The Small Man - Part I

The small man was in Seat Four when I arrived. He was in his mid-forties with tidily-parted dark hair and a meticulously groomed goatee. He was well dressed without being overly fussy and self-consciously dapper in the way that so many small men are. He scarcely moved a muscle all evening and never drank, not even a glass of water. This was in stark contrast to the other players, all of whom appeared determined to beat the rake through their heroic consumption of alcohol.

The small man remained aloof from the general hubbub and raucous conversation that is the staple of Friday nights in casinos everywhere and especially this Friday night in the MGM. Despite this, he did not appear unfriendly, rather detached and also wryly amused at this poker drama playing itself out for his private enjoyment. He rarely offered any comment beyond an occasional 'well played' or 'hard luck'. He always tipped the dealer a dollar when he won a pot and showed no trace of emotion when his opponent drew out against his flopped set.

I sat in Seat Nine opposite him for five hours and grew fascinated by his stillness and his air of almost scientific contemplation. The cards and chips lost my attention and I found myself making basic mistakes. Despite repeated chiding by the dealer, I could not concentrate on the game - even with the juicy action. I could only focus on the small man.

On returning from a toilet break, I found the small man gone. As though emerging from a dream, my head cleared and I began to play again. Helped by a rush of cards, I cleared a good profit from my inebriated and giggling table companions, wished them good night and headed for bed.

The next day, I headed for the buffet at the Bellagio in search of sustenance. I am a solitary eater by nature and had tucked a copy of the paper under my arm for company. Waiting in line, the maitre d' announced that the room was full and you could only have a table if you were willing to share. 'It's OK by me' I said and the maitre d' pointed behind me and said 'share with him willya buddy?'. I turned around and found the small man there.

.....to be continued.....