The Casino

I have fought the waves of “winning” for weeks now. I have not gone to the casino because I have not thought it prudent or even smart to do so. I ended the winning streak a couple of months ago now - close to a grand UP, not down, thank you.

Today, I did not resist. I’m sure I could have resisted, but I didn’t. It is MISERABLY hot out there. I was not going to spend the entire day working out in that kind of misery. I was also not going to sit around here all day long, doing nothing but mindless nothingness.

I got to the casino and the parking lost was about 2/3rds full. A good sign for me. “My” parking space was empty, another good sign. Getting out of the cool car and into the hot sun was no fun, but it’s only a hundred plus yards to the entrance from where I normally park.

I walked around the blackjack tables, as is my want. I have methods to my madness, there is no logic, really, to it, but - I do what I must. I finally sat down at a table. It came off quickly that this was not going to be “THE” table. There was a guy there rambling on and on about how HE should be the guy to cut the deck - I sat there for about 45 minutes listening to this nonsense. The cards were not going my way. The dealer rung up 3 blackjacks in about 10 hands or so - that was my sign to leave, but mostly because of the man that just went on and on - bitching really - about the fact that the dealers were not giving him the cards to cut. I did NOT want to wait around to find out what this guy’s kind of cut would do.

I got up and found another table. That went off bad immediately. The lady I sat down to - after only 2 hands - started mouthing off to me. Why? Because “I have lost EVERY hand since you sat down here”. Really? All of TWO hands?!! Anyone willing to mouth off like that is sitting at a table I don’t want to be at. The dealer started to say something about “pretend there’s a glass window between….” I cut her off - but not rudely. I just said I would find another table. Any person that is willing to piss on other players for no more reason than they are losing - is a person I want nothing to do with.

3’s a charm. I was down $100 - money I could not afford to lose. Yet my confidence level was so high, I was absolutely sure my luck would change. I pulled out another $100 bill at the 3rd table. Got my reds - $5 chips, all of them - and plunked down a $15 bet. From there, it was history. I was as much as $300 plus up over what I walked in with. I was tipping greatly - another thing I can’t shake. Don’t tip? Might as well stay home, the cards will reject you. The dealers, the waitress, even the guy tending the bathroom. Tipped them all. Now that I think about it, I should have gone to the steak restaurant and indulged myself. I never feel bad about leaving ahead, even if I was up well above the total take.

My take today was $200. Sounds like chump change to some, to me it’s everything I spent this weekend and then some - quite a bit then-some. I bought an electric weedeater this morning, as well as the soaker hose, some bug poison and 2 packages of stakes to hold up the plants I have been planting in recent weeks.

The thing that struck me was the pit boss. She was a great lady! She made it all the better - her input and the rapport back and forth. She came back after I was down - and was surprised. “Wow, you’ve done well!”
I didn’t know they kept track of that kind of thing. I SHOULD know, I guess, but I just never considered they are counting their pennies as well as everyone else. At the end, she came back when I was cashing out my chips, I thanked her profusely for such an enjoyable time, she said you’re welcome, I headed for the cashier’s window.

In this 4 hours of casino gambling, I watched several people losing a LOT of money. I also sat there and watched a few people winning a LOT of money. One guy sat down, pulled out $500 - and proceeded to lose it within about 5 minutes. The lady sitting next to me won at least $500 I’m guessing after looking at the stack of green - $25 - chips sitting there over time.

That’s it. I had a great time and I also won some money. It’s all going towards electricity. The temps are outrageous, the electric usage is off the wall. I’ll bet today will be at least a $14 day in terms of electrical usage.

ben