My little run in with Jack Knave's crowd had given me the creeps. I parked my car out in front of the casino and went in for a good, stiff drink. Sambuca was the choice of the evening.
I sat down at a Pai Gow poker table. There was an old dealer there who said his name was Qian and that he came from Hong Kong. He was a long way from home. He almost seemed out of place at the table. He was so serene and smiling, he looked more like he belonged in a monastery. There was no one else at the table, which suited me just fine. We played a few hands and mostly it was a push-- a draw between me and the house.
Anyway, I began to drink more and we began to talk. He was affable. I told him about my night and the run-in with Jack Knave and his gang. He told me about the I Ching. I knew of it. I asked if it could help me with my luck. He looked around conspiratorially, then pulled three strange coins from his pocket. He continued to deal the cards in the empty casino and while I looked and the hand I'd been dealt he would shake the coins again and again and throw them on the table.
Finally, he stopped and told me:
"The I Ching tells of change. Change is the nature of all. The number has come to you. Do you believe in numbers, my friend?"
I smiled, "I live for them."
"Your number is 36. "The Darkening of the Light." The ancient writing says that `He enters the left belly of the darkness. He sees the true nature and understands that which is obtainable and that which must be avoided.' Learn from this, friend. The I Ching tells your destiny. Change is upon you—perhaps, sooner than you think."
Out of the ether two women appeared and joined me at the table, flanking me on each side. They were pretty and they were friendly and I could do with being around both right at that moment.
Qian smiled at me and never said another word to me the rest of the night.
With women for me attraction has always been about the unconscious, the transcendent spirit that flows through everything. It's a vibe and when I tap into that vibe the corporeal feminine manifests itself. Now here they were, materialized from the currents in the air.
The cool, sharp one was called "Diamante." She was dressed conservative and classy. Her hair was short and slicked back. The fiery, laughing one was called "Fortuna." She had her hair dyed some wild color and her clothing was a little outlandish.
Fortuna spoke first.
"There must be some kind of way out of here," she said.
"Said a joker to the thief," I answered dryly.
"You know the day destroys the night," said Diamant.
"And night divides the day," I answered her, “You ladies go around quoting rock lyrics to every guy you meet?
They looked at each other and smiled, then Diamant said, "He's the one."
We all became friends fast and fast friends. The alcohol helped with that. Diamant carried herself with an aristocratic hauteur. She had sharp insight and a sharp wit. It was all about reason and calculation and she played cards that way. Fortuna was loud and playful. She told joked constantly and took risks with cards. They were quite a team. I wasn’t sure if they were genuine or trying to roll me.
I started to win a lot of money. I decided to play the king of hearts and suggested we go somewhere else to spend it and have some fun. They liked that idea.
Three-sheets to the wind we stepped out into the thick night air to start an adventure. We found one, but it was a little different than we expected.
Then I saw it. My truck was on fire.
Now you can look at anything in a positive or negative light. Normally, my car being on fire would be something purely negative, but flanked by a lady joker and a would-be queen of diamonds as I watched the flames rise into the night, I thought of mythology: The Phoenix. From the ashes of my car something dangerous and new was about to arise in my life, something which would lead to my destiny and my fortune.
That's what I kept telling myself anyway.
"Looks like we’ll have to walk," said Fortuna.
“Yeah,” I answered, “A joker, the Queen of Diamonds and the King of Hearts. We could start a new religion or create our own revolution.”
Obviously, we had had a bit to drink.
But then that the night got really interesting.
