The playing cards were collected from the center of the table. Another red flush! The winner smiled as he took a puff from the cigar clenched between his teeth. He reached in and dragged the pot full of coins, bills and colorful multi-faceted rings.
"Your deal Dolan!" he said in Latin, as the deck was passed.
Outside, black (cigar) smoke continued to billow from the Vatican chimney, signaling the cardinals had yet to elect a new Pope. Throngs poured into Saint Peter's Square, gazing anxiously up at the empty Basilica balcony then back to the chimney in hopes of seeing the mysterious white smoke (known as "the burning of the bicycles" as the playing cards are thrown into the furnace) and the ringing of bells St. Peter's Basilica soon to follow.
The conclave is a highly secretive process. It's mostly speculation as to what happens after the papal master of ceremonies yells, "Extra Omnus`," which literally means "everybody out!”
Therefore, who's to say my dream of the cardinals having a 24-48 hour "winner take all" cigar and Hold 'em fest is wrong?
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