AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I gamble.”
“Enough that bookiesbeat you up?”
“It happens.”
“Not to you, dude. What do you gamble on?”
“Sportsbook. Mostly on the apps. I have a PO box where I send the credit card bills. It’s a system. It works great.”
My mouth dropped open. Suddenly it all made sense. John always had a game on, and he was on the phone constantly. I thought he was working, but he could have been gambling. I thought of the sports memorabilia lining his man cave. I would have guessed he gambled a little, but never that he’d go this far.
“TJ, it’s not that big a deal.”
“What do you bet on?”
“What do you think? Games, the next field goal, the next play, the next shot. A lot of people gamble.”
“Not likethis, bro,” I shot back, incredulous. “You got beat up. They trashed your kitchen.”
“It won’t happen again.”
“Did it ever happen before?”
“No, and I’ll pay up next week. I’ll have the cash then. They’ll come back. They don’t speak wire transfer.”
Dumb smart guy. “When did you start all this?”
John sipped his drink. “When the apps came. 2019? 2020?”
“Why?”
“Themoney, what else?” John chuckled, then winced. He took off his ice pack, leaving a pinkish swath on his face. “It’s fun, too—it’s a rush, a release. I have a lot of responsibilities, TJ.”
“So, pressure. Discomfort. Suffering.”
“Are you just saying words?”
“It’s Buddhism. I’m a drunk monk.” I’d read some Buddhist philosophy on my phone the other night, and it talked about cultivating compassion. Maybe that’s why I didn’t want to yell at John. “I can’t believe this. I thoughtIwas the only problem child. How much money have you lost?”
“What’s the difference?”
“Tell me. We’re talking.”
“About a million,” John said irritably.
I gasped. “Amillionbucks? John, it’s out of control. That’s a gambling addiction.”
“I’m not an addict.”
“Yes you are. You’re pissing away afortune.”
“I have it in control.”
“No, you don’t.” I put it together. “Dude, you’re stealing to support your habit. You’re running a kickback scheme with our clients.”
John hesitated, then frowned in fake indignation. “What are you talking about?”
“Please, don’t bullshit a bullshitter. You’re padding your bills. You’re scamming the clients. You’re kicking back a percentage. Tell me again about fiduciary duty, bro.”
