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SPECIAL FEATURE • TAKE MY COMPUTER PLEASE

by Steve Ciarcia

Retro-Humor, Ciarcia Style — Part 2

I Wouldnęt Bet On It!

Ok! Ok! I'll tell you the rest of the story! Ever since I wrote that short account of my episode with Ralph and Walt, friends who also knew that the story had not ended there besieged me to benefit all mankind by relating the rest of my Jai-Alai fiasco.

Ordinarily, the story could have satisfactorily concluded, as it did originally, with my computer mysteriously self-destructing, rendering it incapable of running Ralph's Jai- Alai gambling program. But, there was a basic error in that assumption - I was dealing with money (i.e., gambling), and unrelenting pressure (i.e., Ralph).

In the months following the alleged failure of my computer, life became intolerable. I felt like a man on the run, continually looking over my shoulder. When I approached the office in the morning, I would open the door slowly and peek around the corner to see if Ralph was there. I knew he was going to ask the progress of the computer repairs. After about 25 chance meetings, all consisting of the same basic inquiry, I was running out of excuses and becoming paranoid.

Click here to read or download the rest of chapter one in PDF format

Click here to read the first installment of this series

May 2001