"In a bet, there is a fool and a thief" (Proverb)

.....There are many ways to gamble in life.  I learned to gamble in WWII, which in itself was a huge gamble.  I began to play poker in our quonset hut when we weren't on duty.  I became very good at it, somehow being able to read opponents' body language and eye movements.  Then after the war, while going to college, I went to a poolroom almost every day during the summer, and I began to gamble playing pool.  There was also a Western Union ticker in the poolroom giving the results, inning by inning, of baseball games, so I gambled on baseball games and won a lot more money that way then I did playing pool.  I'm reminded now of my role in "Music Man" produced here in Huntington Lakes when I had to learn the difficult monologue, "There's trouble in River City"...all about the evils of a new pool table in town.  I know now how evil gambling on pool is since I lost money at that six-pocket game.  According to Harold Hill--my role--billiards is the game to play because pool is "trouble".  The kids in knickerbockers spent all their time playing pool and neglecting to pick dandelions, or getting the screen door patched, or  getting the beefsteak pounded.  Never mind failing to get the cistern filled so that their parents could have water on a Saturday night.  And they also gambled on horse races where the jockey sat right on the horse!  Can you believe it?Most certainly there was trouble in River City.  

.....When I retired and set up camp in Florida and learned to use a computer I found several casinos on the web where I could send in some money that I could use betting on any kind of a ballgame.  I really was successful, but after awhile I found that I was spending all my time figuring out who was going to win and who was going to lose.  I eventually gave it all up in order to do other things--like work on my memoirs.  However, I learned that there were Las Vegas style casinos in Florida where you could play slot machines, blackjack, or my favorite card game--poker.  But--

                                  You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em,

                                             Know when to walk away, know when to run.

                                           You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table,

                                           There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done.

....Thank you Mr. Rogers; you're so right.  Well, after I finish countin', I usually go to my favorite way of relaxing and play the slot machines.  This particular casino was owned and run by the Seminole Indians.  The machines are fun, and while they are swallowing up your money, they play sweet music.  Oh, well, since we stole the land from those Indians in order to build condominiums and swimming pools for grandchildren,  I suppose they deserve to get rich, and then wealthy--which they are. So, then, in my life I've found numerous opportunities to gamble, without becoming addicted...but the biggest gamble of all is life--if you're "sittin' at the table" in your own life, and learn to put enough money in the kitty, you can win.  If not, you lose.