An enigma. Merriam-Webster’s definition:

Main Entry: enig·ma
Pronunciation: i-‘nig-m&, e-
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin aenigma, from Greek ainigmat-, ainigma, from ainissesthai to speak in riddles, from ainos fable
1 : an obscure speech or writing
2 : something hard to understand or explain
3 : an inscrutable or mysterious person

Let’s pick number 2. It totally fits Frank T. I’ve been dealing to Frank for a lot of years and there’s never a bright spot. If he wins, he’s never going to give up anything other than a couple of bucks and if he loses, he’s going to try and slam the cards through the chips in the rack…and during all the hands that he doesn’t get involved in, he’s going to peer at me as if expecting me to come up with a reason that he’s not winning.

He’s never happy, at least at the poker table, never loosens up and becomes boisterous or even acts like there’s anyone else at the table besides him and an adversary. If there are seven other players, there is still only one adversary…is it me or them?

He never speaks to me or even acts like I’m human or capable of carrying on individual thought and having anything worthwhile to add to the poker environment so I stay away from “Frank’s World”. I’m not invited and I don’t want to get trapped in it.

I dealt to him in an $800-$1,600, Mixed Game that was running eight handed on Wed. night. He peered at me relentlessly, as I dealt the hands, and I refused to even look at him. He threw in more than one $5,000 chip and I gave him the correct change each time, even though he counted it down, after watching me stack it out of the pot.

I’ve never had an exchange with him that ever made me feel the ‘human side’ of Frank. Although I did laugh my butt off one night, years ago at The Mirage, when he was playing Jessica’s chips in a $3-$6 Holdem game.

Jessica is/was Mason M.’s secretary and she was in the learning stages of poker. How and why Frank and her got together in the poker room is none of my business and I really don’t care. Frank was playing her chips and she was sitting behind him. Frank got involved in a hand and was slamming raises in each time he could. Jessica and Frank were visiting during the action of the hand. One of the players had a fit and told me that he didn’t want the sweater telling Frank how to play the hand.

I was dumbfounded. I even tried to explain that she wasn’t telling him how to play. That didn’t work so I had to ask them not to have any conversation during the hand. I still find it to be quite funny when it comes to mind. Frank didn’t laugh then and he still doesn’t…maybe this is the only time in history that I will find any part of Frank’s poker play to be enlightening and humorous.

*****

The big game has moved to the Nugget…or so the story goes. George P. told everyone last week that he would be playing at the Nugget…yoo hoo…makes my day.

It appears that the biggest game we’ve had lately is the $800-$1,600 Mixed Game. The room is super active and filled with lots of ramble/gamble. The games are much more ‘dealer friendly’ now that the wannabees have moved off and let the newbies play.

I did get the terminal question again tonight…$8-$16 Holdem, nice little game, lots of great action and the 5s had sort of taken an instant ‘like’ to me. Towards the end of my down, he asked me if I liked the movie, A River Runs Through It.

I had to be truthful and tell him ‘no’. I felt it was dark and dismal. It took a few more words than that but when I left the game, they were still slamming and all appeared happy with my having been there for a half an hour.

God! I should start keeping track of the number of times I get asked that damn question.

The next question should be: Can you keep a straight face when you get asked if you’ve seen or liked A River Runs Through It.