Willard was one of the most stubborn men I have ever met.
He grew up on a farm in Arkansas where his daddy raised pigs. That wasn't a very pleasant job for Willard and his three brothers -- in fact, they hated it. But they tolerated the labor until they reached adulthood and were able to leave Arkansas and strike out on their own.
Willard became a truck driver. His company was headquartered in Albuquerque and he regularly drove a route that took him through Las Vegas, where he developed a passion for poker.
I used to see him from time to time. He was a big pleasant-faced man in his 40s and reminded me of Junior Samples from 'HeeHaw'. In fact, he often wore bib overalls like Samples, along with an International Harvester bill cap.
Now I would not call Willard a great poker player. He was pretty predictable and had few tricks he could spring on the opposition. The one quality he did have was stubbornness.
He used to boast about it. 'My Daddy was a stubborn man,' Willard used to say, 'but I'm twice as stubborn as he was. Ain't a man alive who is more stubborn than me and that's a fact."
He would stay at a game through thick and thin and hang in there until he got his money back. Sometimes he even came up with a small profit.
I liked Willard's attitude toward life. Being Italian and born under the sign of Taurus the Bull, I'm a pretty stubborn fellow myself, as my former wife will confirm.
Well do I remember the night in Las Vegas when I got on a losing streak at a blackjack table. I was married then and my wife was carrying the money.
I lost hand after hand to a friendly dealer who really felt bad about beating me. It's okay, I told him. Don't worry. I'll get it back.
Each time I lost $100, I'd go to Nan and ask her for another hundred. She gave it to me without question, I went back to the table, lost it and returned for more 'cush' as I called money in those days.
Finally the tide turned and it turned with a vengeance. I won a dozen hands in a row, parlaying the bets. In less than 15 minutes I had won all my losses and was ahead by about $200.
Willard was right. Being stubborn works.
I carried that same stubborn trait into tournaments in Las Vegas at The Orleans, the Gold Coast, the Riviera, the Horseshoe and the Union Plaza. Once I bought into a re-buy tournament 10 times before I got my game together. I won the tournament, by the way.
I don't know where Willard is these days. By now he's probably retired and living comfortably in Albuquerque, one of my favorite cities. While I am sure he has mellowed in his old age, I hope he never loses his ability to be stubborn. For a poker player, it is a formidable weapon.
Geno 7 years ago Newbie
Willard and you would have gotten along great. smiles....Let the stubborn begin!
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Kristen Munoz 7 years ago Jr. Member
such a great way to look at things . I too am stubborn and this is how I too will look at things whenever I'm playing because it is the same for me it seems I can be losing , really losing just got to stick with it and some how it does usually turn around in my favor . good luck all
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