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Setting: The Murphy Household
It was another typical evening at the Murphy household, or at least as typical as it could be given that Milo Murphy’s Law was always in full effect. Cavendish and Dakota were sprawled out on the couch, ready to dive into another Dr. Zone marathon. Milo’s parents, Brigette and Martin Murphy, were getting ready for a night out.
“Hey, we’re heading out to the casino,” Brigette announced as she grabbed her purse. “You boys need anything?”
Cavendish perked up, his curiosity piqued. “A casino, you say? I’ve never visited one in this time period.”
Dakota chuckled, shaking his head. “You’ve probably never gone gambling, period.”
Cavendish puffed out his chest indignantly. “I have! But it was always in my own time period.”
“That’s boring,” Dakota teased.
Brigette smiled, adjusting her coat. “There’s a casino on Elm Street. You two can check it out whenever you’re in a gambling mood.”
The Next Day, 7 PM
The idea of the casino stuck with Cavendish, and by the next evening, both he and Dakota were itching to go. Dakota had come prepared with a strict budget, having learned from past experiences.
“I’m only going to use fifty bucks tonight,” Dakota said, holding up his wallet.
Cavendish looked at him, puzzled. “Why not just use all your money?”
Dakota sighed. “That’s not how it works in this time period. You have to budget. These machines are rigged to take your money.”
“What do you mean?” Cavendish asked, eyebrows furrowed.
“In our time period, gambling machines are based on skill. Here, it’s all about luck, and usually, the house wins,” Dakota explained. “Trust me, I’ve lost enough money to know.”
Cavendish shook his head, skeptical. “I don’t believe that.”
“Just trust me on this. How much money do you have, anyway?” Dakota asked.
Cavendish pulled out a roll of bills. “Five hundred dollars.”
Dakota’s eyes widened. “Where did you get that money?”
Cavendish shrugged. “I have no idea.”
Dakota rolled his eyes. “Use fifty dollars, so you can see what I mean.”
Cavendish scoffed. “Nonsense. I’ll use two hundred.”
They cashed in their money for coins and went their separate ways. Cavendish, confident and ready to prove Dakota wrong, and Dakota, cautious but hopeful for a bit of fun.
At the Casino
Dakota started at the slot machines, carefully feeding them with coins. After several tries and no wins, he moved on to the roulette table. As he placed his bet, Cavendish joined him, looking more disheveled than before.
“Hey,” Dakota greeted him, placing ten dollars on number seventeen. “How’s it going?”
Cavendish sighed. “You were right. I should have listened to you.”
“It’s okay. How much did you lose?” Dakota asked sympathetically.
“All of it,” Cavendish admitted, looking dejected.
“Five hundred dollars?” Dakota was incredulous. “What happened?”
Cavendish looked embarrassed. “I kept losing at poker. The guy I was playing with kept telling me I was bad.”
“Did he hurt you?” Dakota asked, concerned.
“No, but after I lost the two hundred, he said I might as well give him the rest since I was going to lose anyway,” Cavendish explained.
“And you did it??” Dakota facepalmed.
“He made a fair point,” Cavendish mumbled.
Dakota shook his head, just as the roulette wheel spun. When it landed on seventeen, Dakota jumped up, cheering. “Yes! I won!”
“Congratulations,” Cavendish said, his voice lacking enthusiasm.
“Alright, let’s go get your money back. Where’s the guy at?”