I woke up all of a sudden at 6:30am today, I couldn’t get back to sleep so I start practicing my dice control skills on my rig. At 7:55am my cell phone rings and my buddy John M.’s name appears on the caller-id. But it was no John, it was his daughter, crying on the phone and telling me that John M. just passed away a couple of hours ago. After some comforting words I hung up and took a moment to reflect on the great times and laughs we had at the casinos. John M. was an Italian old school 76 year old poker player that frequents the Bogada Poker Room, his nickname "The Beast" we would meet up at least 3 times a year in Atlantic City to take advantage of the Comps and split any non-Comp costs then we break off and he would go to the Poker Room and I hit the craps tables, then we would meet up for breakfast, lunch and dinner between our sessions. We use to work together at my current job job for years developing financial administrative software for a University. He would yell at me all the time when we disagreed on design issues, but in the end we always developed great stuff that added value to the business process. After he retired we always stayed in touch since we both had a passion for playing our game at the casinos.

Even though "The Beast" was 76 years old. He lived his life like he was half that age, even some of his gfs was half his age. Last year in December I met up with him and I sort of got a feeling he was slipping downhill, he was carrying a portable oxygen tank and taking a bunch of pills. I had to check-up on him in the poker room and bring him a crap load of pills. He would yell at me when I was late for dinner and we got into a debate that I gave him gout when I sneezed near him:

{Mr. Pip and "The Beast meet up on the Black Card buffet line" }

Mr Pip: "aaaa-choo" {Mr PiP sneezes}

The Beast : "Hey Doozy bots ! My toe hurts now. I think you just gave me gout when you sneezed on me.

Mr Pip: "Well lets call the Center of Disease Control on your medical findings. Gout is now Air-born"

{At this point, three single silver haired ladies in front of us turn around laughing }

One of the Ladies: He is right. Gout is not an air-born disease. We should know we are retired doctors. {They all explain everything about gout and are actually flirting with "The Beast"}

Mr Pip: {I nudged him} "See you need to get one of their numbers and start dating age appropriate woman.

The Beast: No way. Look at my current girlfriend. {"He shows me a pic of some attractive Brazilian 35 year old woman, grinning ear to ear"}

Mr Pip: I can’t believe how you do it

The Beast: I don’t know myself but when I die they will find my face underneath some…. { Can’t say the rest }

Rest in Peace my friend and I will do a roll in your honor at that table by the poker room on my next trip to AC.

– MR. PiP

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