Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94155 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 471(@200wpm)___ 377(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94155 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 471(@200wpm)___ 377(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
“Believe it! I’m much more comfortable behind a computer screen.”
“Wow! I never would have guessed from your presence in class.”
Mark shrugs. “I’m good at faking it. The truth is, my passion isn’t with teaching. I’m a card shark.”
I scrunch my brow. “What does that mean?”
“It means I do a lot of gambling. Most of it is online.”
“I didn’t peg you as a gambler.”
He laughs. “Hey, just because I’m good with words doesn’t mean I’m bad with numbers!”
“That’s not what I mean! I told you, my dad gave up a journalism career for accounting.”
“Your dad and I would get along well, I bet.”
“Well, you are a betting man, after all.”
“That I am. And I do pretty well for myself.”
John scoffs. “Pretty well?”
Mark rolls his eyes. “Yeah, pretty well.”
John turns to me. “Don’t let his modesty fool you. He does better than he’s letting on. Mark takes in more than six figures a year just from gambling.”
I gasp. “Are you serious?!?”
“Yeah, it’s true. It pays my student loans, at least.”
“Damn! I should get into that business.”
“It’s not easy, but I love it. I’m not sure I’ll even bother with teaching when I finish my doctorate. I make plenty of money just playing cards, and I can do that from the safety of my home.”
“You’d give up teaching?”
“Yeah, I would. My parents would be pissed, but I would be happier. I think I would be fine teaching, but it’s not really where my passion lies.”
I can’t imagine going through the effort of getting my doctorate, only to give up English for gambling!
“Why didn’t you major in math or statistics?” I ask.
“Because I’m better at the practical stuff. Sitting in a classroom for math was always hard for me. I can handle gambling in an online setting, but taking tests and stuff was hard. I would’ve flunked out before I could earn a degree. I tried taking a few classes during my undergrad, but they were a waste. I barely passed. And I only did because I showed my professors my gambling abilities so they would believe I could do math.”
“Well, that’s good. I’m trying to wrap my head around all of this...”
John laughs. “Are you regretting getting to know us?”
I shake my head quickly. “No! Not even a little bit. I’m just surprised.”
“I like surprising people,” John says. “My time in Nepal tends to do that to people.”
“Same. No one ever believes I’m a gambler.”
“I’m still trying to believe it. I might need to see you in action sometime.”
“I’m best online, where it’s hard to have spectators, but I’ll take you to Atlantic City someday and show you how it goes.”
“I’d like that,” I admit. Not only do I want to learn more about these guys, but I want to experience them, too. I’m not sure I can travel to Nepal, but Atlantic City I can handle.
I quietly finish the pasta Mark made as I wrap my mind around all they’ve said. I’d expected to find out about the guys’ families and careers. Instead, I’ve learned surprising facts about them that no one else would believe. English TA’s aren’t supposed to be card sharks. Professors don’t typically spend two years in Nepal.
Yet the more I think about it, the less surprised I am. I can see John out in the wild, climbing mountains and living off the land. I don’t want to picture him screwing a bunch of Nepalese women, but I believe he did that, too.
I look at Mark and picture him in a dark room, sitting in front of his computer with a gambling site loaded up. I’m not as familiar with how all of that works, but the image fits. Mark may seem confident, but now that I’m looking for it, I see the underlying shyness we share.
What do the guys think about what I’ve shared? I’m so boring compared to them! I’ve barely left New York, let alone gone on an overseas adventure. My farthest trip was to Florida when I was a kid. And I don’t remember much of it.
I’ve gone with Jessica to her parents’ Hampton’s house in the summer, but that’s not even close to a trip to Nepal or even comparable to gambling online. Mark and John live such exciting lives. What do I do? I go to school and then to my dorm room to do homework. I’m the exact opposite of them!
Are they changing their minds about me? Surely, they want someone more exciting than I am. They’d get bored with me in a second.
My plate is empty. I have no excuse to stay quiet any longer.
“I feel so boring compared to the two of you,” I admit.
“Oh! Don’t worry about it, Mari. You’re so young! We talked about this. You have plenty of time to add to your accomplishments, and I have no doubt you will.”