Stopover at Reno (Details)
citation: Collier's, January 5, 1952, 129(1):10-11, 39, 42-44
alias: None
teaser: You're pretty broke by the time you hit Reno — but you do want to gamble a silver dollar, just for fun. And then suddenly, something has happened and it isn't fun any more. You've got to keep on, you've got to win …
summary: Ben and Rose Bennell check into a hotel
room, Rose worried about money. Ben explains they
still have their bus tickets to San Francisco, and enough to rent a place
for a week while he searches for work. You have to take a chance
now and then,
he explains.
Rose fears they'd already be in California if it weren't for her, but Ben
counters they'll benefit by the stopover at Reno, to get a
decent night's rest, and hit San Francisco fresh and relaxed.
As Rose
falls asleep, Ben goes downstairs.
He buys a newspaper, then returns to the elevators, listening to the sounds of gambling. He enters the casino to watch, feeling two half dollars in his pocket. Although he wants to gamble, he is more concerned about money than he let on to Rose.
He eases himself to the crap table, watching, and trying to understand the game. Confident in the current shooter, Ben places his half dollars on the table, immediately loosing them.
Feeling cheated, Ben makes another bet, promising himself to make up for the lost money by skipping lunches when while job hunting. He resolves to walk away if he loses, but wins, making back his previous loss.
Ben makes another bet, loses, then bets again to recover his loss. He wins again. He returns the bet to his pocket, letting the winnings ride. He wins again, and again puts half the money in his pocket. He continues this way, removing a dollar when he wins, then replacing it when he loses, but knows in the long run the house will win against this strategy. He decides to bet on two or three wins in a row, letting his bet stand, doubling each time.
His plan seems to work for a while, with Ben's luck chaging from good to bad and back again, until Ben becomes the shooter. Again, he resolves to quit if he loses, which he does.
By the rules of the game however, Ben would lose face by quitting, and is compelled to bet and throw the dice again. He loses, and for the same logic, bets again, eventually losing most of his money. He regrets the loss, worrying about what he will tell Rose.
Watching another player bet, Ben realizes his was not a good strategy. He should have removed more winnings than he wagered.
Unable to accept his loss, Ben bets again, and wins. He lets the bet ride, resolving to win again, then leave. On a premonition, he takes back his bet before the shooter loses. Although now more cautious, he eventually loses both winnings and wager.
Frantic, he considers stealing his money back. There is not enough money for him and Rose to continue to California. He berates himself for not having a more disciplined betting strategy; for not having had a larger stake to bet. He's compelled to get their money back, and makes another bet.
His fortunes shift until he is down only two dollars, but wants to win back all his money. Continuing his betting strategy, Ben slowly loses more than he wins, until he loses everything again.
He returns to their room to tell Rose what's happened, but finds her asleep. As he waits for her to wake, he considers cashing-in their bus tickets, sending Rose home to stay with friends while he finds work in Reno to rebuild their savings. Their future seems hopeless. Only another bet could change that.
Exiting the room without waking Rose, Ben returns to the craps table, and makes a bet. He wins, but fails to pick up his winnings, letting the bet ride on the next toss of the dice. Winning again, recovering all his money and more, he removes most of his wager, leaving his winnings on the table for the next toss.
He has a winning streak, until he makes a small fortune; enough for him and Rose to buy a house. Distracted, he again fails to remove his winnings, and must let his winnings ride on the next throw. He loses.
Having recovered all but a dollar of what he had when he first entered the casino, Ben returns to his room, telling Rose only that he gambled, and lost a dollar.
words: 9,959
genre: None
similar: Fast Buck
people: Ben Bennell, Rose Bennell, dealers
places: Reno, NV; San Francisco, CA: Sutter Street; Newark, NJ
comments: Forthcoming