Montana Max

A loud ,stuttering voice asked the dealer "Is this a Texas hold'em game". "Yes sir" answered Tony, the dealer. The giant of a man with a scarred face who was propping himself with a cane said "Deal me in then". This was last night's introduction to Montana Max. After he sat down to play and stacked his chips, we introduced ourselves and discovered that we were fellow Montanans. Max was having difficulty hearing (he had hearing aids), difficulty seeing and stacking his chips. He looked to be about 45 yrs. old (certainly young for a man with his apparent physical impediments). Despite his problems, Max was a very friendly and sociable man. Also, it was obvious that pain was his companion.

Max and I played poker and chatted about Montana things for about an hour. He was in Mesquite on a golf junket and loved to play poker in a smoke-free cardroom. He told me he used to be a 6-handicap golfer, but now was just thankful to be on a course, with friends, in the fresh air. That's when he told me that a virus had invaded his brain and body five years ago. He said that it caused him to have brain surgery at the Mayo Clinic and treatments at multiple hospitals like the University of Southern California Medical Center. It was obvious that Max had rehabilitated from a long devastating viral condition. He had a hearing loss, a speech impediment, a loss of vision, poor balance and coordination, but his mind and wit were razor sharp. He played strong, competetive poker and displayed the independent spirit and Montana mind that I've always cherished. I love it when I meet a new friend at the poker table. Thanks Max!

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