Monday, February 11, 2019

Another Sea Story - Pittsburgh in the Early 70's

So, there was little money around and even fewer jobs for kids like myself with little experience.

One night I met up with a guy named Bob who was helping his friend put a 1967 Malibu body onto a new [stolen] frame.  I didn't know at the time about the stolen.  So, hanging around, drinking beer that if we left it sitting on the ledge for more than a minute or two started to become frozen beer.  It was that cold, but for Pittsburgh in the early 70's nothing new either.

The relationship between Bob and I developed and  it wasn't long before we decided to get into an apartment together.  We were 18.

The place was the 3rd floor of This Place, The Last House On the Left.

So, as we spent our time partying and looking for employment to bring in some money, we also spent some time in various activities out of boredom.   On one of these evenings, Bob and I were playing poker, specifically Jacks to Open - Trips to win.  Briefly, you had to have at least a paid of jacks to open and at least 3 of a kind to win the pot.  But you could bluff after the open.  If you open and you don't have at least a pair of jacks you lose the pot, but if you have at least a pair of jacks, you can bluff and try to get your opponent(s) to drop out.  Hope that's clear.

In the meantime, each new deal resulting in no one having at least 3 of a kind means everyone ante's up for the next deal and the whole thing starts over again.  We had been playing a long time and not for a large amount of money for ante.  We had tried to bluff each other out several times and as a result, after close to an hour with no victor, there was 1500 and change in the pot.  That was a Huge amount of money for a couple slobs barely able to find work.

In the last hand, Bob was dealing (good thing) and he was dealt a Full House from the get go.  I was dealt the Ace and 2 of Clubs and three garbage cards.  He opens of course and with a sizeable bet.  I'm in of course.  He takes no cards. (Is he setting me up for another bluff?)  I draw 3 cards ! He must have been licking his lips !

I draw the 3, 4, and 5 of clubs for a Straight Flush.  He bets, I call and raise, he is smiling, He calls and raises, I'm smiling.  He thinks I think he's bluffing.  At the end of the calls and raises, he shows his full house.

I lay down my Straight Flush that I got drawing Three Cards! and he goes absolutely nuts.  He runs into the kitchen and tears the door off the wall and throws it down the stairs.  He runs out of the house and isn't seen again for an hour or so.  LOL.  Call me Mr Lucky.

Man he was pissed.  Stayed friends though. He was my best man twice, and I his once.




 

35 comments :

  1. ProgressiveDisruptionsFebruary 12, 2019 at 9:41 AM

    Hey KID, I come here to read your political rants, and NOT these Dumb Assed stories.
    Stick to what your readers want, and NOT this crapola.

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  2. I am finding that for myself fewer and fewer want my political rants, but prefer dumb assed stories. Thats what happens when the GOP loses the House, ( Never really had the House, truth be told), loses the big beautiful Wall,.... has Occasional Cortex, Muslims out the kazoo... generally the Republic going down the toilet.

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    1. Bunk, Yea I don't have much interest in politics at this point. The news flow is as disgusting as the democrats and rinos. Who wants to think much about that crap. I just skip 90+ % plus of the usual headlines.

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    2. A friend of mine from church, a gentle good guy, told me Sunday the news has him wanting to kill people. By that he means he wants them dead. Same for myself, I confessed to him.
      Coincidentally, they are all Democrats we see on the news.

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    3. Ed, Talk your friend down from the ledge. And you also. They're not worth it......

      But while we're on the subject, if IT ever came to IT, I'd have media people in my sights.

      Delete
  3. Sounds like Aliquippa!

    Or maybe Steubenville, Ohio.

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    Replies
    1. AOW, Not far off. Pittsburgh North Side.

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    2. My brother lived in Aliquippa though for a good while.

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    3. Many in those towns are the salt of the earth as far as I'm concerned.

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    4. My family is from California, just down the river.
      I know houses like that.

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    5. AOW. Madonna is from Aliquippa even though she claims to be from Cali. My brother drank with Paula Zahn<sp?) in Aliquippa bars.
      Personally, I had found that the least populated locales had the most 'valuable' people.
      In short, hard times makes great people and vice versa.

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    6. Ed, Give us some more details please. Or not.

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    7. Down the Monongahela from Pittsburgh is California PA. Settled by people headed for California, but who gave up a little short of reaching it.
      As for Madonna, she was born a little north of Ypsilanti in Rochester Hills.
      From Wiki:
      "Born and raised in Michigan, Madonna moved to New York City in 1978 to pursue a career in modern dance."

