Vagueness and the Aftermath - A sporadic diary

[RED-DOG]

What's a 'gorger'? Is it a Gypsy term for non-Gypsies, a bit like Gentile?

Yes, exactly that Andrew.

[AndrewT]

What's a 'gorger'? Is it a Gypsy term for non-Gypsies, a bit like Gentile?

Yes, exactly that Andrew.

Just did an internet search on gorger and found this link, which looks like something you'd be interested in.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/kent/voices/henry_paula.shtml

[RED-DOG]

What's a 'gorger'? Is it a Gypsy term for non-Gypsies, a bit like Gentile?

Yes, exactly that Andrew.

Just did an internet search on gorger and found this link, which looks like something you'd be interested in.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/kent/voices/henry_paula.shtml

That's excellent Andrew. Thank you.

[Karabiner]

Are gorger and gaujo exactly the same Tom ?

I'm afraid that there seem to be no parentheses on this keyboard 

[bobby1]

cheers Nun, I ran the math myself and have to agree with him 

[steeveg]

my mum would never refuse to buy when a gypsy woman called at the door to sell lucky heather or pegs for the washing line, she would panic if she didnt have enough to buy something and run round the house looking for money,she said its very bad luck not to buy anything.it happend regular so i dont know if we where known as a soft touch,lol,what is the definition of a true gypsy tom,is it romany .

[RED-DOG]

Are gorger and gaujo exactly the same Tom ?

I'm afraid that there seem to be no parentheses on this keyboard 

Yes Ralph. There are several different spellings of lots of Gypsy words. Being, (until very recently) an illiterate race, we didn't get much say in the matter.

[RED-DOG]

my mum would never refuse to buy when a gypsy woman called at the door to sell lucky heather or pegs for the washing line, she would panic if she didnt have enough to buy something and run round the house looking for money,she said its very bad luck not to buy anything.it happend regular so i dont know if we where known as a soft touch,lol,what is the definition of a true gypsy tom,is it romany .

Yes steeve, I'm afraid you would have been known as a soft touch. Occasionally A Gypsy woman who was out hawking would realise that someone held this suspicion and would foster and exploit the notion.

A bit unfair really, but we are only talking about a few coppers every now and then. Most Gypsies back then were so poor that they couldn't afford a conscience in these matters.

True Gypsies can trace a direct bloodline, (albeit sometimes a little diluted) to the Rom, a nomadic people who are believed to have left India somewhere around 900 AD (although estimates vary) It surprises me sometimes to realise that I understand the occasional snippet of Indian conversation.

Europeans thought they came from Egypt, and the term "Egyptians" was eventually shortened to "Gypsies".

[Nico29]

Can i say this diary is just fantastic. I studied english literature at university and reading your accounts tom remind me of reading some great texts. Your ways of describing events and encounters in your life is wonderful. First thing i read on blonde. Carry on the great work!

[RED-DOG]

I went to Dusk till Dawn last night and I enjoyed it tremendously, those of us who are within easy travelling distance of it are so lucky.

My table was very busy, with players getting themselves knocked out left right and centre, so during the course of the night I got to spend time with loads of real poker “characters” Good humoured, but near to the bone banter was whizzing back and forth across the table like shrapnel.

There was one young lad in a white baseball cap who made a tremendous bluff at a big pot on the river of a 9 J AA 6 board. His opponent showed KK, he showed 55.

Then he did it again, he called a pre flop raise, and then re-raised a big bet on a 388 board, the other player folded, and he again showed 55. It was quite funny, (for those of us not in the pot).

I got involved in a pot with this kid, but by now I had the benefit of hindsight. I raised from the cut off with AJ of diamonds, he was an early position limper, and he called my bet.

The flop came K 10 7 with two clubs. He lead out with a hefty bet, I called with my one over card and gutshot draw.

The turn came a jack of hearts, He made as if to bet, and then checked, I checked behind him. The river was a 7 of diamonds, and he immediately led out with an oversized bet. It was over 50% of my chips to call but everything was telling me I was in front, I called and he tapped the table and mucked his cards without showing.

I was in good shape now, and I played fast and loose, getting mixed up in loads of pots and prompting the others at the table to ask, “What have you done with the real Tom McCready?”

