I was in trouble, deep trouble. My husband Larry had called in two repairmen to fix our central air-conditioner and I didn't have the money to pay them. I had been afraid to tell Larry that I had cleaned out our bank account and gambled the money away at the Casino on the Indian reservation.

I sorted through my jewelry and set aside the nicest pieces. I hoped that I could slip out the back door and get to the pawnshop and back without the repairmen noticing my absence. If the repairs took a long time, it just might work. I cursed myself for not taking care of my money problem sooner but I hadn't planned on the air conditioner breaking down.
Then my plan fell apart. "Okay, lady, we're finished." I looked up to see one of the repairmen standing in the doorway. I had heard the other man call him "Roy". He was tall, husky, and good-looking in a weathered way. "That will be a hundred and eighty dollars, lady."