In 1979, my wife and I were operating the "Stanley Roberts School of Winning Blackjack." After arriving home from one of our classes, there was a message on our answering machine, saying the caller was interested in signing up for the course. The area code was not familiar to me so I didn’t know where the caller was from. It happened that Gary S. lived in North Carolina. I returned his call and he said that he and another friend would like to learn blackjack. He said that they were willing to come to New Jersey and take the four-day course. After making reservations at a motel for them, they arrived and completed the course.

I knew immediately that Gary S. was going to be a great player because he sailed through the four-day course. However, I didn’t have the same feeling about his friend. I told him to go back home and practice, and when he felt he was ready to be "checked out" he should let me know.

About a month later, he and his friend came back to NJ to be tested. Gary S. had done his homework and he was about 95% ready to start playing. His friend, whom I had my doubts about, confirmed my feeling because he was not ready to play. (It turned out, he never completed his practice studies.)

Gary S. said he was interested in becoming a member of my team and he was free to travel at a moments notice. I had a good feeling about him since we were compatible in our views of issues. He decided to stay for another week or so and was trained in team play.

After two weeks, he decided that he was ready and we would make a play when I got back from doing a series of radio & TV shows in the Boston area. I had to spend two weeks teaching, and I then contact Gary when I arrived home.

When I called him, I received bad news from his wife ... he had an automobile accident driving back to North Carolina and was paralyzed from the waist down. It would take months of rehab in order to get him back in shape even to do simple things. Little did I know the will power and determination that Gary had. After six months of extensive rehab, he was almost as good as new. This meant that we could start working together and traveling the world.

We started in Lake Tahoe playing for small stakes, and to test the waters. Gary performed admirably, considering what he had been through. We covered our expenses and made a little money to add to our bankroll.

Well, the bad news hit us that Las Vegas was making it a crime to use computers. We decided that we would go back to the old "mental" counting methods. During the next 14 years, we traveled as often as Gary could get away. We played in the Dominican Republic, Aruba, Bahamas, Monte Carlo, and any place that offered a half-decent blackjack game.

Gary was always my protector, friend, and partner. If anyone approached me to give me a hard time, he was always there to take my side and keep them away. He saw to my every need, even to the point of getting my food at the buffets and bringing it to me.

No one could have a better friend and that is why I call him my "Rock of Gibsraltar."

We stopped playing in 1999 when I was diagnosed with severe COPD (emphysema), and have remained friends for all of this time. We speak telephonically at least once a week, and as long as I am able, will continue to do so.

Ralph Stricker