Maybe Next Time by Alice Baburek

Alister McNeal stood close to the roulette table. This was his fourth visit to the newly opened casino. His fists dug into his side. The tiny white marble sped counterclockwise on the roulette wheel. Round and round until it finally stopped within the red canoe.

            “Red – 14,” called out the tall, muscular croupier. He leaned over and collected the chips located on the betting table.

            Alister downed his head. He lost—again. How was he to explain this to his wife? First, the mortgage payment, then the car payment. Let alone the credit cards. She would find out soon enough.

            “Maybe next time.” The smiling croupier locked eyes with Alister. He knew he had the desperate man hooked.

            “You said that already,” mumbled Alister. He fumbled with his last pile of chips.

            “All bets,” announced the roulette dealer. Alister placed the remainder of his money on Black 5. The other three players had wandered away, chancing their luck elsewhere.

The Black Jack Casino had just recently opened and was the only casino within miles of his modest house. And if he continued on a losing streak, he may lose that modest house and live on the street.

The sound of the roulette wheel seared into his brain. This time, he kept his shaky fingers crossed. He just needed one good score.

“Black – 9,” announced the uniformed employee. Once again, he collected the few chips Alister had placed on the roulette table.

“Damn!” shouted Alister as he slammed his fist down.

“Maybe next time.” The man behind the table smirked. Alister closed his eyes. He couldn’t believe he lost all of it—ten thousand. The credit cards had been maxed out. Instead of paying bills, Alister kept trying his luck. But it was no use. He was broke.

“Quit saying that,” muttered Alister.

“Sir, since you are a regular customer at the Black Jack Casino, we can offer you loan options,” the croupier explained. His tall, lanky appearance unnerved Alister.

“Loan options?” Alister looked up. The man gave a slight nod. He gestured toward the cash-out window.

Alister thought about it for a moment. All he needed was one big score, and the gambling would stop. Just one. He sauntered over to the cashier. The middle-aged woman smiled. Her thick-framed glasses perched on a pointy nose. Peppered short hair gave her the appearance of someone from the 50s.

“May I help you, sir?” She smiled politely.

“The guy at the roulette table told me I should talk to you about loan options. Is that something you do often?” asked Alister.

“We do, sir. Quite often. But only to our regular customers. And I am assuming since Lloyd sent you over to see me, you are indeed one of our regulars.” The woman behind the partition briefly explained the loan options available. They seemed pricey. But what would you expect at a casino? Prime interest rate? The only collateral he had was his house. The cars they drove were leased vehicles.

“Is this something you might be interested in, sir?” She leaned toward the plexiglass.

“Sure…why not? What do I have to do?” asked Alister. Maybe next time, he would win then pay off the loan.

A door opened off to one side. A stocky man dressed in a polo shirt and black jeans gestured for him. Alister glanced about the casino. It was a slow day. There seemed to be no one around.

Reluctantly, he followed the man down a narrow hallway. Inside the room, a round table and two chairs sat. The walls were bleached white.

“Please have a seat, sir. Someone will be with you in a moment.” Alister plopped down on the cushioned folding chair. The man disappeared behind the closed door.

Maybe this was a mistake. He stood up to leave. It was then he noticed there was no handle to exit the room. Suddenly, it opened.

The slender woman looked no more than thirty. Her hazel eyes peered over the stylish glasses perched on her round nose. Long black hair fell around her attractive face. Dress slacks and a sheer blouse fit snugly across her curves.

“Mr. McNeal…I am Sheila Strasburg. Finance Manager.” She held out her manicured red-tipped fingers. Alister reciprocated. Her hand felt soft.

“Nice to meet you. Wait…how did you know my name?” he asked. Sheila smiled. Her white teeth were perfect.

“Please have a seat, Mr. McNeal.” She sat down across from him. Alister hesitated. “Please…sit Mr. McNeal.” She opened the thin binder with her long, slender fingers. His heart skipped a beat. This woman was quite attractive. He must be at least twenty or more years her senior.

And then, without warning, his manhood ached. Instantly, he took a seat to hide his enlarged groin. A flush crept up his neck into his face. It had been quite some time since he had felt aroused.

Sheila shuffled the papers. She folded her hands on top of them. “Mr. McNeal. Your name has been flagged due to the cash advancing on your credit cards at the ATM inside the casino. We keep track of our regular customers. And that is why we can offer loan options.”

Alister could smell the sweet scent of her perfume. He felt lightheaded, and his mind drifted to the sheerness of her blouse. 

“Mr. McNeal? Are you alright?” He blinked several times.

“Yes…yes…I’m fine. It’s just hot in here. So, how does this loan business work?” His eyes were drawn back to her breasts. What was wrong with him?

