Three Chances

Day 1,928, 00:12 • Published in USA USA • by weasel2

With intent, the agent standing in the joint fumbles the ball out into the midway. The mark picks the ball up and returns it to the jointee.
“Do you want to play?” the agent asks.
“Just two in wins, You can win this awesome plush POS.”
The agent demonstrates, two practiced flips into the basket. Bloop, bloop.
“Three balls for a fin. Three chances for just five dollars.”


Four years out of high school, I became sick of being a poor slacker and actually did something for the first time in my life. I enrolled at PCC determined to acquire a marketable skill. I discovered I had a knack for coding and data analysis . This first single act of will provided me with a fair living for a long time.

I loved a woman who was better than me. The second thing I ever did in my life was to convince her to marry me. Many good things, including two daughters were the result.

I became addicted to opiate-based painkillers. The hold those pills had on me was worse than my addiction to nicotine (never smoke or chew folks, you will regret it). I lost my job, my wife and my girls.

The third thing I did in my life was to join NA and kick. I did it! No pills for me for some years now. I never had an addiction to alcohol (yes, really never) and very rarely drink so that’s okay. Weed is just boring to me, so I don’t bother with that.

Being sober didn’t give me back my life like it was before. I got a job with an old friend on the carnival.


“Oh man, you came so close. Do you want to play again?” The agent offers up three more.


weasel the old splinterhead