A man steps into the casino. He is wearing a white tee along with distressed jeans to accompany the casual look of just a normal man. He is a normal man, he is like every other human being in the casino and they are all there for the same purpose. The job that includes spending money on certain casino tables and games in an attempt to gain more money than he or she spends. He does it not for the sake of gambling, but for the reward. Everybody knows the rewards because for some reason, everybody’s been winning. Maybe it’s luck, or maybe the casino is rigged, whatever the case, nobody seems to care as long as money flows into their pockets. He walks around and observes closely to see which table would be the best, he spots one, many are already planted there like a tree, and as time pasts the more leaves they grow and the bigger they become. Wanting to start somewhere, he sits down, his fellow strangers beside him leans towards the table to show their commitment to the game. 3 hours is spent and the man is already at a surplus. He goes with the mentality that there are only pros to keep playing, and that pro is more money.

The thought process that the only direction is to go up, is the thought process of many in the casino, especially the man at the table. He bets, and as he bets, he gains more chips, and as he gains more chips the wealthier he becomes.

Nobody saw it coming, for they are all too happy with their winnings and oblivious to the possibilities that could pan out before them. Before you even know it, the first loss is suffered.
The man is confused and converses with the contestant next to him. Did that darn thing just happen?

Yeah, but it probably was no biggie, just a mishap probably
The man looks skeptical. Are you sure? Will I keep losing? This is my first loss, how do I know it won’t happen again?

I don’t know, guess we’ll have to keep playing to see.

The man stood up angry, and is frustrated. His eyes dancing with madness, his pupils widening into great pools of worry for it is essential he keeps winning, for how else would he provide for his family? This is all he has right now, without it he has no source of money. He starts to panic, and that panic spreads like wildfire to the others. As the losses come, hand after hand, he is starting to have doubts. In order to maximize his winnings for the day, he gets up from the table and heads over to cash in, only to witness the hectic crowd form right before him. He can’t get through the crowd, so all he can do is wait for the people to clear out. As time passes the more people come to add on to the already chaotic crowd. Yelling, screaming, sweat dripping everywhere, it was a madhouse. As the carpet is deteriorating from the mad clash of feet upon it, the light outside is blocked by the restless people, wanting out. Everyone seems to be facing losses and wanting to take what they have, they are cashing in. Everyone is cashing, all at once and the casino is not prepared. As people exchange their massive collection of chips for money, the casino gets drained and eventually dries out and dies. The casino tries to save itself, puts in their own money to try to get more people to play, but no one wants in. Now people are left with chips that mean nothing, have no value, and what once was rich in importance is now just a meaningless circle of plastic. The man is too late, and suffers the consequences suffered by many others alongside him. He has no money, nothing to come home with except an apology to his family of his failures and a bag full of chips he was saving up. As the casino crashed, many lives did as well for all their money is gone. Those chips are their money, but without the casino to exchange them, they are of no value.

The man walks home empty handed. The wife sees the man.

How was your day honey?

He begins to weep, no words could describe his sorrow and the wife understands exactly what happened. The wife knew that a man who weeps is a man who’s been hurt to the point where their dignity as a provider and as a father, is stripped by their shame of losing it all.

What’ll we do?

She didn’t need to ask anything else for the emotions in the man’s face conveyed enough description to write a novel. She knew he had lost it all.

I don’t know…

The man starts to sob, for he wants to give an answer, he wants to give a solution to the dilemma faced, but he can’t for he there is none. Over 15 million people broke, with no money and no way to make money, and alongside them is him. The man stared at what he has left, his wife, his children, his bag of chips and they stared back, but nobody knew what to do, and that is what scared them the most.