Gambling
Viktor Frankl’s book, Man’s Search For Meaning, teaches that existential crisis can lead to mass neuroses in the form of aggression, addiction, and depression.
In the fictional story of Little Woods, Lloyd McCallum loses his job as a software engineer, realizes that the market for his profession in the United States has been withered by the availability of inexpensive foreign engineers, and falls into the compulsion of gambling.
At first, Lloyd has a positive experience in the local casinos with his newfound friend, Russ Slechta. Before long, however, Lloyd seeks the services of an independent bookie, Stones Parabello, and loses heavily on illegal sports bets.
Excerpt: Little Woods (February - 21st Century: Craps)
Russ’ turn to throw, Lloyd thought. The moment of truth.
All players bet the pass bar, and the dice were pushed to Russ. He plucked them casually from the green-felt tabletop and tossed a five. Jerry accepted bets and used a curved rattan-wood stick to retrieve the dice and push them back to Russ.
Russ arranged the dice in his hands quickly.
He’s been practicing, Lloyd realized.
The dice sailed through the air, struck the soft felt table top, bounced against the bumper, and settled back on the surface at the far end of the table. Eight! Winner! Following the plan, Russ and Lloyd each continued to bet the six and eight. Dice were again pushed to Russ, who picked them up, spun them to the desired position, and let them fly. Six! Another winner!
Russ continued for ten straight throws before he hit craps on a seven. Not every throw fell on six or eight, but after a while Lloyd felt comfortable with bets larger than six dollars. But, he still pulled most of his winnings off the table with each successful throw so that he would be sure to leave with some cash in his pocket. Lloyd did almost as well with his own throws, and when they finished, he had an extra $550. Russ had much more.
Excerpt: Little Woods (March - 21st Century: Madness)
As his minivan entered the diner’s parking lot, Lloyd glanced toward the blue fabric of the passenger seat where a single sheet of white paper displayed his bracket for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. Second date.
Dee sat at Stones’ table but got up when Lloyd came in.
“Have a seat, Lloyd,” Stones said.
“I have my first-round picks. I’ll bet five hundred on each game. How do you want to do this?”
“Let me see…” Stones inspected Lloyd’s list, nodded, wrote out a receipt, and handed it to Lloyd—above the table. “We only need to be careful when money changes hands. Stop by and settle up early on the morning after the first round ends. I’ll take your second-round picks then, too.”
* * *
Alone in his den at home, Lloyd bowed, consumed by dejection. Two outright losses. The spread didn’t even matter. I picked them both wrong. I should stop this now. That’s it. I’ll go tell Marilyn. No wait. She’ll try to stop me from paying. I’m not sure how Stones would take that. “Sorry, buddy, the wife says I can’t pay you.” I’ll tell her after I give up the money. At least then my murder will come from someone in the family. But I won’t place another bet, not ever again. I’m finished with gambling.
He drove to Elgin. “Stones…” He started to break the bad news about the end of their business relationship, but instead he said, “I’ll put seventy thousand on Duke. Louisville can have the points.”
The winner was Louisville. The loser was Lloyd McCallum.