Numbers Read Online Free PDF

The once light-gray walls were now mostly covered with scribbled numbers, names, and so forth, written in pen, pencil, and markers. There were metal andwooden chairs scattered about the room, and a wooden bench to the right of the entrance. The five trash cans must have been for decoration, because discarded number slips littered the floor. Straight ahead was a large window; behind that window were two women, one black and one Puerto Rican, whose job was to take the bets. Both were in their late twenties or early thirties and fairly attractive. Hanging on the wall over that window was a large, black-framed, circular clock with a white face and black hands.
    The time was 2:45 P.M.
    Dupree hesitantly made his way to the opening in the wall, while Jarvis stayed near the entrance looking around. Dupree was the third person in the Hispanic lady’s line. When it was his turn, he removed the number slip his mother had scribbled on and the twenty-five cents from his pocket and placed them on the counter.
    “A little young to be betting?” the Hispanic lady said to Dupree through a mouth full of food. Provolone didn’t give his workers lunch breaks.
    “It’s for my mother.”
    “Then let’s make sure we get it right, baby.” She separated the top white sheet from the bottom yellow copy and then passed the yellow one back to Dupree. With a smile, she placed the white sheet in a box beneath the counter and the quarter in a drawer.
    On Dupree’s way out the man who had detained him earlier called, “Come here, little player.”
    Dupree walked over to him.
    “Do me a solid and take a look at these.” Crispy Carl showed him a list of numbers that had come out over the past week in the Big Mack. Crispy Carl hadn’t hit the number in a while and hoped a fresh perspective would change his luck.
    Dupree studied all the three-digit numbers on the list, not sure what he was looking for.
    “Well, little dude, what do you think?”
    “What do I think about what?” Dupree answered, baffled.
    “What do you think is a good number to play today?” Crispy Carl specified.
    “How would I know?” Dupree shrugged.
    “Come on, little man, just give me three numbers.”
    “Two five eight,” Dupree blurted out.
    “Two fifty-eight. That sounds like a good one.” Crispy Carl popped off his perch and briskly stepped into the number spot to place his bet.
    Dupree was thoroughly confused but didn’t question what had taken place. Instead, he just laid out his skateboard, pushed off, and headed home, with Jarvis in tow.
    Although Jenny rarely hit the numbers, she played them religiously. The next day she sent Dupree back across Park to play her numbers again, and when he showed up in front of the store, Crispy Carl was excited to see him.
    “Numbers! My little man, what’s going on?” Dupree had no idea who Numbers was, so he didn’t respond. “Yeah, I’m talking to you! That’s your new handle from now on: Numbers!” Crispy Carl told him. “Do you know why I’m gonna call you Numbers?”
    Dupree shook his head.
    “Then I’ll tell you why.” Crispy Carl gave him a wide smile while removing some bills from his pocket. “My boy, Numbers, this is for you.” He passed Dupree a crisp fifty-dollar bill. Dupree’s eyes grew to twice their normal size.
    Crispy Carl read the confusion in his new friend’s eyes. “Remember the number you gave me yesterday afternoon?” he asked.
    “Uh-uh,” Dupree said.
    “Little partner, the number you gave me, two fifty-eight, itcame out straight like that, and that’s your share.” Crispy Carl put his hands on Dupree’s shoulder, giving him a huge congratulatory shake.
    Dupree smiled back at his new partner and mentor.
    Over the next couple of weeks, 40 percent of the picks Dupree provided Crispy Carl with turned out to be winners. Hitting the number at that rate was exceptional; the average gambler hit the number—at best—10 to 20 percent of the time.
    Numbers had been born.

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