I’m full of scratch

me and my boys

shuffle the deck

roll the dice

throw the I Ching

throw a rickshaw ivory Made in Japan

throw a look

“that” look

our future seems bleak I say

Izzy jumps up on the table and scatters the cards

meows fit to break your heart

I rub my eyes, the cat the cat

I deal Izzy in

six cards all aces

make me a match I say

what? the boys ask

nevermind

we throw twenties on the table

Izzy folds

damn it the boys say when I rake in my winnings

how does he do it? they ask themselves

good game I say