“Sorry about the wait, Jim. I’m glad that you switched to water. It shows me that you really want to learn from these stories. I think you have already learned a lot from Rama and Sita. The next couple that I think you will really relate to is Nala and Damayanti. Nala was a gambler, like you. I think if you listen to his story and see what he went through, you may be able to change your ways before you end up like him.”

“I really need advice about my gambling problem. I’ve blown all our rent money at the casino and it shows that I’m not being responsible.”

“Yes, it does.”

“Okay, tell me about this Nala character.”

“Nala was a king, well, he was a very unfortunate king. He heard about Damayanti and fell in love with her before he even met her. Nala told a swan to put in a good word for him since he was so crazy about her. The swan flew to Damayanti’s place to brag about King Nala. The swan told Damayanti how attractive King Nala was. After the swan told her about Nala, he was all she could think about. She was falling in love with him too. There were so many people who wanted to make Damayanti their wife, but she had to choose with whom she wanted to be. At Damayanti’s swayamvra, an event where she would choose a life partner, she chose Nala.”

“They have an event to choose a life partner?”

“Yes, it’s an ancient Indian practice. Anyway, Kali, the spirit of evil, wanted Damayanti to be his wife too, but since she chose Nala, Kali promised he would ruin their happiness by possessing Nala. Kali asked his brother, Pushkara, to challenge Nala to a game of dice. Nala loved to gamble, so he agreed to play the game. Kali then possessed Nala, causing him to lose and gamble away everything. Every time Nala and Pushkara would throw the dice, it would always favor Pushkara. Nala’s people would come by and tell him to stop playing, but he couldn’t.  He had to leave his kingdom and wife, Damayanti, immediately. He couldn’t believe he had lost everything."

“Wow, I can’t believe that Kali would be so low. He really did want to ruin Nala’s life. Gambling isn’t something I want to do anymore. Nala lost his wife and kingdom, just like I’m losing my girlfriend and apartment. I can’t believe how much Nala and I are alike.”

“Yes, you could choose to stop gambling. Doesn’t having your girlfriend and apartment sound better than being single and living at home with your parents?"

“Hahaha, yes it sounds so much better.”

“When Nala was away from Damayanti, he learned the secrets to success in gambling. Once Nala learned this, it drove Kali, the spirit of evil out of him. Nala finally went back to what was his kingdom and challenged Pushkara to a game of dice. Nala had to place his wife, Damayanti, as the bet. Since Nala knew the secret, he won his kingdom and wealth back. He got the life he always wanted back and he learned a serious lesson about gambling. He could have lost everything for good, but he got a second chance. Jim, I think these stories here are your second chance. Gambling is something you don’t mess around with, son. You’ve already lost your apartment. What else are you willing to lose?”

“You’re right, Jerry. These stories are my second chance. You’ve really helped me out today. I came in here with absolutely no hope. You’re an amazing person and storyteller, Jerry. You’ve really made me want to turn my life around.”

“I’m glad I was here to help you, kid. I better not see you in here at the Frog Pond again. Jim, I want you to get your life figured out.”

“Thanks, Jerry.”

That was the story of Jim and how I turned his life around. I really hope these stories touched you the way they touched Jim. I’ve been a bartender for a really long time and my stories have helped many people. These couples went through a lot and they ended up working things out. So, if you ever need advice, please come to the Frog Pond and I’ll be here to help you through your problems.

Author’s note: I really like the story of Nala and Damayanti, but since it is so long I had to cut the story in half and leave all the extra details out. By the end of the day, Jim and Jerry had really become friends and Jim ended up trusting the bartender. The ending is present time and Jerry is giving an open invitation to the Frog Pond and to anyone who is in need of some advice. I hope people who read my stories feel the connection between Jerry and Jim. I also left the ending open for people to wonder if Jim really changed his life or not. I wanted people to hope that he gets his life together. I wanted people to create their own ending of Jim and in what direction he goes. I hope everyone sees that Jerry wanted what was best for Jim and could see the good in people. I made Jerry a genuinely nice person and that is something you don’t see everyday from a bartender. I really hope everyone enjoys my stories as much as I enjoyed writing them. I never realized until after I wrote these stories how much they relate to life today.

Bibliography:Buck, William. Mahabharata. Berkley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1973.
Image Information:Drinks
Another Round
Keep'em Coming
Introduction
Cover Page