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Grandma’s Lucky Number
Jamal and I wanted to go to Mexico. In the five months we’d been playing roulette, we managed to sock away two hundred grand. We were a long way from the hand-to-mouth existence we had been living. When we arrived in Vegas, we lived small lives. Back then, we got by panhandling a few bucks on the streets and meals at 7–11. That only worked when the cashier didn’t give a damn. We called it the finger-finger discounted buffet. Most of them didn’t, but some did. Jamal thought it was because they believed the boss would notice. Maybe they get another quarter per hour bump. Life was rough everywhere and for everyone. But things had turned around for us.
People, the few that knew us, thought we were lucky. It wasn’t luck that let us win. It was luck, bad luck, that gave me this eye. Our months long winning streak was thanks to my eye.
Rest in peace, Mom. I miss you every day.
After a car bumped me, I had a concussion. I fell into a dark place. My life was filled with headaches, bad grades, and confusion. But nature gave me a gift. After my head injury resolved, I could see ninety seconds into the future. The catch was I could only see it in one eye. Haldane was right. The world is stranger than we imagine.
We were going to sit on the beach, drink beer, and hit on women out of our league. The first time we visited Cancun, we learned…
