Five

Jimmy was charmed by all the kinetic chaos of everyone in the room. The cheerful and woeful cries caught him up in a wind of confidence, Jimmy felt like he had an inner understanding of how everything was going to play out and knew deep down within himself that he was going to win.

“Well, I’m completely new here friend. What do you do to start off?” Jimmy’s nerves started to kick in and he felt his right hand begin its usual twitch.

“First off,” Scott clapped and grabbed both of Jimmy’s shoulders. “I get a drink. Do a round or two and really get a good look of what’s on offer while I’m visiting. Listen to whatever conversations are going on and take notes. I get another two drinks and then I join the fray. I tend to only bet on two to four things. Depending on what I see, hear, and have in my pocket. If you stretch yourself too thin, your winnings are too small to really make a difference.”

“Why the drinks?” Jimmy weighed the costs of the drinks against the little money he had. But Scott was the expert.

“It loosens me up a little and I stop overthinking. I find if I think too much, I generally have a pretty shit go of it. Look, I get it might not work for you, but you asked.”

“No, I know. But, I don’t have a lot to go on to start with. Maybe I buy a drink with my winnings?” Jimmy showed Scott the little money he had once again.

“Oooh, lookie here. Hasn’t even made a single bet yet, and he already believes he’s gonna make a winning. I didn’t make my first win until my tenth visit, and that’s because I was desperate and competed myself. How about this, I’ll shout ya all three. Being long time friends and all that, consider it a gift.”

“Thankyou, really. Don’t trouble yourself, I’ll just have the one or two. And what did you compete in?”

“Nah, its alright. Three’s the magic number. Do you remember that time I had a broken wrist and those smashed up toes?”

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

“Yeah.” Jimmy had to think for a moment.

“I had to survive three minutes with a super pissed off donkey. I wasn’t allowed to hit it or nothing, but I don’t think that would’ve done much to it anyways.” A burst of laughter was ended abruptly when a woman dressed in a high-end lifestyle dress stood next to Scott.

“This bastard cost me a lot of money because he wouldn’t stay down.”

“Aisling, how are you?”

“Lovely darling, and how are you? You’ve brought someone new into the fold I see. Can we trust him?”

“I’m going well. So far ahead this month its crazy. Oh him? Yeah, old schoolmate Jimmy. In desperate need of a bunch of cash by Friday, owes Mr. Walsh a bunch of money.”

“Holy shit. You owe Mr. Walsh money?” Aisling clucked her tongue. “You better make sure you pay back what you owe, he’s a very dangerous man. Is it a one-off payment you owe him?”

“Payment plan.”

“Whoa, you didn’t tell me that. That slightly changes the severity and desperation of the entire thing, doesn’t it?”

“My advice there, Jimmy, would be to make sure you bet on an easy win,” said Aisling.

“Sorry, but a bet can always be a loss. What’s an easy bet?” Aisling and Scott looked at each other and laughed.

“Oh, sweet pea. The easiest bet has two steps. First off, you need to find something where there can only be a win or a loss. Don’t get involved in other variables where you spend more to potentially make more. Secondly, whatever it is, you need to have as much information as possible to inform your decision. You may need to make money fast, and going down all of the different avenues seems appealing, but you need to get ahead first,” explained Aisling.

“Nope. You see, you’re wrong.” Scott shook his head.

“Really?” Aisling scoffed.

“Well, kind of right. You do need to find something where an outcome can be a little more on the clear side. A win or loss. A pass or fail. But you need one that offers other things as well. Maybe it’s a loss in the last round, or a win because the other forfeited. Unless you can make that money in three days, you’re fucked. May as well go big with the little money you have, and hope you keep winning.”

“Let’s see how that turns out for him, shall we?”

“Aisling, darling. I’ve won more here than you have.”

“Only because you bet on literally anything. You’ve even made up your own events. You know how to sway a crowd.”

“Its all a part of me charm.”

“Oh shit, look at the time. I’m about to make some big money, or lose it. Need to go, goodbye and good luck there Gerald.” Aisling pecked the air next to Scott’s cheek and hurried off.

“It’s Jimmy.”

“Oh, never mind her mate. Come, I’ll load you up on three drinks at once and we’ll bet all of your money in one go. Its time to make you rich, my friend.”