Quote image editor
“Tyler was faster than she was and won nearly every game. Between hands he stirred the canh around on the blanket to mix them up. She taught him how to shuffle properly, and he practiced over and over. "How do you play strip poker?" he asked her once. In the cramped space he couldn't see her surprise. "How do you know about that?" "I dunno. I heard it somewhere, I guess. So what is it?" "You play for whatever the other person has," she said. "The winner gets the loser's things." "Like what?" "Oh, odds and ends. Wallets and combs. Things." "Oh." He dealt them each a fish hand. "I heard it was for clothes." She supposed he knew more than he was letting on. He was testing her. "Well, some people play for clothes, too. You play until the other per-son has nothing left." "Why would you want to do that? What would you do with their clothes?" Allison laughed. Sometimes Tyler seemed old for his years, world-wise and as cynical as a grown-up. But then at other times, like now, he just seemed NINE. "I don't know," she said. "It's just a game.” — David Ball