Dyersberg Anna

Everything felt surprisingly good walking into the casino that night.

On my way traveling alone halfway across the country to reconcile/say goodbye to my one and only…

The one lingered longer than the only did. A sad situation.

But there was hope…I was writing and had received some exposure. She was teaching young schoolchildren. It was noble if nothing else.

It had been months of inisignificance, but my daily toils had paid off. I was on my way to be reunited with my girl and go to my best friend’s surprise birthday party with a week off (work) to play with. A nice roadie to say the least. Why the fuck not? After eight hours of cranking STP, DMB and Sublime it was getting late and I really had no reason to roll into my city at 3 a.m. so I strolled into the lobby at 10 p.m. looking for a room not to stay in, but in which to pass out.

Went up to the front desk. Two attractive black women were talking about one’s latest sheetwrap. But alas, homeboy hadn’t called in three days, yet called that night wanting to meet up…

The warning flags were up, and they couldn’t give a shit some complete stranger wanting to check in was standing three feet from them…this shit was getting settled NOW.

A few minutes in (I’m too fucking polite) Front Desk Lady asked her friend what she should do….

Friend said “No.”

I interrupted with a hearty “Put it on him girl and don’t stop!”

“You think I should?”

Front desk lady smiled, putting more faith in the words of a ridiculous stranger than her confidant.

I stared deeply into her eyes and replied with class, “Fuck yeah.”

She responded with a smile and a “You a cute white boy!” Suddenly I had a suite comped for the night…

She handed me the key with a smile. I winked at her (WTF?) and strolled off to blow a few hours at the craps table…

It took all of five minutes. Two gals, one guy standing alone at one end of the pit. I don’t remember his name. Or his fiance’s.

But her’s was Anna. Maybe.

It began with simple talk. Throw a few chips down, have some drinks and maybe not lose your ass while having some laughs. I get that jackass vibe every now and then (always), and considering I had just slicked the ladies at the door I was feeling especially cocked.

They were from Dyersburg, Tennessee. Guy and girl were getting married sometime later that summer. Anna was simply along for the ride…

I like gambling, but I’m not the type to blow a paycheck at the craps table. The bar with its desperate/degenerate/semiattractive women held much more allure with their talk more than the physical play.

But that night. Together. Three plus one into the morning, we worked those dice for all they were worth…

My newfound buddy would call out a combination and I’d throw clay on it at ridiculous odds. And it’d it. Again.

And again.

And again.

I don’t remember the final tally. We high-fived more that night than national champions do in a season.

Halfway into our rally, I decided Anna smelled better than any girl I had ever smelled in my entire fucking life. Inside a social security funded Tunica casino smelling nice is the equivalent of you or I being able to recite the alphabet but still…

I was enchanted. Guy and girl were sharing a room with Anna, but Anna decided to come back to my suite. Didn’t matter it was free, I was content to let her think I was hot shit.

We cashed out. Small but sufficient bands of hundreds stuffed into my pockets and the queen of my rodeo nestled under my right shoulder as we entered the elevator…share a night with my Tennessee bride and then press the ‘restart’ button with my estranged gal the very next day.

An asshole? At the time, sure. Looking back? Hardly. (long story) Regardless, the summer had gotten off to a damn nice start…

Once in my suite, which was only a suite because it had a big screen tv, a sofa and a phone by the toilet….

(FYI: No matter how busy I ever get, I will never talk on the phone on the toilet. That’s fucked up. For real.)

Anna was disarming. Me and the 11 Budweisers voted she was an angel…honestly even without the beechwood aging she was truly a charmer. I guess I had veto power but fuck that.

She laid me down…in my arms she felt better than anyone I had ever been with. I remember laying there, looking up at her. She gave me one last kiss as I faded into bed…

When I awoke however, it was a much different story. It had started out normally. She wasn’t there but I didn’t necessarily mind that. It’s hard waking up next to a face you’ve known for only a few hours, no matter the situation.

I put on my jeans. The pockets were dramatically flat. There were no Benjamins. Or Jacksons. Or even Hamiltons. I found my wallet near the entrance to the bathroom. 40 bucks cash and my credit card were inside. I stepped past the fridge with a couple empty minis of Jack Daniels on top of it into the bathroom and saw a lipstick imprint with the word ‘Sorry’ written on a paper towel next to the sink.

She lifted at least three large off me. And my ID.

My driver’s license.

Seriously? Just gotta have my driver’s license?

The worst part? I still remember her stare before I faded…seemed so absolutely real. One of the most genuine moments of my life…

I still see it.

It will haunt me til the day I die…

Dyersburg Anna…you fucking bitch.