Writing for Fun
June 2015
The Turn Of A Card - Jenni Bowers
He looked again at the statement, unbelieving, how had he managed to accrue such a huge debt again? Through his drunken haze he began to look around at the expensive furnishings, the bar full of drink, the fabulous car on the drive – to remember the expensive jewellery he'd bought his gorgeous but flighty girlfriend.
Yet again he'd fallen for the wrong woman, all his life – the whole fifty years – he'd been a romantic dreamer, never listening to his mum's warning words – even telling her she was stupid and trying to wreck his life when he brought a succession of women, home telling her every time that this was 'the one'!
Sadly mum had been so right, she'd known the kind of girl he favoured, all long legs, huge breasts and fluttering eyelashes, simpering and adoring him, would not be good for her handsome but feckless son – he needed a strong girl with character and when he finally found her he'd cheated on her and she'd left, his life had slowly gone downhill since that day.
Now as he began another game of patience, it being the only game for a lonely middle aged man, he was remembering his anger and his mother weeping as he left home all those years ago and trying to decide 'end it all now or go cap in hand to his mother again.'
His beautiful blonde fiancé, half his age, had laughed at him as she left, waving the diamond ring and saying it was not an engagement ring so she'd keep it – but her new man would probably give her a bigger diamond soon. She'd known all along that Matt was not really a 'player' but thanks anyway for the fun times and gifts.
All the places he'd taken her, expensive restaurants, fancy holidays, to impress this Goddess he'd fallen so deeply for. All to no avail, she'd strung him along until she met someone who really did have money.
Now Matt was heartbroken and broke, with no way of paying the enormous credit card bill, as due to the numerous times he'd called in sick and taken Stephanie out to lunch he'd just been fired; unable to pay his rent, he now had the prospect of losing his home added to the list of reasons to kill himself on the turn of the next card – if it was an ace he'd take the cocktail just prepared: 30 Paracetamol in a large brandy and go to bed; if a King he'd give himself another chance and go beg his dad for help yet again.