...face up to your boss?

As he saw Kate walking toward him, something in Sean's head screamed "run! run!" Since Sean didn't really know if Frank was onto him or not, Sean didn't want to risk anymore cheating until he found out. As Kate sat down, he gave her the strongest level of warning signals that his new friends had taught him. "Why hello," Sean beamed, "I have a really good feeling about you! I think you're going to do very well today!" Although most people would view this as a positive, Kate knew that this was the sign for trouble. Not "I have a bad feeling" or "right here in River City" kind of trouble but "you only get one phone call, and I suggest you call your lawyer" trouble. Kate played a few hands (legitimately) and left the table.

After Sean's shift, he went into Frank's office and shut the door as he was told. Sean figured that he would be able to read Frank before he started. Would Frank look mad? Or excited to give out a promotion? No, Frank looked, well, smug.

"Sean Sean Sean..." Whatever Frank was up to, he wanted to make it last as long as possible. It seemed that repeating Sean's name had such an effect. "You know, according to some recent studies, almost 70% of dealers in a strip casino will at one time or another be approached about cheating. Typically it happens while the dealer is fairly new at the casino and is not terribly attached to the company. Of those 70%, about 20% decide to go ahead and cheat. Of those 20%, we estimate that 85% eventually get caught. Have you ever seen the movie Casino, Sean?"

Sean nodded. He figured that if he didn't open his mouth, he would reduce the chance of actually throwing up right in Frank's office which was the overwhelming feeling developing in his stomach.

"Well, maybe you remember the opening voice-over. We are reminded that the pit boss' job isn't only to look after the gamblers, but at the dealers as well. So, part of my job is to make sure the 14% of my dealers that do get approached and decide to cheat, become part of the 85% that get caught. Do you see what I'm getting at...doc?"

"I'm not sure I do."

"Maybe it's all this math that's confusing you. A big part of my job is to report any dealers that are committing illegal actions in my casino. In fact, as incentive to do this, we get a bonus of $1500 for any dealer that gets convicted on account of us. Now do you see where I'm going?"

"I think I'm getting it." Sean wondered if jail was anything like Shawshank Redeption. Maybe he could meet a very large man with magical healing powers. Or was that Green Mile? Note to self, check IMDB before going to jail.

"I don't think you are." Frank's lecture voice took a sudden turn. "I want to congratulate you, Sean. Congratulate you on your new promotion to the $500 minimum blackjack table that just opened up."

What? (your author)

"What?" said Sean.

Was? (someone in Germany reading this blog)

"That's right. The eye in the sky reported to me that you might be up to something fishy so I've been watching you. First I thought you were helping somebody cheat. But, now that I think about it, I think that promoting you to the higher limit table will help you....'convince' me otherwise." (Frank used air quotes whenever possible).

Frank eyed the door and Sean took his cue to leave. Even though he was cheating to begin with, he felt a little dirty about being blackmailed for a chunk of his money. He made it back to the agreed upon meeting place to find Kate sitting on a wooden crate in the parking lot beind Caesar's. Jack (formerly "the t-shirt") had not arrived yet.

"So, why the signal? Is everything ok?"

Sean paused. He knew he had to tell her about the promotion. But, what to tell her about Frank? If he told them the truth, would they call everything off? Then not only would he be out the extra money, Frank would still want to be paid off for keeping quiet. Was it right to keep this from them? Maybe they could help with the situation. Sean wondered what Oprah would say the polite thing to do when you are being extorted by your pit boss for helping two strangers cheat on blackjack is.
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Ok, time to vote. Should Sean tell Kate what happened or should he lie? Would they call it off? What if he lied and they found out? What might they do to him? Who knows what kind of people they know. You can be like a staggering percentage of Americans and let other people vote for you or you can.....BLOG YOUR OWN ADVENTURE!!!