In The Dreaming: Chapter Fifteen "Breaking the Abstinence Rule- Poker and Beers" (Fantasy Y/A Novel)

-I wrote the following novel nearly two decades ago. In the years between then and now I've honed my craft, and my perception of this world; my thoughts and ideas; have changed dramatically. However, I still enjoy the premise and have decided to do an overhaul of revisions and rewrites, though likely not until sometime next year. (Though I'm sure I'll do a little as I post chapters)

For now I hope you will enjoy a glimpse into my book writing beginnings...

They are the closest of friends though they have never met in waking life.

Prologue-PT1 Prologue-PT2 Chapter 1

Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4

Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7

Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10

Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter Fifteen

Collin nodded. “All right, enough of that, where’re the girls?” As if on cue Gerald and Jake walked in talking heatedly about something.

“Uh oh, what’s the debate about now?”

“This brain dead fool,” Gerald jabbed a finger towards Jake, “thinks that there’s no difference in the genetics of the White American than that of the African American.”

“No, what I said was that they do not necessarily have a genetic predisposition which enables them to be better at sports.”

“Oh come on, look at the sports industry!”

“And exactly what knowledge of sports to either of you have to be having an informed discussion about it?” Brent cocked his head to one side waiting for an answer- he was the only sports buff in the room and seldom got to enjoy a game being outnumbered three to one.

“It doesn’t take a sports fanatic to see that blacks outnumber whites by something like five to one.”

“Oh give me a break, where did you pull that statistic out of, your wide ass?” Jake made a face and rolled his eyes.

“All right girls, enough, can’t you argue about something worthwhile for a change?” Collin grabbed the remote and turned up the T.V.

“What’s got him bugged?” Jake and Gerald’s inane debates were a frequent occurrence, which usually amused Collin, and he and Brent would normally take ridiculous stands on whatever subject it was just to tick the two of them off. But today he was not in the mood. Brent only shrugged knowing that Collin’s confidence was not something you took lightly, and certainly not something you broke to the stiffs.

“My brother’s coming up here to see me before classes start,” Brent announced.

The protests came right away from Jake and Gerald, who found Brent’s 21 year old brother Ben to be a “common clod, obnoxious and overbearingly loud.”

Collin on the other hand perked up. Brent was from Boston, and although he was by far the most relaxed of them next to Collin, most of the time he came across as the typical Harvard type haircut and everything, Ben on the other hand, was a city boy, a lot like himself. Collin loved the guy.

“Look, I know you two think that he’s stupid and loud, but he’s my brother and I love him. If you don’t want to hang out with him, that’s fine, but you’re going to be missing out-he’s bringing us some presents.”

“Presents?”

“Booze, my friends, he is bringing us some liquor and beer.”

“Count me out!” Gerald virtually shouted.

Collin said nothing, he had partied many times in his life before he came here, but had never been drunk. Mainly because with the friends of his past he could never let himself be out of control, and of course at the age of twelve alcohol was harder to come by.

Jake sighed, “I don’t suppose he’ll bring us a good scotch, or some Bombay Sapphire-that’s gin.”

“Yeah, I know what it is, and doubtful he’ll be coming with it, but I’m sure he wouldn’t mind running up to town if you give him some cash.”

Jake nodded appreciatively and sat in a chair.

“I can’t believe you idiots are actually considering breaking the abstinence rule-especially you,” he indicated Jake, looking incredulous.

“Oh come on Gerry, relax, everyone here breaks it once in awhile, and if you get caught your first offence only results in a warning.” Collin rolled his eyes at the prude.

“Don’t call me Gerry-
“
So you’re in then Collin?”

“Of course, I could drink a few beers. Will it be cheap stuff, or something good?”

“Actually, they have a brewery around the corner from our house and the stuff is fantastic.”

“When does he arrive?” Jake put his feet up on the coffee table, apparently imagining himself with a glass of scotch on the rocks.

“He’ll be here around 8:00.”

“Thanks for the warning, I think I will find something else to do,” Gerald scowled.

“Gerald, you’ve got to hang out with us, who knows maybe a few drinks will loosen you up, take that massive chip off your shoulder for an evening.”

“I don’t think so.”

The three of them began pleading with their uptight roommate in earnest.

“All right fine, I’ll hang out, if only to keep you creatons out of trouble. But I’m not drinking.”

