After 18 months, I was playing every day after work. Most of my weekends were spent at the pokies. Then, one weekend, I found myself alone and immediately I thought ofīefore I knew it, I was in the pub, pressing the buttons, waiting in anticipation for a win. Seeing the bright lights and spinning images, I felt a buzz. ‘You never win on these machines,’ I said, but I thought it would be fun. One night, we went out to dinner, then afterwards we decided to play the pokies. Apart from my boss, I was the only other person in the office so we became good friends.
My two sons had grown up and moved out, and as I was single, I felt incredibly lonely. I was starting a new job for a small electrical company as an account manager and personal assistant. As I brushed my hair and picked out an outfit, I felt a shiver of excitement and nerves.
