lot of folks been figuring another reason you was keeping clear of the three rivers.
cincinnati kid. that the way it is, lancey? you been scared of the kid?
damn right you should! i'm telling you, that boy going to make your stomach ulcer bleed before the night is out. he's close to murder. i seen him give a fella the shakes so bad on a fourth card, it took a pint of corn liquor to settle him down.
so you showed up after all. you're a braver boy than i thought, so much the worse for you.
bound to. that lancey ain't human, he's one of them barracuda fish. he's liable to bleed to death, right on a flush hand before he give up to you. i seen him gut a fella so bad, the fella quit and got up and spit red in the john and went square.
did you know old cottonhead died?
heart give out in a high-low game.
can't afford to play, that's the real truth. had a bad year and i'm way over my edge.
if you don't see me when you need me, call room three-oh-eight. you know who else ain't with us no more? miriam, widow used to run the kitchen game to south chi. lost two month's relief at blackjack, coal dealer cut her credit, and she froze in her bed.
spider man died kind of slow. first he give them a kidney, then his gall bladder, and then they taking his whole damn stomach. you remember spider man, run the dice table down at turk's club to memphis.
he died kind of slow.
it's a whole new deal. good hands all around. prosperity for everybody.
getting crippled up, lancey. not many of the old gang left. you heard whistling sam was gone?
i was the one got called to the morgue to identify him. i don't suppose you seen anybody been run over by a twelve- ton bulldozer.
don't go out of your way.
gettin' to you, lancey?
i break.
you want to deal? then deal them yourselves. i'm going to the john. i'm going to get something to eat, and i'm going to take a nap. you barracudas can snap all you want but at each other -- i'm taking a break and if you don't like it you can both go to hell.
like eddie the dude said on his deathbed, i'm as ready as i'll ever be.
a jack and a ten. jack bets.
pair of tens. jack, ten of hearts.
one thousand to the tens.
a third ten, and a nine of hearts to the ten, jack.
two thousand, five hundred dollars to the three hearts.
a queen of diamonds to the three tens. and an eight of hearts to the possible flush. possible straight flush. three tens bet.
i declare a thirty-minute break. leave your cards and money on the table. the game will start again at five forty-five.
are you playing, kid? you got a half an hour to raise your stake.
gentlemen, this game is over.
never thought i'd see the day. you raising tens on a lousy three-flush.