"Back Against The Little Black Book"

“Back Against the Little Black Book”

I Know you heard the stories of the Las Vegas Well here's mine. Close your eyes and vision the heat the sound of the transit coming down the street. Imagine a homeless man walking down the street, same clothes with holes looking through the trash for something to eat. In his route to the Quick Stop the man grows tired from the humidity and sits down from exhaustion. The man troubled from life on the streets just wanted a better life but had a very bad addiction that turned his life upside down. Wiping sweat from his head he raises his head seeing a very nice vehicle pull up to the Quick Stop. A well dress man gets out of the car he seemed to be in a rush. When he walks to the store entrance the man on the curb asked the well-dressed man for some spare change he reaches in pocket and gives man a dollar. Thanking the man for his kindness as he returned to his spot on the curb. Upon parting ways, he seen the man moving really fast in a rush. A phone rings while he pumps gas, He answered the phone, "Hello Chip Sports where we give the best Lines at the best times. Now we know his name, Chip pulls a little black book out of his inside sleeve, opens a pen with his teeth and jots down notes for the big game tonight. "Money Line got you covered" he replied to voice on the other line of his cell phone. Chip hangs up seeming to put the book inside his jacket it falls to the ground, he gets in his car speeds off. The homeless man spotted the book as it fell to ground and went to retrieve it but too late to catch the man. He then opened it and also making sure no one saw him pick it up. The man begins walking into the dark looking through the book noticing money inside also all inside bets. He starts to get nervous seeking a motel for the night he goes to check in for the night till he figures things out. Sensing the trouble, he wonders what dangers came with the book but first sleep. His Appearance very tired in need of a shower from living on the street. He noticed clothes and items left in the motel room probably from the last guest. Starting the shower, he cleans razors and shaved to the point he couldn't be recognized. Looking further into the book he finds tips from a big game and decided to try his luck hoping to use it once and return it.

Meanwhile Chip had his own problems as he pulls in to the Casino in a rush, running to place a bet on the big game tonight. The Line was mild as he falls in with the rest of the gamblers and bookies. Reaching next in line he noticed the black book wasn't inside his jacket. Frantically searching his pockets and worried the money and bets were inside the book to double for the big game. Rushing back to the Quick Stop he remembered the homeless man and just wanted to find him to ask some questions. Odds against him and back against him and this Little black book. Chip pulls up thinking hopeless he's gone and how will I find him in Las Vegas. Soon after Chip hopes that he can come up with a plan to get this important book back. Hoping the man would use the book and he can explain to him the mishaps but that wouldn't be as easy as he thought.

The phone rings at the motel the man answers, “Hello William speaking”. The voice on the line replied “Hey this is Vince from the front desk but my friends call me Vinny this is just a courtesy call to check on our tenants”. Thanking him for the courtesy hanging up the phone. Distracted by the black book he placed on the table tempted by the contents inside this book. Between a rock in a hard place, William decided to use the book to see if its works. Thumbing through the pages the stats, Will reads the tips circling all the winning choices seeming to be ready to try his luck. Aware that this book could be dangerous Will knew he had to act fast and hurry to catch the big game as he lays across the bed beginning to doze off. Falling into a short nap Dreaming of himself on top of the world. Will’s Dream felt un real people in his dreams treated him like royalty unlike what he was used to. This Particular Dream took place with him headed to the casino in a very luxurious Limousine. William walked to get inside Limo and also seeing same car at the Quick Stop. That could be the man who dropped the Black book thinking to himself nervous The Limousine Driver pulls off in route and noticed the car trailing them and tried to lose them in a high-speed chase to the casino. William tells him to get rid of the driver, very scared. Sensing danger, the Driver uses some old tricks behind the wheel to throw the car following them off track. Successful They pull into the entrance letting William out of the Limo. The Driver warns will about the dangers and tells him to be careful seems like he got involved with the wrong men. William nodding his head at the driver letting him know respectfully that he will, then parting ways to the casino doors to catch the big wager. Walking towards the line he notices the wait not as long as it usually is, hoping to get in quickly and out and back to see if the tips were right. Towards the front he over hears two men saying ‘that’s the guy who cleaned out the sportsbooks on winning the Insiders game”. Those men where know for causing trouble at the casino often, so William ducks his head trying to stay low profile while he completes the bets reaching the clerks desks. Sliding the envelope to the clerk telling him to place it all on the Insiders plus all Money Line games. Noticing the men still looking at him all eyes were on him as the clerk passes him the ticket wishing him good luck. He grabs the ticket and darts towards the door hoping to get back safe. The men begin following him so he takes the opposite direction and losing them quickly feeling like he got a way breathing very hard. Will waiting on the Limo out of nowhere William hears a voice say, “Didn’t think I would find you". Turning around slowly to a gun aimed at his face “BANG!!!!’. The sound wakes him up startled from his dream sweating hard now trying to find a way to get the bet done and still remain alive. William very indecisive wondered if his dream was a reality or not. Walking towards the door on his way to catch the big game that would change his life forever.

