The Penny Machine

 The rain dripped on her tattered sofa from the new leak in the living room. Margaret moved the sofa to the other side of the room to set the paint bucket strategically underneath the soaked ceiling. “If it’s not one thing it’s another,” she flopped on the dry section of the sofa. Massaging her temples as she listened to the constant drip of the small droplets of water hitting the empty bucket. It had been raining non-stop for the past few days. She chastised herself for not allowing her brother-in-law to patch it up last fall. The hundred year old home was always in need of patchwork and her brother-in-law was happy to donate his time. Buying a new roof instead of patching it was on her bucket list of treating herself to something nice.

The dripping water was hypnotic. The rapid tiny drips made a pinging sound that felt familiar. It was the same sound of coins hitting the metal bin from the old local casino she frequented years ago. “Those were the days.” she whispered to the empty room. Things changed so much over the years. The physical coins are now replaced with digital sound effects simulating the coins hitting the bin while printing the winnings on a small piece of paper. Not the excitement of cleaning your hands after handling dirty coins.

Feeling nostalgic she mulled around the idea of getting out of the house for a few hours. She stood up quickly and scurried to bedroom and grabbed her locked jewelry box.This is where she kept her special stash. Whether it was a new scarf or a girls night out, the money that was folded and stuffed in the blue velvet lined middle drawer, was designated for guilt free spending. She kicked off her Crocs and slid into the mustard yellow duck boots still drying in the mudroom. She decided to make the familiar route to the casino and gave herself 30 minutes from her door to the casino floor.

Paul hit the slots every Friday. Smoking his favorite cigar, a cold beer in his hand, and surrounded by fun loving people is his favorite part of the day. He worked hard on the 10 acres of farmland passed down to him from his grandfather, throwing caution to the wind was his way of relaxing. Playing slots fed his twin personality, the side that likes to abandon all sense of responsibility. At the casino he can let his guard down. His off color jokes and intentional double entendre were authentic and welcomed. With a few well placed words he could have the entire staff eating out of his hands. They enjoyed the genuine energy he brought with every visit. He was also a big tipper. He never asks for more than a refill on a cold beer, and the best server will never allow his beer to lose that snap of carbonation to guarantee a big tip payroll.

The mixture of cigarette smoke, and musty carpet aroma hung in the air with the occasional burst of some sort of berry scent hit her nose when walking through the the front entrance. It only took Margaret a few seconds to feel comfortable. Her shoulders relaxed and she walked with a little more purpose as she scanned the casino floor. It felt bigger than she remembered. The old three reel, coin fed machines were replaced with taller cabinets, bigger screens and TV or movie themed animation. The flutter in her belly confirmed her anticipation. Her eyes bounced from the purplish carpet with yellow and orange swirls to the bright lights racing atop the shiny black machines. She had a fool-proof method for selecting the right machine. She sauntered past the first bank of machines stopping briefly at one that had a huge ox running across the screen. The right machine would ‘call’ her and urge her to play because she wouldn’t be able to walk away. She continued through the carefully constructed maze that guided her to consider in as many choices as possible. The four tall game show themed machines lined against the back wall, caught her eye. She was very familiar with the game show, it was a regular after evening news staple in her house. She was pretty good at solving the puzzles.

“Excuse me.” she grabbed the back of the heavy chair to pull it back from the machine. A senior used the seat to rest her portable oxygen tank, and a middle aged gentleman on the left made the chair his footrest.

“C’mon in young lady, the beer is cold and the machines are hot!” The gentleman quickly moved his feet.

Margaret giggled, it’s been a while since she was called young. “You winning anything?”

“Winning enough to keep playing” Paul chuckled at his own joke.

“That works for me! Enough to keep playing. Don’t you just hate it when you lose it all in one machine soon as you walk through the door?” Margaret rattled on when she was nervous or anxious.

“I’m here every Friday, and this is my first time laying eyes on your pretty little face.”

“It’s been a while.” she took a deep breath to relax a bit.

“Well settle in,” thumping his chest “and let Paul show you how to do this!”

The cocktail server came through with Paul’s third beer of the evening. “Get yourself something, sweetheart.” He gestured toward Margaret. “it’s free as long as you play!”

“I’ll take a beer too.” She looked towards the server for approval.

“Paul, don’t be trying to take this lady home with you!” The cocktail server sang out loudly. Paul chuckled deeply into his chest.

“Girl, you better watch him!” the cocktail server spun on her heels toward the bar. Margaret smirked with a simple head nod.