Sheila described the various loan packages financed through Partners Financial Corporation. He could see her luscious lips moving but did not hear a word. Alister gripped the small table. Sweat lined his brow, and his pants had become uncomfortable from the bulge.

“…and so, these three loan options you would have instant approval.” Sheila slid over several pieces of paper.

Alister forced his eyes down. His throat was dry. His breathing labored.

“Mr. McNeal, which one, if any, are you interested in? Most of our customers usually go for this one.” Alister tried to focus his eyes. Everything looked blurry.

“Um…um…I guess this one,” replied Alister. He had no clue what he was looking at.

“Please read the stipulations of the loan, and if in agreement, sign and date the bottom,” explained Sheila. A sudden burst of cold air pushed into the room. He shivered.

“What…oh…. yeah. It’s fine,” he stuttered. Sheila handed him a pen. Her fingers lightly touched his. After scribbling a name and date, Sheila collected the forms. She licked her lips and stood up to leave. As the door automatically opened, she hesitated.

“Mr. McNeal, it was a pleasure doing business with you,” she said loudly. “And…maybe next time, we could…” She didn’t bother to finish and just winked. And then she was gone.

Alister stood for a moment. His legs felt weak. What just happened? He never felt like that before towards a woman. Especially one young enough to be his daughter. His manhood had deflated. For a second, he thought he might puke. His head ached. What agreement did he sign? 

Alister staggered to the doorway. He could barely make it down the hallway. The cool air from the casino blasted his heated, sweaty face.

He needed to leave. None of it felt right—the casino, the loans, and Sheila Strasburg. There was something strange about her. And that perfume.

As he entered the main area he heard a familiar voice. “Mr. McNeal, congratulations on your loan. Your funds are available. How much would you like?” said the cashier behind the plexiglass partition.

Alister walked over to the woman. “I don’t want any funds. I won’t return, so I don’t need that loan.” He turned to walk away.

“Mr. McNeal…did you not read the agreement?” she asked with a smile.

He turned to look at the woman. “It doesn’t matter. I’m not going to need that loan. I told you I won’t be back. This place…” He didn’t bother to finish.

Suddenly, Sheila Strasburg appeared out of nowhere. She immediately strolled over to Alister. She batted her eyelashes.

Alister could smell her perfume. His head spun. He needed fresh air. She stood blocking his way.

“Mr. McNeal, I specifically told you to read the terms of the agreement. If you did, you would know that even if you decide not to use the funds approved, you still owe the entire loan amount. If you decide not to repay the loan, we will proceed with legal action. You used your house as collateral, Mr. McNeal. And believe it or not, Partners Financial Corporation will own your home and property.” Her smile instantly faded.

“You…you can’t do this! I didn’t use any of the money. Why should I pay back the money I never borrowed? This is preposterous!” cried Alister. “This would never stand up in court!”

“I’ll have you know, Mr. McNeal, it will and has! It is a legal and binding contract. If you do not honor the terms under which you signed your name, Partners Financial Corporation lawyers will sue you and your estate. They have never lost a case…yet.” She pursed her thin lips.

Alister had to hold back. He wanted to grab the woman’s throat with his bare hands. How could he have signed something so ridiculous?

“You’ve…done this to other people? Who are you people?” He tried desperately to clear his foggy mind. Slow breaths. In and out. As Sheila turned away, Alister caught her by the arm.

“I want to see the paper I signed. Now!” he insisted. His grip tightened. Sheila looked down at his hand.

“Let go of me, Mr. McNeal, or I will have security remove you from the casino.” Alister released his hand.

“The agreement…I want to see for myself the signature,” insisted Alister.

“Alright, Mr. McNeal. Not that it will make any difference.” Sheila skirted the sheets of paper she was holding. Seconds later, she handed him the agreement terms he had just signed.

Alister adjusted his eyes and read it slowly. Sweat lined his brows, and his stomach churned. The terms were exactly as Sheila had stated, but as he reached the bottom of the page with his signature, he smiled.

“Did you happen to look at the signature, Ms. Strasburg?” The woman narrowed her eyes as she snatched the agreement from his hand.

“I saw you, Mr. McNeal, sign and date the agreement. The entire meeting was videotaped.” She immediately glanced at the scribble at the bottom of the page. Her eyes widened.

Alister chuckled, shook his head, and closed his eyes. The agreement would be laughed out of any court. He was liable for nothing. The signature he wrote was not his own name but Sheila Strasburg's, making the contract null and void.

“You…you signed my name…why would you do such of thing?” Her nostrils flared. She clenched her jaw. Her trembling hand held the worthless paper.

“I don’t know…I was a little distracted, I guess. But don’t feel too bad, Ms. Strasburg…maybe next time.” He gave her a quick wink and left her standing with her mouth open.

As Alister left the Black Jack Casino, he knew that his gambling days had officially come to an end.