They told him fair enough, and decided to order some pizza to get the festivities started. Ben surprised them by being on time, causing Jake to lose ten bucks to Brent on a bet. He walked in with a flourish, carrying two paper bags-one full of beer, a smaller one with a couple of bottles.

“There’s the baby genius!” He dropped the bags on the floor to give Brent a huge bear hug and kiss on the head, ruffling his hair affectionately.

“Ben-you are the man! I’ve got one small request though, would you mind terribly if I rode down to the liquor store with you, Jake’s got some dough for a bottle of Black Label-is that what you settled on?” Jake nodded.

“Of course no problem, anything for the kid who is going to support me in a few years.” He dropped the r’s out of words, so it sounded more like of coss and fo and suppot.

“Oh yeah, am I going to keep you set up while you land the big acting jobs which will in turn support me?”

“You got it kiddo.”

Ben stuck his hand out for Collin, who grabbed it firmly and with warmth. “Good to see you too, my brother’s first cool friend,” he looked at the other guys who were now in full glare mode, “Nah, I’m just jerkin’ ya around, you’re all cool guys.” Of course this last he didn’t mean.

He put his hand out for them, but was left with it hanging in the air. He clapped his hands together, “All right, let me go get this bottle for Jacquo, and Collin-you know how to play poker right?”

“Of course.”

“Great, let’s get some Texas hold’em going, you pansies get ready to lose your wallets, get it set up while I’m gone-” he reached into one of the bags and pulled out a couple boxes of poker chips and some cards and tossed it to Collin. “See ya’s in uno
momento.”

Collin pulled out the card table, a present to Brent from Ben last Christmas, and counted the chips out in five piles. He took the cards out of the pack and shuffled them, then remembered that Ben was a master at it, and set them down. He hadn’t had a lot of
exposure to real games but he played on the internet often enough.

Gerald surprised him by announcing that he was actually “quite” good at the game, it was something that all the men in his family had been playing weekly as a tradition for generations.

“Mine too,” Jake came out of his room carrying cigars!

“What the hell, how come in the last 4 years I’ve known you, this has not come up?” Collin took a cigar and sniffed it, the way they did it in the movies.

The two of them shrugged. “I didn’t think it was something you cretons would be interested in, just another thing we could argue about, like sports and superman.” Gerald took a cigar and ran it across his lips.

“Nooo, poker is nothing like sports, it is like billiards, or darts, both of which I love, and uh Ger, don’t you think a cigar is breaking the abstinence rule, hmm?”

“No Col, I don’t. It says “No habitual smoking” an occasional cigar hardly counts. Now alcohol is forbidden under any circumstances, which means not even one, if you took the time to read the rules you would know that.”

“Bend over so I can pull that stick out of your-

“Okay, that’s enough, we are going to play some poker, and I’m going to whip the pants off all of you,” Jake smiled. “Don’t worry Collin, before the night is over we will have Gerald drinking out of a straw.”

“I think not!”

“Oh yeah, I think that when you’ve lost enough money you may be willing to get it back for a couple of drinks.”

“You wouldn’t be so low.”

“We’ll see.”

At that the door burst open and in strode the brothers, laughing. Brent’s best side always came out when his brother was around.

“Whoa, look at this, cigars! You boys don’t play around!”

Brent stared at the three of them sporting their stogie’s. “Who’s been holding out?”

“The Jakester brought out the stogie’s, and apparently they’re a couple of card sharks. Been playing since they were two or something.”

“No shit, well it looks like I got me some competition then, huh boys?” Ben pulled out a beer, plucked a cigar out of Jake’s outstretched hand and sunk into a chair. He grabbed the deck and flipped it upside down, slid it, threw it in the air, then
shuffled normally and dealt.

Brent got up and yanked open some windows, with all of them smoking it was likely not to go unnoticed. They picked up their cards and got started.

Three hands in, Jake was on top and looking pretty proud of himself. Gerald’s pile of chips was getting pitifully small, and Collin was trying to get a feel for the game. He made a mental note to play his roommates more often, playing people you could see held a whole new element. He tipped back the last of his third beer and reached for another.

“Maybe you should slow down there Collin.” Jake was nursing the last of his first glass of Black Label, which was mostly ice at this point.

“Nah, maybe the alcohol will improve his game,” Ben grinned at him, a cigar hanging from the corner of his mouth. “Besides, this is just a warm up. I was thinking that once Jake clears us out we might want to amble down to the more seedy side of town and shoot some pool.”

“Yes, now there’s a game I can play,” Collin grinned back.

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