My Jeep was a fun car to drive. It wasn’t very big, but for a teenage guy, it was exactly what he wanted. Well, it could use a larger back seat for a little parking action.
I pulled up to Jim’s house and saw that there were already several cars there. When I walked inside, I found that Wolf, Ty, Jake, Ed, Bryan, and Brock had beaten me there and were watching a baseball game on TV. I found Jim in the back, starting the grill.
“So, what’s the plan for tonight?” I asked.
“Well, I thought about going out but decided it might be more fun to eat some charred meat, drink a few beers, and play poker. I didn’t want to have to find everyone at the end of the night.”
“I agree. On a guy’s night out, there should be a rule like, ‘Never Leave a Man Behind,’” I offered.
“Can you handle the grill for me?” Jim asked.
“If you get me a beer.”
“You’re not worried about Moose?” Jim asked.
“I’ve been good most of the year. I think we can have a little fun, especially since who knows when we’ll get another chance.”
“Graduation. My parents are letting me throw another party. You’ll be invited.”
“Well, I’ll have beers with you twice, then,” I said with a smile.
While he left to get one, I grabbed the metal brush and began to clean a year’s worth of crud off the grates. Jim came out with my beer and an enormous platter of New York strips. Following him were Tim and his new girlfriend, Brit.
“I have a new rule,” Jim said. “No Girlfriends!”
“What are you talking about?” Brit asked.
“We’re making up rules about a guys’ night out,” I said.
“You don’t consider me one of the guys?” Brit asked.
I raised my eyebrows at Tim.
“You need to tell us something?” I asked.
“Bite me, Dawson,” Tim said and took a swig of his beer.
Alan walked out onto the patio.
“Do you have any wine coolers?” he asked.
“No Nancy Boys,” Brit said to add to the list.
I shot beer out my nose. Brit could stay.
“Alan, you’re so weird sometimes,” Jim said.
“What? I just like the taste better,” he whined.
“There’s only beer, so deal with it,” Tim said.
“Okay, okay, I was just asking,” Alan said and stepped back into the house.
I sent Jim into the kitchen to get me seasoning for the steaks and some oil for the grill. Tim and Brit followed Jim into the kitchen to start getting everything else ready. Jim’s mom had made mac and cheese, baked beans, and French fries, and they all were being kept warm in the oven. Brit was put in charge of the mushrooms.
I grilled the steaks, drank some beer, and shot the shit with guys as they rotated out to see what I was doing and grab a steak. Finally, everyone had one, so I plated up the last one, turned off the grill, and joined everyone inside.
By the end of the night, I had two additional rules: ‘Don’t be Cheap’ and ‘Don’t be a Douche.’ The cheap one came from Jake. He apparently didn’t think to bring any money to help pay for the food or play poker. I guess he expected us to cover for him. Fortunately for Jake, Ed stepped up and loaned him some money.
The douche was Alan. We were playing nickel, dime, and quarter poker stakes, just to have some fun. Alan had a good hand against me.
We were playing Texas Hold’em, and the flop had come ace of spades, nine of spades, and three of hearts. My two cards were face-down on the table, and I lifted them just enough to see two threes to give me trip threes. I was guessing Alan had either two pair or a flush draw.
“I bet ten bucks,” he announced.
“Dude, we’re just goofing off. Plus, you can only bet what’s in front of you on the table,” Jim said, stepping in to head Alan off.
“David can afford it,” Alan said.
“Let’s see your money,” I came back, getting irritated with his little shot at me.
Alan reached for his wallet, dug out a ten, and put it on the table. I dug into mine and pulled out a twenty. I thought about it for a moment. Dad had been working with me to not just focus on my hand, but to try to figure out what my opponent might have. My guess was he had two pair and didn’t want me to draw to the flush. Alan could also have something like pocket aces or nines and have me dominated. I expected if he had that, he would have checked. Then again, Alan tended to get excited if he thought he had you beat and pressed his luck. I’d used that against him playing video games. I decided to call, taking his ten and putting the twenty into the pot.
On the turn, the six of clubs came out, or a blank. I couldn’t see it doing either of us any good.
“I bet twenty,” Alan said.
“Alan, seriously. This is just a friendly game,” Jim tried one more time.
“He won’t listen. I call,” I said.
We both put twenty in the middle.
On the river, the three of diamonds came out to give me quads. I knew I was unbeatable since only a higher hand of quads or a straight flush would beat me. The board didn’t give either of those hands a chance. Alan’s eyes lit up, and he pulled out his wallet and counted out sixty dollars.
“Alan, just check it down. I have you beat. I don’t want to take your money,” I said.
