My sister Clare was in a right mess. She was nearing the end of her one-year in London as part of her Law training and was at the end of her finances. She was 22 and had spent most of her £22,000 bank loan and was nearing the limit of her credit card.
I had just finished my medical degree and was chilling before starting my first job in August. We had met for dinner in London once a month and this was the first time she had insisted on staying in and cooking for me.
She wouldn't tell our parents and the bank wouldn't lend her any more money.
I offered to lend her what she needed but she refused point blank. She didn't want charitable loans of anyone especially me. She was planning on doing night jobs or whatever it took to get herself out of this mess.
We were passing the time playing cards and Clare was doing most of the winning as usual. This gave me the idea.
"How about we play this for money?"
"I don't have any money remember." She instantly sounded like a kid again. "I thought you were supposed to be clever."
"Very funny. I'd have thought you'd have jumped at the chance given your run of luck and money problems. Tell you what. We'll set a £50 limit and if you lose that amount I will give you a 6-month holiday on paying it back. So you can earn it. You'll be a high flyer then. What you think?"
Clare thought about this for about 2 minutes and realised that it was a good deal and wouldn't involve a loan. If she won, the money was hers outright.
We played for about two hours. I was still trying to win as I wouldn't be loaning the money, I'd be losing it. Plus I'm an alpha male and didn't want to lose. Whilst we played we drank the wine I'd brought
"That's it. Finished. I'm £50 up. Hand it over Bro." Clare was pleased. It had taken her 2 hours to earn that money off me.
"I'll get my cheque book"
When I handed Clare the cheque she beamed. "You better thing of more ways of losing money to me Bro this is too easy."
I went to the toilet and thought hard. My sister was attractive and I'd always fantasised about her in-between girlfriends when I was frustrated. Maybe I could play this to my advantage. I thought of my knicker collection taken from ex's and housemates from Uni but featuring 3 pairs of my sister's. Maybe I could use this to get a fresh pair of her's, the ones she'd been wearing all day. I'd have to play it cool, I couldn't just buy them of her it would freak her out. I had to be cunning. Then it hit me. I went quickly back to Clare and she was still eyeing up the cheque in her hand.
"You keen to bet some more then?"
Her attention focused on me.
"Hit me, what's the game?"
"Higher or lower"
"Ok how's it going to involve money?"
"Well I know you can't afford to lose that money you've skilfully won of me so I've been thinking. What do you have lots of and could afford to lose some of?"
Clare looked puzzled.
"Clothes."
"Clothes? Hmm I guess I have quite a lot. You want me to gamble my clothes against your money? Which ones? I've got all sorts... Hang on. What you going to do with the ones you win? You hoping to make a drag outfit or something or sell them?"
"Sit and listen."
Clare slipped the cheque in her jeans pocket and looked focused.
"There's money involved here and you need it. Its up to you how much you're prepared to gamble. You know how much ...."
"Yeah what ever I'm a big girl what's the deal?" I know I would have to be quick and sell this well. She's had some wine but this was still dangerous ground.
"Ok, we will be playing for the clothes you're wearing one at a time. For example we play 50p a card for one of your socks. I turn the first card over (I demonstrate this), it's a 4, I ask higher of lower, you guess right we move on and you earn 50p for each card. There are a lot of cards in this pack so even at 50p there's a lot of money on offer to you. But importantly you can stop at anytime and keep the money and the item we're playing for. So you have to say stick for that or twist to keep going. We take it in turns to pick which item we play for."
"So if I guess wrong. You get that item for the amount of money we're on right?"
"Yep, it could be less then you paid for it or many times more."
"Who decides the value of each card for the said item?"
I looked surprised.
"Fair question isn't it?"
"Yes... just surprised how much like a lawyer you sound." We both laughed. I think it helped the mood.
"We agree it beforehand like adults."
"If I gamble using an item and stick with my winnings can I choose to regamble it at a later stage?"
This was a tough question til I realised that a 'no' would make it harder to win her undies and I'd simply end up with expensive socks.
"Of course, but it has a fixed price second time around of 50p a card."
"That's fair."
"You in then? You want to gamble your clothes?" I regretted that statement before it had even fully left my lips. I'd just spelt out what she was about to do in a way that didn't make it sound like a good think to do.
"You bet. Left sock- 50p a card, like you picked, lets go." What a relief.
We were sitting opposite each other with a coffee table in front of us. I cleared it and dealt the first card. Clare was on the edge of her seat. It was an ace. Clare looked bemused again.
"Is that hi or low then?"
"Emm. I don't know. High?"
"Ok. Low then." 7 was next.
"I'll go high".
I turned over a 4.
"Right. So that's £1 then for your left sock. Hand it over."
"You want the sock now?" Clare seemed unsure.
"Well its mine now isn't it not yours."
"Money first."
"I think I'll pay this one cash but it will have to be cheques later though."
I took Clare's sock and placed it beside me. I started shuffling the deck.
"What next Clare? The other sock?"
"No. We'll go for the cardigan. It's worth £30. £3 a card then?"
"£2.50"
"Ok. Lets play."
The cardigan cost me £12.50. Clare wasn't pleased.
