# THE HOUSE ALWAYS WINS The Don came dressed in midnight, Silk beneath his coat, With a diamond like a dead man's eye And whiskey in his throat. He owned the river's liquor, He owned the men who ran, But every night he lost a little To the devil's favorite man. Rob laid down a cigarette, Smiled across the green, Said, “You bring the bourbon, Don, I'll keep the glasses clean.” The Don said, “Name your poison.” Rob said, “Name your price.” The cards came down like little sins, And every hand was nice. The house always wins, That's what they say, So deal me another And take mine away. Four kings, four aces, A queen in between The Don brought the whiskey, But Rob owned the scene. The house always wins, You can curse, you can pray. You can stack all the odds Till the devil gets paid. You can own every bottle, Every back-alley street But you don't beat the house When the house holds the heat. Prohibition made kings Out of men with empty hands, Moving rye across the river, Moving gin across the land. The Don had docks and drivers, A thousand men on call, But Rob had one small room And somehow beat them all. “Again,” the Don said softly. Rob shuffled with a grin. “You've got the whole damn city, Don Why can't you make me win?” The Don looked at the cards. Rob looked at his glass. A little drop of bourbon Made a shadow on the brass. The house always wins, That's what they say, So deal me another And take mine away. Four kings, four aces, A queen in between The Don brought the whiskey, But Rob owned the scene. The house always wins, You can curse, you can pray. You can stack all the odds Till the devil gets paid. You can own every bottle, Every back-alley street But you don't beat the house When the house holds the heat. The Don said, “Someday I'll own this place.” Rob said, “Someday.” The Don said, “Tonight, I want the house.” Rob smiled. “Then deal.” The stakes got bigger after that, The bottles turned to names. Then favors, routes and territory, Then fortunes turned to games. The Don could buy a judge, Could buy a cop or two, Could buy the man who buried men But couldn't buy a clue. Because every hand went Rob's way, Every night, every time. And somewhere underneath the room The old bell struck one chime. The house always wins, That's what they say, So deal me another And take mine away. Four kings, four aces, A queen in between— The Don brought the whiskey, But Rob owned the scene. The house always wins, You can curse, you can pray. You can stack all the odds Till the devil gets paid. You can own every bottle, Every back-alley street But you don't beat the house When the house holds the heat. The Don pushed back his chair. “Rob... nobody gets this lucky.” Rob poured him one. “Maybe I'm not lucky.” The Don stared at the cards. Rob smiled. And somewhere underneath the floor, **something laughed.** The house always wins... The house always wins... And sometimes **the house deals the cards.**
