“No matter,” Pereza said with a shrug. “I have money. But all this dealing has made me tired.” He drove away, looking for a good place to take a nap.

A few days later, Gordo was busy planning a party for his gambling friends when he heard a knock.

Dinero Martínez was at the door.

“I’m going to make you rich,” Dinero said.

Gordo’s eyes became wide.

Dinero did more of his smooth-talking, and soon Gordo was signing on the dotted line. All the while, Gordo told himself that he would take the money and place larger bets to get rich even faster.

After Gordo sold the land, Dinero bellowed, “Bring on the bulldozer!”

Along came the machine, and down went the Piñon Palacio in a huff and a soplo.

“Chicharrón, you could have gotten a lot more pesos. Now it’s too late, so get off my land,” Dinero ordered Gordo, who started packing his car.

“Gordo!” he heard someone call.

Up the road, Pereza was walking with a suitcase in hand.

“What happened to your car?”

Gordo asked.

“Someone stole all my money when I fell asleep by the side of the road, and I had to sell my car to buy food,” Pereza said, rubbing his feet. “Ah, I see that you’ve met Dinero Martínez.”

“He just showed up at my door,” Gordo replied. “Never mind, Brother. Get in my car. We’ll go to the racetrack and win big, then we’ll buy even more land.”

The brothers turned for a last look and saw a sign go up where Gordo’s house had once stood: COMING SOON: NEW CASINO.