It is
probably a little known detail outside our immediate family faction, but my
husband of forty-something years is not only a fan of observing games of
poker, he is quite an accomplished player. On any given evening, he
searches through a myriad of television channels hoping to discover a
current game to scrutinize and analyze.
Otto
has played poker most of his adult life; he was drafted into the United
States Army during the Vietnam War, and once he completed boot camp, he
exercised his gaming skills nearly every day. Because the compensation for
an unmarried draftee was so meager, his earnings at the card table were used
to supplement his monthly allotment.
When I
visited him on Sunday afternoon at the old barracks located near Sand Hill;
he presented me with the proceeds from his winnings to apply toward his
obligations; frequently I left Ft. Benning with a purse full of
currency.
Years
ago, back home, there was a weekly poker game hosted at the American Legion
Post #128 in Richland, and Otto was one of the players selectively invited
to participate with the predominantly elder gentlemen residents of our
hometown. He, his colleague Sam Moore, and my classmate Ronnie Gill were
known as the young mavericks at the games and frequently gave the town
professionals stories to grumble about. Tales of those legendary encounters
and especially those unforgettable individuals are permanently etched in his
memory.
As
frequently happens, family obligations, personal choices, and occupational
demands precluded him from playing for currency, but he never forgot the
camaraderie and the strategy of the game. Recently he was delighted to
discover that he could compete for points, in hopes of one day being invited
to participate in a tournament with the champions of satellite television.
World
poke tour, WPT, and their amateur poker league sponsor satellite games that
are frequently televised, so Otto may one day be seated at one of the
designated tables and challenge some of the nation's greatest poker
players.
