The Less Than Professional Gambler, and - The Big Gamble For America

 

     It is primary election season, and today, while I was pondering the sorry choices 

for high, political office in my state, my thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of

my little friend, thespian and sometime model, Horatio H. Hamster Esq.  "Call me 

High-stakes", he said, when I noticed his colorful accessories.  (The middle letter "H"

in his name, as always, had been adapted to fit his currant preoccupation.)  When 

I inquired how things were going for him, here in our little animal kingdom, he said

that he had busy rehearsing for a new production at the Quadruped Playhouse.

     As I sat down to do a quick sketch of him, I asked him about the new play, and

what part he would be playing.  So he explained that the play was a dramatization 

of the popular song about the high-stakes, professional gambler, who spent his life 

on the train, going from town to town, and from game to game, always leaving with 

his winnings, before the losers could catch up with him.  He said that his death scene, 

on the train, would be especially dramatic, with a trio of chipmunks singing a chorus 

of the gambler's song, as he passes away.    I said that I could certainly see how

that would capture an audience's attention.

     I asked if there had been any particular problems with the production, and he

said that Donald J. Skunk, and his retinue of the nearly blind and deaf family of 

foxes, had been hanging around the playhouse, even though the company had

voted him out many months ago.  "They are the stink that never goes away !", 

he said.  "And Vladimir Pig of course.  No one wants him around, but he sneaks

in anyway, and bullies the smaller members of the company !"

     As I was finishing my quick sketch of him, "High-stakes" also admitted that 

he was having difficulty, mastering the art of shuffling a pack of playing cards, 

and he demonstrated his problem, showing that he generally lost control of the 

cards and dropped some, when he shuffled.  I said that I could see how that

might be a problem for his role as a professional gambler, but I told him that

all he needed was more practice.  That assurance brightened him up a bit, and

he bid me a farewell, before hurrying away to practice his shuffling skills

     When he was gone, I was left to ponder again, the big gamble for our

American democracy, during these elections.  Often times, it seams that we

might as well roll the dice or toss a coin, to see who wins public office.  The

three major Republican candidates for U.S. Senator in my state, have been

running a flood of ads, each candidate proclaiming to be the most perfectly 

aligned with Trump, and denouncing each other as criminals and traitors to 

the nation.  And all the while they try to carefully avoid mentioning anything 

which might upset their base of religious nuts, gun nuts, xenophobes, 

homophobic nitwits and the idiots who still believe Trump's big lie about 

a stolen election.   

     Since my state has been mostly red, in recent decades, one of these 

calculating frauds, is most likely going to be a U.S. Senator.  

Sometimes it would be nice to simply fold our cards, and walk or run away.

       

                                            Eugene P. McNerney