2015 - while at UCF 🎓😄
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Blackjack
At precisely four o'clock
in the morning last Sunday, I came into a lot of money.
Aunt Stella had been in town visiting the family for a week
and she had worn out her welcome about five minutes after walking in the front
door. For the life of me, I don't know why my parents insist that she stay here
when she comes in town for her yearly vacation.
"There are plenty of hotels in Vegas," I tell my
mother, but she rolls her eyes and purses her lips.
"We are family, Sarah." And that was the end of
the discussion.
It wasn't so bad in the afternoon and evenings because Aunt
Stella was at the casinos, gambling her savings away. But in the wee hours of
the morning when she returned, sometimes not until six A. M., she was
plastered, red lipstick smeared all over her face. She would alternate between
whining and sobbing as she clattered around in the kitchen and I'd lie awake in
bed upstairs, cursing her and debating whether to yell downstairs for her to
shut up.
So it was no surprise last Sunday when I rolled over in bed
and heard her high-pitched squeals and the noise coming from the kitchen. I'd
had enough. I yanked the comforter off and trudged down the stairs. I was going
to finally tell her exactly what I thought and if she didn't like it, too bad.
As soon as she saw me walk into the kitchen, she ran over to
me and wrapped her arms around my neck. I tried to push her away, but even in
her drunken stupor, she was strong. "It finally happened! I hit the big
one!"
"Yeah, yeah, ok, Aunt Stella. How much did you
win?"
She finally released me. "A hundred thousand dollars at
blackjack! And I want to give half to my favorite nephew!"
Well, that changes everything.