All That Glitters
by Marielle Miller
“Luck o’ The Irish,” the sign said, “Take one.” What the hell, I could use a little luck. As I reached for the pot of gold, Brian, the bartender at MacAmee’s, raised his eyebrows at me.“What?” My hand hovered over the pot.
“It’s not like you to gamble.”
“What’s to gamble? Everyone knows the Irish are extra lucky.” Brian shrugged, turning to another customer. I rummaged through the gold coins, searching for one with the right “feel,” and slipped it into my pocket.
Patting my coin, I joined the regular Texas Hold ‘em game. I won handily, pocketing a cool 5C’s. I thanked the boys, turning down their invitation for another set, and returned to the bar for one last drink.
As I turned to leave, I bumped into the most gorgeous woman I had ever seen, spilling her drink down her bodice. I winced, grabbing some napkins to wipe the mess. To my surprise, she smiled, inviting me to her place.
I awoke the next morning in a strange bed, with cops banging on the door. They arrested me for buying sexual services, and her for prostitution. It took all my winnings to make bail. I got to work late, to find I was fired for being arrested.
Storming into MacAmee’s, I tossed the coin onto the bar. It’s golden gleam had turned to copper. “You can keep your Irish luck.”
Brian shook his head sadly. “I warned you. No one ever said Irish luck was all good.”
copyright 10/15/11
