"Gamblin' Grandma"

Featured in the Short Stories Newsletter - November 19, 2008
Featured in the Short Stories Newsletter - December 19, 2008


Lillian Thomas hurried into the Quick Stop, grabbed a Coke from the cooler and took it to the counter.

“Evenin’, Lil,” the proprietor said.  “You look like you’re in a hurry this evening.”

“A bit,” Lillian answered.  “I’m on my way to Bingo.”

He chuckled.  “You really like that bingo, don’t ya.”

“Well, I seem to be pretty lucky at it.  There’ve been times that I’ve won several hundred dollars in a single night.”

“You think tonight’s goin’ to be a lucky night?”

“Hope so.  I need the money to take the grandkids to Disney World.  I promised I’d take them and, God, that place’s expensive!”

“Sure is.  Anything else for you?”

The luminous colors of a display of lottery tickets caught her eye.  “Let me have five of those scratch-offs.”

He handed her the tickets and took her money.  While he made change, she began to scratch off the tickets.  She finished the first two and then the third.  “Hah!  Got one!” She said triumphantly, taking her change and pushing the winning ticket across the counter. 

“Anything else?” he asked, taking the winning ticket and waiting for her to finish the last two.

“Not this time,” she answered taking the two singles he handed her.  “Maybe next time, I’ll get really lucky.”

Lillian arrived at the Bingo Hall and pulled into a parking slot, got out and hurried toward the building, without noticing that her car was angled into the slot so that it would be difficult for the car on either side to get out of their spaces. 

Once inside, she approached the table of available cards and looked them over with disappointment; all of her favorite numbers were lacking.  She glanced around the hall at the larger-than-usual crowd.  I knew I should’ve got here earlier.  With a shrug, she selected half-a-dozen cards.  These will have to do.  We’ll just have to wait and see.

After paying the woman behind the table, she looked around the room until she spied an empty chair next to a couple of regular players.  She crossed the room and stopped behind the empty chair.

“Hi, Ruth, Jane.  Is this seat taken?”

“It will be when you sit down.”

Lillian sat down, spread out her cards and looked them over.  “You guys get any good cards?”

“I got a couple,” Jane said.  “How about you?”

Lillian shook her head.  “They were all picked over before I got here.”          

“Maybe some different numbers will bring you good luck,” Ruth added philosophically.

“Maybe. I certainly hope so.  I sure could use it.”

“Ladies and gentlemen,” the Caller said into his microphone.  “Let the games begin.”

The first game began, and ended quickly, while Lillian had only a few markers on any of her cards.  As the evening wore on, game after game was played. 

Sometimes Lillian came so close.  Please, give me a B6.  Give me a B6!  But, before the magic number was called, someone yelled “Bingo!” and Lillian groaned inwardly. 

When people began to drift away, Lillian went back to the table to sift through their rejected cards, occasionally picking up one or two more.  Still, she found no winners.

Too soon for Lillian, the Caller wished everyone a goodnight and laid down his mike.  Slowly, Ruth, Jane and Lillian rose from their chairs and walked toward the exit.

“What a lousy night,” Lillian grumbled.  “I didn’t get anything worthwhile.”

“I know,” Ruth commiserated.  “I barely broke even.  You didn’t do too bad, did you, Jane?”

“Oh, I gained a little.  Not enough to brag about.”

They trailed across the parking lot, calling out their goodnights, without noticing the two young men standing in the shadows of the building, listening to their conversation and watching them go.

“I think one of those three might just work,” one commented.  “They’re here every night.  They must drop a bundle.”

“Our best bet is that old gal on the left.  See how she parked her car.”

“Whaddaya mean?”

The second guy nodded toward the car.  “Preoccupied.  Doesn’t ask too many questions.  I’d bet on it.”

The next evening, Lillian again swung into a parking space and headed toward the entrance of the Bingo Hall.  This time she had made sure she was early and, consequently, had a good selection of cards from which to choose. 

Lillian chose a seat at a front table and spread out her cards before her.  As she gazed at them, in her mind, she heard the Caller announce the Jackpot round and soon visualized the many markers adorning her cards.  Her vision shifted and she saw herself and her five grandchildren walking up to the entrance of Disney World.  The days were spent with the kids chattering excitedly as Grandma indulged their every wish. 

Lillian sighed and looked sheepishly around her.  Spring Break is only a few weeks away.  I’ve just gotta win big, and soon!  That’s not too much to ask, is it? Ruth and Jane came into the hall and waved a greeting as they found seats at the next table.

“Good luck!” Ruth mouthed as she sat down and the action got underway.  Game after game Lillian’s streak of bad luck held fast.  By the time the Caller laid down his mike, she was becoming ever more depressed. 

She rose slowly and shuffled toward the exit, worrying about her dwindling bank account.  A pension sure doesn’t go very far these days, she thought glumly, as she crossed the parking lot, without noticing the dark figure following a few feet behind her.

She was just shoving her key into the lock on the car door when she jumped at a low voice directly behind her.

“How’d you like to make some extra money?”

“Who wouldn’t?” she asked, starting to turn around.

“Don’t look at me,” the man warned.  “You interested?”

Lillian thought for only a moment.  God, how I could use some extra money!  “What would I have to do?”

“Not much.  Just do what I tell you . . . and keep your mouth shut.”