She chose the right machine, it was generous. It kept the free beers coming. The more she drank the more she warmed to Paul’s unyielding flirting and off color jokes. The intense personal attention took her mind on a journey of younger years. She was once quite a looker, and was never short of male adoration. Paul woke her hibernated feminine side and captured her attention. He held on to every word as if each were nuggets of gold. He listened to her many travel adventures and she was swallowed up when hearing of his compassion to re home a 150 pound Great Dane puppy, Charlie. Paul welcomed the opportunity to be the owner of the beautiful pup when his neighbor had to suddenly move away for a big job across town. His home was surrounded with several acres of farm land for the pup to stretch and grow. The conversation flowed naturally as if they’d known each other in another life.

“Damn!” Margaret slapped the spin button with intent. “That was my last dollar.” she gathered her raincoat and umbrella. “I need to get home anyway, it’s getting late.” With the enjoyable conversation, she hadn’t stopped to check her phone. It was 11 pm. She was expected to open the doors of the grocery store the following morning since it was her Saturday to work.

“Aw, don’t go yet. Stay for one more beer.” Paul hung his head and softly whined the words.

“I still have $20 to play.” He leaned forward. “I tell you what we’ll do. We’ll put this twenty in your machine since it seems to be paying back a little better than mine and finish the night with one more beer.” He smiled sweetly as he gestured Margaret to sit down.

She wasn’t really ready to go, but her responsible nature nagged at her gut. Not being on time would put Colton in a bind not to mention light a fire to his short fuse. He managed the store on a tight budget and even tighter rope. Colton decided to make her lead cashier. She managed the small details that he never had the patience to pay attention to until they became unmanageable. With her as his anchor, his life was more balanced.

“I’ll stay until your twenty is gone, but I do need to get home and get a few hours sleep.” She slid comfortably back into the chair.

“It will be twenty minutes max, I promise.” Paul adjusted his posture. “Yep, we’ll finish off a beer and this twenty and call it a night, or a morning!” They both chuckled and motioned for the cocktail server.

The slot machine sucked in the twenty with a whirring sound.

“You hit the button then I’ll take a turn.” Paul scooted his chair closer to her machine. The chairs were so close the side of his thigh rested on hers. “This way we both get a chance to play a while.”

Margaret soaked up the attention like a dry sponge. She blushed and smiled so much that her lips stuck on her teeth. Her mind swirled with beer soaked thoughts. “ I really need to get home. This feels good. I’m glad I came out. I really need to get home.” She couldn’t pull herself away from the flirting. Her last minute decision to visit the casino gave her more than she bargained for and was and was a welcome diversion from home.

Paul was right, the twenty lasted about twenty minutes, the beer only a few minutes longer. They played the machine as if they were kids on a playground. They hit the button and they whooped and hollered, “winner, winner chicken dinner!” They made winning three dollars and fifty cents sound like they hit thousands. The other players spending the night at the casino joined in the noisy celebrations. A few of the players watched the couple grow closer as the night grew longer and started their own conversations on who was going to make the first move They even bet if Paul and Margaret were going to take advantage of the casinos comp hotel room for those that had a few too many beers. They unknowingly became the Friday night entertainment.

They both tilted the bottles simultaneously as if planned, to get the last of the beer that usually hides in the bevel on the bottom. They were no longer just sitting close to each other, they were practically in each other’s lap, laughing loudly, oblivious to any one else around them.

Ding, ding, ding the last spin paid $3.00. The night was nearing its end.

“Let’s get the heck outta here, I need to get some sleep.” Margaret was pretty giddy and grateful for the good company.

“OK, OK.” Paul quickly stood from the chair and offered his hand to help Margaret. She smiled sweetly as she laid her hand in his. Between the beer and her butt now feeling numb she welcomed the help.

Paul grabbed Margaret’s hand and slowly raised it to his face, “Frankly my darling, I’ve had a wonderful evening.” he placed a beer wet kiss on the back of her hand. She blushed and motioned at the machine. “Push the collect button. Get your ‘last three dollars’” she sang the words to the tune of the popular casino song. He laughed at the reference. He stroked the back of her hand with the palm of his and held it.

“We’re going down together!” he guided her hand to the big round button and used both their hands to push the max-spend button. Margaret threw her head back against his chest as she laughed at the romantic way the cleared the credits left in the machine. Margaret turned towards Paul and gave him a huge bear hug. “I’ve had a ball!” Margaret secretly hoped to hear the ding, ding, ding of the machine calculating a few more pennies to play. The machine was silent.

The other players on the floor watched as the couple try to pull away from each other.