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    8. Thanks Ed. Well, you know that Wiki stuff is suspect. My Brudder swears Aliquippa. He also used to get plastered in a bar there with Paula Zahn if you know who that is.

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  4. I'm not a betting man but I'll lay a Guinea on Orangeman taking 2020. Cortez, what?

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    Replies
    1. Lonestar, I'm thinking the only Trump killer may be michelle. Damn. Well if America votes for a dem majority again in the next 10,000 years, it has committed suicide.

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  5. Is this story true? I rather like that house. It does need a pot of petunias by the front steps though.

    Sorry I haven't been around. I fell (tripped on my hair drier cord) and sprained the heck out of my left hand. It's hard to type, but I made the effort for you, my love. ;-) It's wrapped up and been doing ice packs since yesterday morning and now I'm headed in to soak in Epson salts.

    Meantime, we're buried up to our eyeballs in snow. A few days ago it was windy and our road drifted over, but our snow plow fairy was able to dig us out. Freezer full of food, lots of wood for stove, and when we got dug out and headed out briefly for necessities - two cartons of cigs and cat food. It will be fine. Heh

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    Replies
    1. True Story Adrienne.

      I'm grieving that you are suffering my Love ! Perhaps I can provide soothing massages !

      Cigs? You're still smoking? I did the patch in 2005 and that made it so easy to quit. I never looked back. But you gotta want it. Just an FYI with a shower selfie included....

      I will meet you tonite in an astral projection extravaganza of Love. If you are available. I'll bring the refreshments. I pray for your renewed health.

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    2. As an aside... there was a couple who lived next door to this place. (It appears in the google image that their house no longer exists) We would be playing Led Zepplin at max volume during the wee hours and (occasionally) the folks next door would be coming out of their place the same time at us and they would smile and wave at us. Freaky. They were older. If I were they, I'd have thought they'd be calling the cops instead....

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    3. I lke the look f that house too, Adrienne, even though it looks like it's seen better days. I'd love to get ahold of it, renovate it without spoiling its original appearance, clean up and relandscape the property, then enjoy the surrounding greenery and that neat view of the old highway bridge in the distance.

      Places like that beat the heck out of the stinking McMansions that have been taking over far too many areas.

      The back roads, half-deserted old neighborhoods, and largely forgotten run-down small towns attract me more than than "Mainstream America" which I think SUCKS to put it mildly.

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    4. I'm with you Franco. And on one of my non-working and non-looking for work days, I put Blind Faith on the turntable and did a detailed pencil draw of the bridge and surrounding foilage as I sat on the roof on the right side of that house. Came out pretty good. I gave all my art away. Someone is gonna be rich someday.

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    5. It's too bad you didn't save at least a photocopy of that picture, Kid. It would have made a great addition to your sea story set in the wild and free days of your youth. ;-)

      Your writing style reminds me of John Steinback and William Saroyan.

      Please take that as a compliment.

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    6. That it would have Franco. Thank You !

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  6. We could sneak away to the last house on the left. It reminds me of Jerome, AZ. We spent lots of time there when we lived in Sedona.

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    1. I'll be there about 3:30 AM Eastern Standard Time tonight My Dear Adrienne if you can make it. Or give me another time slot. :=]

      I've been to Jerome a few times. The last time I was there the lady Sheriff was driving all the heavy drinkers home from the saloon. So many interesting places in Arizona.

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  7. Once upon a time there was a tavern
    Where we used to raise a glass or two
    Remember how we laughed away the hours
    And dreamed of all the great things we would do


    Those were the days, my friend,
    We thought they'd never end
    We'd sing and dance forever and a day
    We'd live the life we choose
    We'd fight and never lose
    For we were young and sure to have our way
    La la la la...


    Then the busy years went rushing by us
    We lost our starry notions on the way
    If by chance I'd see you in the tavern
    We'd smile at one another and we'd say:


    Those were the days, my friend,
    We thought they'd never end.
    We'd sing and dance forever and a day
    We'd live the life we choose
    We'd fight and never lose
    Those were the days, oh yes those were the days

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    Replies
    1. Franco, now I do play that tune in my head fairly often. Good one.

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    2. I thought it kinda fit what you were saying, Kid.

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    3. Franco, it certainly did. Those were the days and we thought they'd never end, but now I'm a 35 yr old in a 66 year old body and I know those days aren't coming back.

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  8. I'm just happy you used those poker winnings to fix the place up! Once you're out, you're always out!!! I for one want more poker stories. Maybe we should get this crew together for some 5 card draw... or Indian.

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    Replies
    1. DaBlade. I'll play any kind a poker, but my favorite is 5 card stud. I am the Cincinnati Kid after all.

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