Poker at the Bean

So I've been taking my laptop with me to work lately. During my lunch break, I head over to the Coffee Bean located next door that has free WiFi. Get an obligatory cup of coffee and then sit down to relax by playing 6-9 tables of micro-limit holdem.

Usually I try to sit with my back against a wall or window to have my privacy. Well, that's not entirely true. It's not for privacy, it's because I'm vain and don't want some random stranger to think less of me because I'm sitting in a shirt and tie playing online poker in a coffee shop. It is what it is.

Anyways, so I'm playing and some random guy taps me on the shoulder.

"I don't mean to be looking over your back but do you know this guy?" Random guy says, a smile of pride crossing his face.

I look over, a bit startled. Random Guy has his cell phone out. Who's name do I see? Ted Forrest.

Random guy proceeds to drop names all over the place. Ted is apparently a really good buddy of his. Random guy proceeds to tell me about a cafe in Vegas he has lunch with Doyle at. Random Guy usually heads up and joins the pros at the Bellagio once or twice a month as well.

Apparently, Random Guy used to process online transfers for all of these big name pros pre-UIGEA days. I asked him what he mean, like was a he a Neteller clone or something. Nope. Apparently, the pros would drop their funds onto his Compass Bank debit card (which he pulled out and showed me) and he would move the funds around for them. Something like that, I certainly didn't understand the process. He was making upwards of 65k a month but as soon as they (the govt) went after Neteller execs, he got out. Through Ted, Random Guy became friends with Lederer, thinks Hellmuth is a douche, etc.

Now Random Guy owns a start-up in Phoenix in the oil industry. He was very proud of how his 1/2 cent penny stock is now trading around 30cents per share. Vonaloo or something like that. It will be trading at $1 here soon; he's confident of that. PR people are going to be putting out the press and earnings/statements are soon to be released.

All this while trying to 8 table. Random. So Random. Random Guy Mike: Best of luck to you and your ventures. Tell Ted hi for me.

Back to the 8 table 10NL grind and dreams of following my dreams someday.