Open. Nothing is closed off. All is possible. You believe that, don’t you? We’re all given this chance in life, he said. An opportunity. But you have to gamble. Stand at the blackjack table and eventually show your cards. This is what the rich and famous do, he told his son. They throw the dice. They’re not worried about the outcome. You know why? kid shook his head. Because they will get back up if they’re knocked down, the father smiled. A rooster crowed.

He’s starting his day, dad said. Waking all of us up. Mom will put a pot of coffee on soon. Don’t tell her what we talked about. She wouldn’t understand. The old man looked out the window of the trailer. Saw the lined up mailboxes, porchlights on, a dog chained to a tree. He looked at his son. Sorry I didn’t give you more, he said. But you gotta earn it. Just like I did. I didn’t have a dime when I came to this town. Not a cent to my name, he told him. Slept under bridges, in woods, rummaged through trash. And I never gave up. Took any work I could find, the rooster crowed again. Saved, cause that’s what you’re supposed to do. Didn’t waste it on women.

Until mom came along, the boy said.

I didn’t chase them around. She came to me.

Where did you two meet?

In church. We were both godly people. Never lost the faith.

Yeah, the boy lit a cigarette from dad’s pack on the table. You don’t mind, do you?

No. Not at all.

All that about not giving up, the boy looked around the trailer home. Saw the TV in the corner. A boom box on the shelf with cassette tapes next to it. Opened a cabinet and grabbed a bottle of whiskey. You don’t mind? Right? the boy laughed. The old man slowly shook his head. Kid grabbed two glasses from another cabinet. Juice glasses with Mickey Mouse and Goofy on them. He poured them full. Here’s to all you’ve attained, Daddy.  He lifted his glass. Come on now. Lift your glass old man. To not giving up, he  laughed and slammed the whiskey down, poured himself another.

Is this some kind of joke?

Nooooo. Look around you. You rolled the dice old man.

Right. You’ll learn one of these days how tough it is out there. I never gave up, boy. I never gave up. 

Yeah. You just settled.