21 or Bust
By: Rob Alcantar
21 BlackJack!
How Old Blue Eyes Picked a Winner
In life or on the tables, Blackjack is hard to come by. The prolific words of Frank Sinatra “Luck be a Lady” could be heard playing on the streets of Las Vegas in 1965. His love for the city was legendary and was encapsulated by the lyrics of that song. The lights and glamour of the streets were still gritty and the ideas were poignant. A place where political consciousness could be heard over a glass of scotch. It was in that environment, on the Blackjack tables that an idea was born.
What makes the perfect mate? – A broad concept that was broken down in an ingenious way by a master of seduction, Old Blue Eyes, Frank Sinatra himself.
The theory is simple. Three fundamental categories, each one being scored one through ten. Intelligence + Beauty + Morality = 21. Can you get the perfect combination? No fluff, no books, no Mars versus Venus, a combination that only few could manage. Many wish to get there, but can you meet those quotas? Scoring 10 in beauty, 10 in intelligence, but a 1 in morality, what do you really have? Sinatra knew how rare it was to obtain the perfect combination.
Beauty: The lights that draw you to the table. Physical attraction is what excites us; a beautiful woman or attractive male drives the primordial urge within us. Superficial, but a main element of attraction, this card is key. A ten is wanted, but not the only card that counts.
Intelligence: The core to any card game is knowing what cards you hold. Intellect is the basis beyond physical that allows you to connect. When the lights come on, the style fades, the conversation is the only thing that’s left.
Morality: How much are you willing to risk on your bet? You never want to bet the farm, to lose. Maybe the most underrated of the three and the hardest to define, do you want a high card or a low card? Moral character is a trait that is determined over time with consistency. Frank was not a saint, his escapades with women are well known. Obviously no one is perfect, but no one strives for their mate to be a tramp.
When do you cash your chips in? The answer is personal, based on your particular values. Your ranking of Beauty compared to Intelligence is rooted within how you determine a masterpiece. The concept of Blackjack is simple in logic, with many ways to find a winner. Numbers don’t lie, but matters of the heart are never black or white. Remember, Love will always be a gamble with the highest stakes, and going All In is the only way to win.
Story by Robear Alcantar and Adnoris Geovanni Torres