Pigman Calls Elanors Bluff
Grey boards covered the barn walls, splintered and cracked. The sun light squeezed in vertical sheets through the warped walls and lit old dust motes from years of corn and hay floating in the air. Men and women grew in clumps around card players standing at each barrel around the room. They breathed sound into the poker game that normally heard only the shuffle, click, fan of cards and occasional grunts from the players. Surrounding faces looked tight and worn from continuously seeking jobs, for food, for homes. Always some "thing" that was in jeopardy, or missing, or just not quite enough. Their eyes were dull and barely moved to follow each card played. Hands dangled from arms with stringy muscles contained by worn soft cotton.
Pigman was the youngest of the men playing cards that day. His hair was dressed in ringlets. His skin shone with grease. His was a game of consentration, an attempt on his part to remove a woman from play that disturbed his area of joy. His music gave joy to everyone and put sparks into lives that had little. Pigman did not like this woman who coldly came to play cards.
Elanor came and flicked her eyes. Those looks caused people to move and shuffle with stooped shoulders and " excuse me's" out of her way. Then she left. Gloomy voids filled the space she had been in dampening the lively spark Pigman's music brought.
Pigman didn't care why she came. He just wanted her to stay away. So he watched, and listened, and found a way.
Elanor loved to play poker and won. Mostly she won because she could lose more and bluff at higher stakes. She thought she was a good player. Pigman thought he could beat her.
So he saved his money, and waited, and planned.
Elanor came to the barn at the end of Pigmans last set. She did her usual arrogant tour and started to leave.
"Hey!"
Elanor continued walking.
"Hey woman can you hear me?"
Elanor stopped.
"Turn around here so I can talk to you."
Elanor started walking and mumbled to herself ,"Who does he think he is yelling at me that way?"
"Hey woman I can beat you at poker if you have the nerve to play me".
Elanor stopped. She turned quickly and minced to the foot of the stage.
"I can beat you any time...boy!" said Elanor with a sneer.
Calmly Pigman put down his guitar, folded the microphone, wiped off his hands, and never missing a beat said, "Meet me at Jim's barn".
They played all night and late in to the next day.
Give and take.
Give and take.
Give and take.
Time was lost and unfolding in their capsule of space. Pigman looked into Elannors eyes and rudely assessed her without saying a word. She blushed and said without thinking,"one more hand, winner take all".
Pigman smiled, shuffled and dealt. One card at a time to each player. Elanor lifted her hand and smiled for the first time.
"I've won...boy".
She tilted her hand so he could see. Pigman gently lifted each of his cards from the table. Lightly he fanned them in a row across the table. The murmur rose from the crowd to mingle with the breeze that brushed against the old grey boards in the creaking barn.
"He has a Royal flush"!
Pigman pressed his hand over the cards and shattered the oak barrel top. Elanor simply held her cards and the crowd held its'breath. Elanor gently folded her hand and slid them into her pocket. Looking at Pigman, the light died in her eyes. She moved slowly leaning against the chair. Her shoulders hunched and shuffling she left the lighted area where they had played. Walking into the darkness, never to play again.
The barn creaked, the wind blew. No one was left to see the mice come out and nibble the cards scattered across the floor.
Comments