“Damn! Damn man you see that shit?!” The man that invested his night watching them and was the first to bet on them taking advantage of the hotel room, surprised himself by shouting out loud to anyone that was in earshot.

“They hit! They hit the damn jackpot!” he pointed at the flashing lights on top of the machine in front of Margaret.

The red and white lights lit the ceiling where the “eye in the sky” could capture everything on tape. The game show machine was a statewide progressive. Playing the maximum bet was the only way to have a chance at hitting the jackpot. When a jackpot is hit the machine automatically locks and displays a big red sign on the screen with instructions to verify it is a legal. The lights and an electronic message alerts the casino authorities instead of the loud ringing bells. The sounds bring attention to the machine and the players get excited and shout “jackpot” before it’s verified which is frowned upon by the machine owners. These types of jackpots must be officially verified before it can be celebrated.

Paul’s arm quickly fell away from Margaret’s waist. Margaret quietly and slowly moved a few feet away from Paul as she turned to look at the machine. Suddenly her mouth was dry.

Nine-hundred, fifty-three thousand, seven hundred twenty four dollars and sixteen cents. She had never seen so many numbers behind a dollar sign in her life.

The casino staff was excited as well. It had been a while since this location had any major jackpot attention. They could finally make use of free advertising. A jackpot of this size would most definitely be on the local news. Jackpots always brought in more players. But they had to be patient, they couldn’t call in the media or make any announcements just yet. The proper authorities will have to be called in and verify the jackpot is valid and there was no malfunction on the machine before they could sign over any winnings. The moment the jackpot hit the state officials were notified automatically. The machine is designed to lock and disable the other machines displaying the jackpot in casinos around the state. The celebration would have to wait until Saturday afternoon.

The slot attendees and supervisors quickly made their way across the floor to the couple with a clipboard loaded with tax forms to document the necessary information before the presentation of money. The winners information is safely secured until the final verification.



“Congratulations.” The supervisor spoke in a tone more like a greeting, careful not to promise anything in her inflection until the winnings were validated. She explained what information was required and the details of what to expect on Saturday. “We need the name, address, telephone number, social security card and drivers’ license of the winner.” she provided the laundry list as she extended the ink pen along with the clipboard in the air. “Who’s the winner?”

The music coming from the ceiling speakers seemed louder than usual. Paul and Margaret briefly looked at each other and then at the casino staff without response.

“I’ll make it easy. Who hit the button for the winning spin?” The supervisor was trying to make it clear she needed a single winner. “The hand that was on the button when the jackpot was triggered.”

“We pressed the button at the same time.me time, we hit it together.” Paul quietly stated the facts.

“That doesn’t help, who’s money was it?” The supervisor tried to clear up what was beginning to be a sticky situation.

“It was originally Paul’s twenty but then of course the machine kept paying back so we started playing what the machine gave us back…sooooo….” Margaret’ was getting anxious.

‘We’ll check the cameras to verify who is responsible for the jackpot.” She tried to sound supportive and non-biased.

“Just split it in half and we both sign our own portion and we’ll be done with it?” The usual friendly carefree tone of his voice soon disappeared.

“We can’t do that. We can only have one person’s name on the winnings and the taxes that apply.” The supervisor presented an option. “It’s late right now, how about we give you both a hotel room and we take a look at the cameras and figure this out in the morning?”

“That won’t work for me.”

“I can’t do that.” Paul and Margaret talked over each other. Paul dropped his head into his hands and turned his back to Margaret. “What the fu….” he mumbled into his hands. “I have to get home, I can’t stay the night. I have a farm to run and a family to get to.” He paced in circles, alternately rubbing his head and cuffing his cheeks.”Put it in my name, it was my original twenty and my idea to play the entire amount. I will take your information and send you a portion.” He waved an open hand toward Margaret dismissively.

Almost a million dollars! She had already imagined repairing the roof, paying off the remaining mortgage on the tiny house and giving up working at the grocery store. Margaret quietly thought of everything in her life the money could change. In those few minutes she put her life back in order. Anything that happened prior to this moment, including the fun she had while amassing the fortune, all disappeared.

She quickly snapped out of her daydream. Margaret slid her hands on her butt and patted her pockets searching for where she last put her phone. The words blurted out of her mouth ”I need to call Colton.”

“What?! we have much bigger fish to fry than whether you make it to work on time tomorrow.” Paul waved his arms in exasperation. “I’ll sign them damn jackpot papers and give you a days pay. Hell, I’ll give you a month! "

She swiped the phone, and a wedding picture appeared on the screen saver.

“ How about I give you a month. I’m sure my hand was on the button, my husband will agree.”