“You don’t think physicists are likely to come here to gamble?” said Mart.
“Physicists aren’t likely to gamble. And after buying the week’s groceries, how could they?”
“Yes,” said Mart, “I guess that’s one of the points we started out to make. Anyway, I’ll bet we get a bite before the end of the week. Whether we do or not, we’ll close up by then. I’ll send Sam a wire this afternoon to get in production. By next Christmas: two Volcanoes where only one pinball stood before!”
During the same afternoon Mart’s attention was attracted to a patron of the club, who was what Mart had come to label an un gambler. There were gamblers and non-gamblers, and sometimes it was hard to tell them apart. But a pure ungambler could be spotted at a glance.
This particular specimen sat in the front row of the amphitheater staring at the Volcano almost as if in a trance. He moved only occasionally to polish the glass of his spectacles with the large white handkerchief, which he withdrew with a flourish. He made bets. A considerable number of them. He did not win a single time. Mart felt like telling him to give it up. You have to have just a trace, at least, of ESP or you haven’t got a chance. Successful gamblers were loaded with it. The ungamblers were apparently born with a total lack of it.
Mart finally resisted the impulse to protect the fellow from his own deficiencies, and turned away from the amphitheater. He saw that Berk was also watching from a post near the cashier’s cage.
“FBI, I’d say,” said Berk.
“Him? Not a chance. Probably a fresh MA in English Literature. I hate to see the poor guy throwing away his money, but what can I do?”
It was almost closing time that night before this particular patron gave up his seat and left the building. They had a house rule requiring betting on at least one game in four in order to keep the seat. Evidently the man had run out of minimum dollar bets. Even so, he seemed reluctant to give up his seat and leave.
Mart half expected him to show up the next day, but he made no appearance. On the second day following, he did show up, however, and Mart almost choked in surprise to see who was accompanying the ungambling stranger.