The (Very) Brief History of Jonah

Jonah looked up at the clock on the wall. Ten til six. Nearing his favorite time of the day. Poker time. His Thursday night buddies would be here soon. He couldn’t call them friends. That would be a huge lie, even he knew that. This wasn’t a time to get together with pals and catch up, and Jonah knew it even if the other players didn’t. This was a time, as was everyday, for Jonah to give in to his addiction. His gambling addiction.

He knew he was addicted, but he gave up caring a while ago. Quite a while ago. He couldn’t tell you exactly when he quit caring. When he quit caring about life, he quit worrying about time and the days of the week. He always remembered 6:00 though. 6:00 was the only time in the day even worth mentioning. He looked up at the clock again. He would have to remember to make sure bet a watch tonight. Maybe he would make Kylie bet his watch that she won last week. Jonah really liked that watch, but he had nothing else to bet last week and he had to bet something or he would be out of the game. And he had to play. He couldn't live with sitting out of a game and watching. I mean don't you know what an addiction is.

Jonah glanced at the clock again. 5:53. Why did time always seem to slow down right before the big game. Or any game for that matter. If Liz was still around she would tell him that he was worrying too much. He could hear her voice now. "Quit the clock watching." "It's not going change if you never look away." "Everyone will be here in soon. Talk to me for a few minutes."

Of course Jonah could never listen to her. His addiction was already starting to take a hold of him. At that point he was only playing three nights a week. The rest of the week he spent in anticipation for those few times that he could be free from his life. That's how it all started. Maybe I should back a little further even. Back to when Jonah played poker for the first time.

He actually liked his life back then. He had a decent job. He was close to graduating and getting a better job. He spent lots of time with his family and when he wasn't with them he was with Liz. They had just gotten engaged before this whole poker thing started and his family was ecstatic.

Then one day Jonah's best friend, Paul, decided it would be fun to have a guys only poker night. Sounds innocent enough, right. Wrong. This to be was Jonah's first ever poker game and look where he is now. Jonah and Paul organized this poker night and started to play every week.

After a couple of weeks, one night wasn't enough for Jonah. He talked to Paul, but Paul just told him to quit joking around and get back to work. Jonah, however, decided to start another poker night behind Paul's back. Well, he didn't actually start it. It was a bunch of guys form work who played every week. They needed another player though. John had transfered out of the company and was out of the loop. Then Jonah got a hold of John. Apparently John still wanted his "night away from his wife." That's when Jonah got his third poker night.

By this time Liz and Jonah's family were starting to realize that something was wrong. Liz was continuously calling Jonah at home, but he wasn't there and his family didn't know where he was. As if that wasn't enough, Jonah's cell was turned off. And if he was at home, he wasn't answering the phone for anyone. Liz left messages on Jonah's phone all the time. The only response she ever got was "I'm sorry, Liz. The battery must be going bad. It's been doing that a lot lately." Yeah right, Liz thought. She began to wonder if Jonah was cheating on her.

Then Jonah started his fourth poker night. This was to be the best one because it would actually be at his place. Only one problem. He told Liz he was going out of town for business. It was a big shock then when Liz showed up halfway through the game. She had meant to just come and leave a surprise for Jonah's return. It was she who was left spellbound, staring at the man who was "out of town." There was a big fight after that, right in the hallway where all the players could hear. When it was over, Jonah walked in and sat back down. He placed a ring on the table beside him and calmly asked who was in for the next round.

After that nothing was the same for Jonah. His dark hair starting getting long and unruly. He quit going to work. He quit going to school (so long better job). He basically quit doing anything related to a normal life.

Eventually he got over himself. His life then became what it is now. Seven nights of poker a week, all with different players everyday. Three of the games were held at his house. He got a job. Not a decent job. Not even a good job. He got a job that could support him losing at poker every once in a while and required no hours after 6:00. He needed his poker.

He tried to call Liz once, but she had changed her number, cut him out of her life. That's alright though. He didn't need her. He didn't need anybody. He didn't even need his family. They were pretty annoying. They still called just about everyday or tried to come over and see Jonah. They never got through. Jonah even had his phone cut off. It is very annoying to get twenty calls a week from people you don't want to talk to.

The way Jonah figured it his life is pretty close to perfect. Every night at 6:00 he does his favorite thing in the world. How could life get any better? Well, it could get better if could play more often, but he did have to work in order to gamble. Sucks though. Life would be so much better if you didn't need money to gamble.

Jonah took another look at the clock. 5:57. Knock. Knock. The sound Jonah had been waiting for. He walked over and opened the door.

"Hey, guys," he said.

"Sorry we're late," Kylie apologized. "We got stuck in traffic."

"No problem," replied Jonah. "Now let's get this game started. Kylie, Jonah and the other players sat around the table and started to place their bets. Five very different people sitting around a table sharing the same addiction to different extents.