If you met Jerry on the street, there is little about him that would stand out in your mind. He's in his 60s, graying hair, with a sallow complexion. He looks tired. He has a gentle attitude toward others and offers a ready smile for the smallest of favors.
Jerry is a bank robber.
Let me rephrase that. He is a reformed bank robber. He spent quite a few years in prison for a string of bank robberies before he went before the parole board and won his release.
Now on probation, he is under court orders to attend Gamblers Anonymous meetings. He lives alone, collects a small monthly Social Security check, and spends many of his nights playing low-limit poker at Talking Stick Casino near Scottsdale, AZ.
I met Jerry when I was riding the free casino shuttle bus to Scottsdale. He and I were the only two passengers on the bus. The driver is a country western fan who owns a special collection of tapes of the legends of country and rock music -- Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, The Doors, Credence Clearwater Revival, Lynnard Skinnard, and I could go on and on.
I took a seat near the front of the shuttle bus and Jerry sat down across the aisle.
'What would you guys like to hear?', the driver asked, switching on his boom box.
'How about Johnny Cash on 'Orange Blossom Special?',' I suggested.
Jerry perked up. 'That's a good one,' he said. 'One of my favorites.'
As we drove down Indian School Road, the driver turned up the volume. I closed my eyes listening to the deep baritone voice of Cash, a man I had interviewed some years earlier at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum where he was doing a concert.
Jerry joined in the song, singing, 'Goin' down to Florida...to get some sand in my shoes....Goin' down to Florida, to get some sand in my shoes.' His voice was surprisingly good.
When the song was over, I introduced myself to the stranger with the good voice. His handshake was powerful and he gave me a deep penetrating look. I told him I was a journalist, magazine author and ghostwriter.
''What's a ghostwriter?,' he said.' 'Never heard that one before.'
I told him a ghostwriter was a writer who helped other people find their voice in writing books. I also said in my opinion everybody was a walking, talking book waiting to be written.
''And if I may ask, what do you do?,' I said. ''If you no longer do it, what did you do?'
Jerry laughed. It contained just a little bit of bitterness.
'Hey, driver, tell Ghostwriter what I did,' he said.
'Without turning his head, the driver said, 'Jerry was a bank robber.'
'That's right,' he said. 'A bank robber. But I guess I wasn't a very good one. I served about 19 years behind bars before I went straight. No more banks for me. Just a little poker now and then, even though officially I'm supposed to be a member of Gamblers Anonymous.'
We finally arrived at the bus stop where Jerry got off. As he exited the bus, he saluted me.
'See you at the poker tables, Ghostwriter,' he said. And we have been meeting there regularly ever since.
Author: Geno Lawrenzi Jr.
(Geno Lawrenzi Jr. is an international journalist, magazine author and ghostwriter and poker player who lives in Phoenx, AZ. He has published 2,000 articles in 50 magazines and 125 newspapers. If you want to share a gambling story or book idea with him, send an email to glawrenzi@gmail.com ).
