After storing his items from the stone table inside, William began wandering the nearby area, eager to familiarize himself with his surroundings.
Close to his courtyard were a few other households. Most of his neighbors comprised of elderly folks, young children, and those who rented due to financial constraints. This area, after all, had significantly lower rents than the bustling city center.
Walking over to the neighboring courtyard, William spotted four elderly men engrossed in a game of poker.
The modern design of playing cards traces its roots back to France. By the late 17th century, French card manufacturers began utilizing standardized patterns and designs, which included the four suits: Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs, and Spades. This four-suit system later became the foundation of modern-day playing cards. By the 18th century, these cards had made their way to Britain and, shortly after, to the US in the early 19th century. In the United States, poker’s popularity soared, evolving into a widespread social and gambling activity. Over time, playing cards were standardized in design and size, and mass production began. As years passed, poker established itself as one of the most popular card games worldwide. Different countries might have variations in card design and gameplay, but the basic four suits and rank system remain consistent in many poker games.
William, naturally, knew how to play and played quite well at that.
He stood on the sidelines, observing the men. They didn’t mind his presence. One of the elderly men in front of William held a pair of twos and seemed regretful of his bet. Suddenly, he slapped himself hard, the sound echoing through the courtyard, and exclaimed, “Damn, I bet on the wrong hand!”
William nearly jumped in surprise. It was a solid slap, and the old man didn’t hold back on himself.
The other three men appeared unphased. The one across chuckled, “Richard, maybe slap yourself a bit harder next time?”
“Shut up!” Richard replied, rubbing his reddened cheek, “Just show your cards!”
William watched intently, from 2:30 in the afternoon until 4:00. By the end, Richard had been on a winning streak, pocketing thirty dollars. Then a phone call interrupted, and he hurriedly stood up, saying, “I’ve got to go pick up my granddaughter from school.”
“What? It’s so early! You can’t just win and leave! How will we continue our game?”
“I really can’t stay. My wife will have my head if I’m late for my granddaughter.”
“What do we do now?”
The player opposite Richard glanced at William, asking, “Young man, do you know how to play?”
William nodded, “A bit. But I don’t have cash on me. Everything’s on my phone.”
The old man chuckled, “Transfer to me using your phone, and I’ll give you some cash.”
“Deal.” Without missing a beat, William took Richard’s vacated seat. He quickly added the older man on WhatsApp, transferred fifty dollars, and in exchange, received fifty dollars in cash from him.
“After two dollars a game, playing Seven-Card Stud, do you know how?” The elderly man across the table inquired.
William replied, “I know the game, but I’m not very good.” 𝚍ｎ𝚘ｖ𝚕.𝚝
“No rush. Take your time to learn,” the older man responded, shuffling the cards. They relished playing against novices like William.
William pondered, deciding not to win any money that day, thinking that if he did, these old men might not want to play with him again.
After Richard left, William took over. In just a few rounds, his fifty dollars had dwindled to a mere ten. The three elderly men, with broad grins on their faces, engaged in light banter with William.
“Young man, where do you live? Haven’t seen you around before.”
“I live in the house next door. I’ll come by when I’m free; it gets pretty boring being alone,” William responded, revealing his last card. Yet again, he lost to the elderly man opposite him.
“Next door? Isn’t that where Brian’s troublesome son lives? Are you related to him?”
“No, he rented the place to me. I’ll be living there from now on.”
“Ah, good choice. I find you rather likable, young man,” the elder opposite him remarked. “Just call me Nathaniel. By the way, I have a granddaughter, quite a beauty… Do you have a girlfriend?”
Smiling sheepishly, William responded, “Alright, Nathaniel.”
Chuckling, Nathaniel introduced, “This is Mr. John, and this one is Mr. Johnson. Oh, and the one who left earlier with his winnings, that’s Mr. David.”
“Enough chit-chat,” interjected Mr. Johnson. “Let’s get back to the game, William, right? From now on, no more inviting Richard.”
Within a short span, William lost over thirty dollars, but of course, the elderly gentlemen loved playing against him.
“By the way, Nathaniel, you mentioned a granddaughter earlier?” William hesitated, “What’s her name again?”
“Evelyn!” Nathaniel beamed. “A beauty like a fairy. She’s in college now and should start dating.”
“What a coincidence,” William mused, “I just had dinner with her.”
“You know her?” Nathaniel exclaimed, eyes wide. “You didn’t move next door to pursue her, did you?”
Laughing it off, William said, “I only met her yesterday.”
As they continued playing, William learned more about Evelyn. She had lost both her parents and only had Nathaniel for family. Evelyn was diligent, paying her tuition herself. Nathaniel hoped to find a dependable partner for her before his time came.
As the sun set and dinner time approached, the card game wrapped up with William being fifty dollars lighter.
“Why don’t you all come over to my yard next time? We have a lovely tree for shade,” William suggested, always looking for more opportunities to interact with Evelyn.
Wrapping up the day, William wandered to the local market, picked up some veggies, and cooked dinner. As he pondered his future, he was interrupted by a girl in a white dress.
“Excuse me, does William live here?” she asked.
“What do you want with him?” William replied cautiously, not revealing his identity.
“Hi, I’m Alice. This is William’s house, right? I’ve come to be his apprentice.”
“I don’t take apprentices. Please leave,” William said, wary of another Turner family member wanting to apprentice at the drop of a hat.
“You’re William?” Alice frowned, “How old are you?”
“Twenty,” William answered nonchalantly.
Disappointed, Alice remarked, “I thought you’d be older. I apologize for the intrusion.” She had come to learn medicine from him, but how much could a twenty-year-old teach her?
“Take care,” William replied, lying back. Seeing a Turner reminded him of the idea of providing medical services or telling fortunes, a potentially interesting diversion from his routine.