Lillian nodded.  “Okay.  What do I do?”

“You playing here tomorrow night?”  Again Lillian nodded.  “Good.  When you park, unlatch your trunk.  When you come out, drive to the rear entrance of the Park View Apartments, you know where that’s at?”  Lillian affirmed.  “Pull in just beyond the doorway, stay in the car and pop the trunk.  There’ll be a nice fat envelope left for you.”

“That’s it?” Lillian asked incredulously.

“That’s it.  You can handle that, can’t you?”

“Sure, but . . . what’s it for?”  Receiving no answer, she turned but the man had completely disappeared.

Lillian drove home puzzling about the encounter she’d just experienced.  Who was that guy?  Why did he approach me?  What does he want me to do?  She went to bed still wondering what the next evening would bring.

In the morning, she cleaned out the trunk of her car.  If I’m going to leave it unlocked, no sense in leaving anything for someone to steal.

As she went through her daily routine, Lillian became increasingly nervous.  Wonder what I’m getting myself into.  How much ‘extra money’ is this guy talking about?

Finally the time came to go to the Hall.  I don’t want to be late . . . but, then, again, I don’t want to be too early either.  I should just blend in with the crowd, shouldn’t I?

When she pulled into the parking lot, she sat behind the wheel for a long moment.  She pulled the trunk release and heard the ‘pop’ of the latch opening.  Exiting the car, she walked casually around the back of the car, running her fingers along the small opening.  Anyone would have to look closely to even tell that the trunk was unlocked.

Lillian couldn’t concentrate on the games she played; but still she ended up winning a few.  When the evening was over, she again walked behind her car, her fingers running along the now tightly closed edge of the trunk lid. 

She drove directly to the Park View Apartments and stopped near the rear entrance.  Leaving her engine idling, she popped the trunk latch and waited.  If anyone asks, I’m waiting for a friend.  Within a couple of minutes, she heard the sound of the trunk being opened followed a moment later by its slamming down.  Immediately, she pulled away from the curb and went home.

As soon as she pulled into her garage she hit the button on the automatic door opener.  When the door was fully closed, she popped the trunk release, got out and went to the back of the car.  Inside, laying on the expanse of carpet was a white envelope.  She reached in and picked it up, noticing its considerable weight.  Tucking it inside her purse, she hurried into the house.

Safely inside, she fished out the envelope and peeked at its contents.  There was a stack of twenty-dollar bills.  She gasped and held her breath as she pulled out the stack and carefully counted it.  She couldn’t believe her good fortune.  Five hundred dollars!  Just for driving a few miles out of my way!  Wonder how often he’ll want me to do this. 

Lillian put one of the twenties in her wallet and stashed the remainder in a cookie jar and shoved it onto a high shelf in the cabinet.  Contentedly, she went to bed.  How easy it was!  And all that money! 

The next evening she went to Bingo, parked and hopefully popped the trunk.  Time after time that evening she won the games.  My luck has really turned around!  At the end of the games, she left the Hall, walked around behind her car and found the latch was still open.  Pushing it closed, she drove home, more than a little disappointed.

Over the next couple of weeks Lillian found her trunk closed about three times a week.  Whenever that occurred, she drove to the apartment building and followed her previous instructions.  Each time, when she got home, she would find another envelope.  Her mood soared.  Disney World here we come!

Spring Break was only a week away and Lillian’s cookie jar was respectably full of bills.  One evening she found her trunk latched, drove to the Park View Apartments, popped her trunk and waited.

The seconds dragged by but the sound of the trunk being raised, didn’t come.  Lillian’s palms began to perspire.  What happened?  Why had no one showed up?  I can’t get out and close the trunk.  Deciding to drive away slowly so that the trunk wouldn’t bounce open, she reached for the gear lever.  Just as she did, she heard the trunk open and breathed a sigh of relief.  Finally!

Instead of the sound of the lid slamming down, the next thing she heard was a firm tapping on her window as the beam of a powerful flashlight flooded the interior of the car.  Lillian winced at the sudden brightness.

“Ma’am?  Would you please step out of the car.”  It was an order, not a question. 

Hands shaking, she reached for the door handle.  “Is something wrong?” she breathed, her heart pounding against her ribs.

Two uniformed officers awaited her exit.  Moving along behind her, they maneuvered her toward the rear of the vehicle.  One motioned toward two plastic garbage bags inside the trunk.

“Can you tell me what’s in those bags?”

“Somebody’s laundry?”  The officer didn’t seem to appreciate her humor.  “I... I’ve no idea,” she stammered.

“How’d did it get in there?”

Lillian shrugged.  “I don’t know that either.  I didn’t put it there.”

“Come on, lady.  Somebody had to put it there.  If not you, who was it?”

“I . . . I don’t know anything about it.”

“Well,” the other officer said sarcastically.  “Let me help you out.”  He jerked open one of the bags, pulled out a plastic-wrapped bundle and held it in front of her face.  “That is marijuana, pot, Mary Jane, weed.  Now how’d it get here in your car?”

“May . . . maybe someone broke in and put it there,” she offered hopefully.

“Sorry, lady, I don’t buy that.  You’ll have to come with us.”

Lillian blushed as she was put into the back of the patrol car.  I guess there’s no easy money after all.  Sorry, kids, no Disney World this year, maybe not for a long time.