On one occasion I raised from the cut off with 3 5 of spades, and got a call from the shortish stack in the big blind. The flop came jack high with two spades, the big blind checked and I pushed all in, unfortunately, the bb called.

He had AJ, but I hit my spade on the river to win a nice pot and sent him to the rail. How I wish I could bring my £100 game to the £1000 tournaments.

I managed to maintain an above average stack until we were down to two tables of 7 players each, then I found KK in the small blind.

The hand played it’s self There was a raise from mid position, a re- raise from the button, and a push all in from me.

The mid pos guy folded, and the button called with AK. The flop came 5 A A. Once I had paid my dues, I found that I was still in, but I was crippled.

I was now in push any late position unopened pot mode, regardless of cards. Luckily the blinds were reasonably big by now and I managed to pick them up a few times until I eventually found a caller. Fortunately, I had a real hand this time and my QQ stood up against his pocket 99.

When we were down to 10 players, (9 for the final, 7 places paid) I managed to get it all in with AA. For some reason I can’t remember his hand but my aces stood up and I was on the final table in great shape.

We lost one player on the first orbit and then the young lad with the white baseball cap who I had tangled with early doors raised it up to 5k (blinds 800/1600) from late position. I had AQ in the big blind. I thought that there was a good chance that he was stealing, and if not, he would need a really big hand to call if I went over the top for 30k more, he had me covered, but not by much. I decided to push. 

He called me with KQ, spiked a K on the turn and I was out on the bubble.

This character building is a bugger sometimes. No matter though, my daughter Sadie was waiting to turn right on her way home from work last Wednesday when two cars came up behind her driven by young lads who were racing. The first one crashed into the back of her, the second one crashed into him. Sadie walked away without a scratch.

I run so good.

[RED-DOG]

Can i say this diary is just fantastic. I studied english literature at university and reading your accounts tom remind me of reading some great texts. Your ways of describing events and encounters in your life is wonderful. First thing i read on blonde. Carry on the great work!

Thank you very much.

I really do appreciate everyone's questions and comments.

[steeveg]

my mum would never refuse to buy when a gypsy woman called at the door to sell lucky heather or pegs for the washing line, she would panic if she didnt have enough to buy something and run round the house looking for money,she said its very bad luck not to buy anything.it happend regular so i dont know if we where known as a soft touch,lol,what is the definition of a true gypsy tom,is it romany .

Yes steeve, I'm afraid you would have been known as a soft touch. Occasionally A Gypsy woman who was out hawking would realise that someone held this suspicion and would foster and exploit the notion.

A bit unfair really, but we are only talking about a few coppers every now and then. Most Gypsies back then were so poor that they couldn't afford a conscience in these matters.

True Gypsies can trace a direct bloodline, (albeit sometimes a little diluted) to the Rom, a nomadic people who are believed to have left India somewhere around 900 AD (although estimates vary) It surprises me sometimes to realise that I understand the occasional snippet of Indian conversation.

Europeans thought they came from Egypt, and the term "Egyptians" was eventually shortened to "Gypsies".

thanks ,never knew that gypsy came from egyptian ,so obvious now you have pointed it out,, as you say it was only coppers and i know mum never looked at the woman as hawkers or felt exploited, she just hoped for a bit of luck,and would never tempt fate by not buying anything.
she got a lot of good wishes from them so i think she felt powers from above would make life a lot easier.lol.

[77dave]

With what just happened to my sister, I know exactly how you feel about LUCK right now regarding your daugthers car crash.

Tom what did you do about your daughters and there schooling  did you send them to school  after your experiences did you have doubts?

[RED-DOG]

With what just happened to my sister, I know exactly how you feel about LUCK right now regarding your daugthers car crash.

Tom what did you do about your daughters and there schooling  did you send them to school  after your experiences did you have doubts?

All my girls went to school on and off between the ages of 5 and 11. after that they continued their education at home, or at work with me.

It doesn't take 11 years to teach what the average school leaver knows, and it seems a waste to let them sit in a classroom during those years when real life can teach so much.

[TightEnd]

but Tom, why would you want your child to be an average school leaver?