The End Towards a New Beginning

On this day last year I made a faithful wire transfer for $25,000 to a Costa Rican sportsbook that would forever change my life. My friend and I had talked about who would make the wire transfer and I told my friend that I would do the transfer because I wanted to set-up an automatic transfer system with my bank. I was tired of going down to the bank every week to process the wire and I was seeking an easier method.

I inquired from my bank as to an easier wire transfer method and they informed me about a telephone service they had to offer. It seemed very simple and I had initiated this process about two weeks ago but the paperwork got lost. The nice bank manager had informed me that the telephone system would be in place by the following week and this would be the last time I would have to come down to the bank to process the wire.

The only reason I started this process was due to my laziness and even though I had to have money at an offshore sportsbook I hated the process of getting the money to them because it was an inconvenience to me. It didn't matter that I was sending thousands and thousands of dollars to an offshore sportsbook account on a weekly basis it matter to me that I had to take an hour out of my day to process the wire.

My sick mentality was not focused on the thousands and thousands of dollars I was LOSING on a weekly basis but it was focused on NOT being inconvenienced. Yes, I was a very sick compulsive gambler. I could take the time to see if there was a more efficient way to send money to the sportsbook but I couldn't take the time to notice what I was doing to myself and my family. I think this qualifies compulsive gambling as a baffling insidious addiction.

Getting back to the "faithful" bank wire. I do remember that day as if it were yesterday and this would be the day BEFORE everything came crashing down upon me. I remember quite clearly calling the bank manager to initiate the bank wire and she would have the paper work ready when I came in at lunch time. Sure enough the paperwork was not ready because the bank manager had gotten busy and didn't have time to process the paperwork so I waited the extra 20 minutes.

As I waited the extra 20 minutes I remember chatting with the bank manager and a few of the bank tellers. I also remember that some of the bank tellers kept telling me that I looked just like Harry Potter. I don't know if this was a compliment or a back-handed jab. I just smiled and went on with the conversation but in the back of my head I wanted this wire to just get completed so I could have action for the night games and more importantly for the weekend which was about to start in a few hours.

The wire was complete and was sent to the offshore sportsbook and there was no inclination of what was about to transpire in the next few days. This wire was not unlike the many I have sent before except for the fact that I wanted to complete the automatic transfer process so I wouldn't have to come down to the bank anymore. I signed a few extra papers and these few extra papers would mark the end. Yes, it was the end but as I have documented in this blog a number of times it was the end towards a new beginning, thank God. Yes, the pain was about to stop and I am so very grateful.