I am a world class poker player with the winnings to back up my claim. When I have the dice in my hand, craps is not really a game of chance. I am an expert marksman with a pistol, even off a fast draw. I have a black belt in kung-fu.
Why yes, I do happen to make my living as a gambler. How did you ever guess?
Due to the nature of my business and the dark, suspicious minds of those who lose at high-stakes gambling, I travel quite a bit. Even when I am not actively engaged in gambling, the borderline criminal individuals with whom I deal often require my sudden departure from an area. Such is my last, rather sad experience and borderline is actually a rather kindly judgment.
As I drive down yet another nameless highway, I ponder on my latest acquisition. I have more than a million dollars in crisp new currency in a very expensive leather bag. Mind you, the currency is counterfeit. It is good counterfeit, but still counterfeit. It seems to me that a man should be able to make something of such a windfall, but nothing comes immediately to mind.
I stop for gas in Indian Wells. It is a dismal little burg. Indian reservation land sandwiched between two metropolitan areas. However, there is a certain something about the place.
Checking, I find my car needs service. I always take care of my car. Take care of your car and it will take care of you. In my business, the proper functioning of a man's car can literally be the difference between life and death. My life and my death.
While my car is being serviced, I think I will just play a little poker to keep my hand in. There is a small card room in one corner of a strip mall. When I walk in the place, I nearly fall over. The man running the place is the SOB who cut and ran, owing a young man several hundred dollars as a result of shooting pool. Since I am the young man, I think I will see if I can collect my money; plus interest and penalties.
I sit down play poker for a while. The place is not too busy. The players are not very good. The best of them is Monica. As it happens she is the daughter of the deadbeat SOB who still owes me money. Monica's main talent is using the view down her low-cut blouse to distract the other players. She seems mildly attracted to me; probably because I am winning. However, when I play poker, I am all business.
When I have taught the locals a bit about poker and collected the tuition, I quit for the day. I roam around town and talk with other locals. By the time I return to pick up my car I have formed an opinion of Indian Wells. The place is a gold mine for the right man and I am the right man.
I do some more research over the next several days. Indian Wells is Indian reservation land. It would have become part of one of the two cities on either side, but its status as federal land prevented that. However, Indian land has certain tax and legal advantages. All I need is a little advantage and your money is in my pocket.
The local Indians are mostly dirt poor with few prospects for improvement. The key to the situation is one Tyler Robert, the Chief of the local Indian tribe. If I can convince the Chief that my plan will work, I can become a wealthy, respected citizen of the area.
I visit Tyler Robert a few days later. I outline a bit of my research. I point out that Indian Wells is a very low income area. I also point out that I have a two-part solution to the problem. If the Indians will cooperate, I will create a traffic of well to do customers in Indian Wells. Once I have created the traffic, we will then sell a most profitable product to the customers. I want a memo of understanding, before I reveal my plan.
Tyler thinks about the matter and calls in Juanita Sunnybrook. Juanita is a tall, slim, well educated Indian woman who, I later learn was the second runner up in the state beauty pageant. Juanita is nobody's fool. I go through the third degree. After a bit, Juanita and Tyler confer privately and we write an initial memo of understanding.