Slim and Shorty

LSJohn

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monett missouri
I've been in two poker games that were robbed. Three, you might say, but once I wasn't there.

The first time I heard of a poker game that was robbed, the victims would occasionally refer to "Slim and Shorty," which I figured was a physical description of the perps. However, on two later occasions I heard of other poker games robbed and the perps being called "Slim and Shorty." I guess that somehow became a universal term for stick-up men, or at least game-robbers.

The first time we got robbed, it was in a neighborhood game that had started mostly social and friendly but had evolved -- "blossomed" the consistent winners might have said -- into much more. We were all young, no one over 25 or so, but chip-stacks were typically $100-$500.

The guy who came in to rob us just rang the doorbell and when questioned said "It's Michael." The host opened the door and in came a guy about our age toting an automatic of some kind, I would have said a chrome-plated .38.

He got the "bank" from chip sales and got some of us to empty out based on pistol-waving threats. When he left, he said, "No one leave or use the phone for 5 minutes. My rat-buddies will be keeping an eye on you."

Two punchlines to this story:

(1) The robber went to high school with two of the players who recognized him immediately, and he was known to be a runnin'-mate of one of the other players! "Michael" was his real name. :)

He was picked up the next day, charged, and held for trial. I was one of the attendees who was subpoenaed to give an account of the event and an eye-witness ID.

(2) When we went to court I was immediately shocked to see a defendant I didn't know from Adam. He looked totally different than I remembered him, and I'd already learned through conversations with my fellow vics that our memories of the pistol were about as similar as a Red Ryder BB gun and a bazooka.

Thank goodness that he copped a plea and I didn't have to testify. Being young and even more ignorant than I am now, I'm afraid I would have ID'd him given the chance, but I'd have been lyin' my ass off just because "It must be him or he wouldn't be here."

I think we all know that people are pretty unreliable on eye-witness recall, but we also probably think we are much better than most. (Just like We are very good drivers. :D )

That experience contributes substantially to my skepticism about convictions that are based upon eye-witness testimony without physical evidence to back it up.

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The second time I was in a game that was robbed we were in the game room at a local country club. The game was substantial (for my bankroll) and the big stacks would be around $1000. 50$ limit 7-stud.

The perps came carrying shotguns, in from a hallway that led both to a stairway to the upstairs kitchen, and to a "security" door in from the cart-parking area behind the Pro-shop.

Again I didn't empty my pockets as demanded, and they didn't check. When they quickly left the way they came, "Jimmy'" a big Italian guy whom I knew carried a pistol was beside me under the table as we'd been instructed. I said, "Jimmy, give me your pistol."

He did and I ran after them. Just as I got to the door leading out of the room, what looked like one of them came back, but it looked like he was unarmed so I said, "Hold it!"

He said, "I ain't one of them, I'm a cook. You guys OK?" but he was shaking like a leaf. A miracle I didn't shoot before I noticed he was unarmed.

Turned out he was one of the cooks, but that didn't mean he was innocent. The security door was still locked, and the only other way in was through the kitchen. Of course the perps were masked, and none of them stupid enough to wear cooks' garmets.

As things settled down and the payers licked their wounds (ALL of them except one claiming to have been winner :D ) one of the guys said "Black Slim and Shorty." That's when I knew it had become universal.

OH, LOL, in the newspaper write-up about the event I was referred to as "an independent speculator." :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
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