Back to Reality William makes it to the casino on the bus hoping to get in and out hoping it all was just a dream. Like his dream, those two men happened to be there. William goes toward the clerk's window to place the wager from the little black book and reaches for the envelope feeling eyes on him. William slides him the money out of the envelope and tells him to place it all money line on the Insiders. William hands the clerk the money and counts it then replaces the money with a ticket with a double up of $20K to $40k large good luck. Taking the odds, he takes the ticket and heads for the bus to get back to watch the game to see if the book was correct. Unexpectedly the men began watching him close as he gets on the bus just escaping them sensing they want to cause a problem. Back at the motel he turns on the TV and begins to catch the opening tip going against the tips in the book the game seemed loss. Throwing the book, he gets angry at the half time results what was he going to do he thought the book would fulfil his dreams. The second half begins with his head hung to the TV set as the game quickly turned around, he gets excited YES!!! He shouts as the game began to pan out as he was 24 seconds from the biggest win. The game ended and the book was correct now he shouted “I’m Rich”, not use to having much and falls to the bed relieved. The hard part now would be getting the money from the win without being tracked. Many things on his mind like the man at The Quick Stop and the troublemakers at the casino to collect. Weighing his options, he decided to get the winning hoping to escape the danger.

“50/50% Here Goes Nothing”

Life not treating William so good at the moment the phone rings Chip answers “Hello Chip Sports where we give the best lines at the best times”. The voice on the other line said “It’s me Gus tell me those went through the talk of the town is someone hit big tell me it's us kid”? “Yes and no”, Chip responds very anxious and nervous admitting that he lost the book and money. Gus telling him to figure out this mishap and get the book back, Chip felt hopeless. Coming to the conclusion he would wait at the casino bar hoping to cross paths to get the book back and explain. Just as he begins to give up, he notices the troublemakers talking describing William plotting on what they do to him for that ticket. Eyes on them hoping they would be his way to recover the book. The doors to the casino opened, guess the wind blew William in the direction at the same time he was waiting at the bar of the sportsbook. William walked right pass Chip, not noticing him due to change of his appearance remembering a homeless man. Williams heads for the clerk’s window to cash out the earnings and just like his dream he hears the trouble makers say “That's the guy that cleaned out house on the Insiders”. William gets very nervous sensing eyes on him as the clerk counts the money, and passes it to him $40 large. Soon as he gets the money William makes a run for it. The men begin to follow him and chase him to the exit. Chip watches it takes place and he followed them. The Trouble makers catch up to William, grab him in pursuit to rob him for the money and the black book they pull out a knife enforcing it. Just as the men begin to ruff him up Chip comes from behind the men holding his piece stating, “Is there a problem”, as the men back off. For the first time since his appearance change, they were face to face uneasy Chip begins to explain to William the mishaps. “I think you have something that belongs to me”. William pulls out the envelope with the $40k large gives it to Chip and he splits the money in half 50/50. “20,000 wow”! William shouted as Chip thanked him for carrying out the big bet offering a job at his sports firm shaking hands and parting ways. Back at the headquarters, the two begin the start of a good relationship working alongside each other with memory of this little black book that changed their lives forever. The phone rings “Hello Chip and Will sports where we give the best lines at the best times”.

Thank You for support read and enjoy – Vaughan F. Sumter