Miklo looks around the room, it’s a familiar smell drawn from his childhood. The basement of the local church, a number of chairs are set up like pews facing a pulpit of sorts. A table is off to the side with what looks like day old donuts and 6 hour old coffee

Man ese are you sure I need to be here, this place is for losers and dead beats. I am on a winning streak carnale.

A priest begins to speak:

I know you do not want to be here, I do not like see gods children struggle either. Some of you may even be on a winning streak and feel you don’t belong. My place, here is to offer you a safe haven to help you see what could be before it does my children.

After some prodding from his friend Miklo stands up and begins to speak:

Hi – my name is Juan Diego Cisneros Hernandez Gomez but my friends call me Miklo. I guess my carnale thinks I have a problem. Yeah I like the dice but I mean I can stop anytime and it’s not like I can’t put milk and cereal on the table. Look I will be real, I am just one throw of the dice away from retirement you know. It just seems like every time I get close the house wins but man how it feels when I win and see that payout.

The Priest looks up – Miklo my son, have you lost recently or have an experience where you betting didn’t work out?

Padre, you don’t even know… I was close to being broke a few days ago, but like I couldn’t stop. It was right there and I could taste it, that pay out was going to be mine. I had my wife nagging at me so I had to hold up the corner, I mean borrow some milk and bread from our local grocer. I get what you are saying, maybe I do hit the dice house a little too often but it’s on my way home from the “office”.  What harm can it really do?

The priest looks around, can anyone else share their stories? Perhaps something will help young Miklo or someone else listening see their way to god when it comes to gambling.