The game was the most important thing in your life. Those were the cards you dealt me.”

They were both on the floor, breathing hard. Buster laughed bitterly. “That was the lesson, you dope. Poker is life. The hand you’re dealt is determined. It’s how you play the cards that counts. Does the circumstances make the person, or does the person make the circumstances?”

Clutch looked up in astonishment. “I was the best poker player in the world.”

“None of that mattered when you failed at everything else. It was always up to you, Oliver. You made the wrong choices.” Buster sat up and touched Clutch’s shoulder gently. “I tried to teach you that in real life, and now in the afterlife too. Look at what you lost by always trying to win.”

Clutch placed his hands over his eyes to stop the hot tears that prickled his eyelids.
The wrong choices.
A kaleidoscope of memories cascaded like falling cards—the missed birthdays, the family dinners gone cold while he played, the extramarital affairs, the hurts, the petty fights to get out of his responsibilities. Did he ever tell any of them he loved them?

Clutch sighed and stood up, holding out a hand to help his grandfather. He brushed off his pants. Turning to Telly, he said, “I’m sorry, Telly. What I did was wrong.”

Telly watched Clutch, his eyes wide in his face.

“You got integrity,” said Clutch. “I know you’re gonna do the right thing. You never needed me to tell you what to do.”

Telly’s eyes smarted with tears, but strangely he felt no panic. He could do this.

“I fold, partner.” Clutch winked.

Clutch turned and walked toward a swirling tunnel, his arm over the hulking cloud, finally at peace. He vanished. Sten followed with a satisfied smile, closing the portal behind them.

Telly searched the stage. Clutch was gone. He looked at the Ant, who was scanning the area nervously. Telly shrugged. The Ant shrugged back.

“I guess we’re on our own,” Telly said quietly to the Ant. He looked down at the three cards on the baize. Ace, two, and four stared back at him, burned into his retina.

The Ant nodded. “Guess so.” He gulped, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his skinny neck. He looked about twelve years old.

Telly pushed a mountain of chips into the center. “Bet four million.”

The Ant looked at his stacks and then up at Telly. Telly noticed he had startling green eyes that were rimmed in red. He had to lean forward to hear the Ant murmur, “I’m all in.”

“This is it!” Kevin was breathless. “We’re in the first hand, and the Ant’s gone all in? If Telly calls…”

“Call,” Telly said simply, revealing his two sevens.

The Ant smiled, his crooked teeth showing as he turned over pocket kings.

“Good hand, Adam,” Telly smiled. The Ant looked up tentatively, grinning back.

“Here comes the turn,” Kevin’s voice came over the speakers.

The dealer placed a four next to the other cards. The Ant stood, his knuckles pressed into the table. Telly noticed his face was full of pimples. He couldn’t have been older than twenty-two.

Telly took a long look at the audience, wishing he could see Gretchen. He touched his lips, then his heart, knowing she would get the message. He took off his glasses, rubbing his tired eyes. Placing them on again, he said with determination, “Let’s get this over with.”

The river came with agonizing slowness. The card flipped over to land in the row. Telly stared blankly at the seven of diamonds. The crowd was on its feet, screaming. The Ant looked up at Telly, a sweet smile on his face.

“Nicely played. Congratulations.” He held out his freckled hand to shake Telly’s.

“Well, that was fun.”

“Yeah,” the Ant said. “Let’s do it again.”

Telly nodded. The announcer jumped onto the stage.

“Telly, Telly, you did it! You steamrolled twelve thousand people to defeat your opponent. How did you do it?” Kevin pushed the mike into his stunned face.

“By sticking with it through thick and thin.” He scanned the now-lighted room, looking for Gretchen. He held out his hand for her to join him.

“What are you planning to do with your winnings?” Kevin asked.

“After a few expenses and taxes, it’s being donated to charity.” Gretchen was led up to him, her face relieved. “I couldn’t have done it without you,” he told her gratefully.

Gretchen smiled. “I think we are having a good day. By the way, I’m pregnant.”

Telly smiled. “It’s official. I am the luckiest man in the world.”

Epilogue

Four Months Later

G
retchen sat in the rented Ford Explorer, Sophie on what was left of her lap. Her pregnancy was in the last part of the fourth month and competed for space with the dog. She had gained a little too much weight. All that CiCi’s Pizza was adding up. Telly had helped Cheryl and Earl (formerly known as Quick Daddy) purchase their franchise.

“Well, Mrs. Martin. Are you ready?” Telly took her hand and kissed her knuckles. “I still wish you would have let me buy you that yellow diamond, if only to see that creepy saleslady’s face.”

“Telly,” she gushed, “you’re my diamond. I don’t want any of that kind of stuff. I’m glad you donated all that money to charity. There are people who really need it. All I need is you.”

They had put together a foundation, creating retraining programs for jobless people to go to school and train for new careers. They had set up scholarships in several of the trade schools and colleges, the Culinary Institute of Nevada getting a sizable chunk. Telly loved the irony that Clutch’s daughter Ruby was the recipient of the first scholarship.

“The freeway is that way,” Gretchen said, pointing to the left. “Where are we going?”

They had just pulled away from his parents’ house, saying a tearful good-bye before they proceeded with their move to Phoenix. Telly was going to run the IT department at Stan’s Barbeque—the job paid double his former wages at the casino. They had a home and a car waiting for them in Arizona. They had become close with Stan and his new wife, Ginny.

“I have to make a quick stop.” Telly drove to Mount of Olives Cemetery in western Vegas. He pulled under a sweeping olive tree, the namesake of the cemetery. “Wait here. I’ll be back in a moment.”

He walked down four aisles, his hands in his pockets. He found the stone covered by rotted leaves and a few twigs. Telly bent down, clearing away the debris. Ginny had purchased the grave before she’d moved out of Vegas and placed the urn in there. She didn’t know what to do with what was left of his cremains once she married Stan. She wanted Ruby to have somewhere to go if she felt alone.

“Thanks for waking me up.” Telly smiled when he heard Clutch’s snarky voice. “What, no kiss good-bye?”

“I figure you’re in the ninth circle of hell by now,” Telly said, his eyes misting.

“Naw, not yet. You’ll never believe it, but they have great therapists here.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, we’re working on my commitment issues. So, Phoenix?”

Telly sat on his haunches. “I’m happy with it.”

“And poker?”

Telly shook his head. “No fun without you.”

“Aw shucks, Telly. You’re making me blush.”

Telly stood, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out the chunky gold bracelet. “I want to thank you, Clutch. It was amazing.”

He could hear Clutch’s gasp and feel the emotion as he placed the bracelet on the headstone. Telly stood, shyly wiping his eye.

“Hey, Tel,” he heard Clutch call as he walked away, “I heard you’re pretty good at craps.”

Telly shook his head and laughed. “Don’t even think about it.”