Trail of the Firewriter…
2010 Road Trip: Day Thirty-nine

I came rolling out of the mountains of southern Nevada to the sounds of Big Joe Turner’s saxophone blasting out “Honey Hush”. The beat of the bass background energized my soul. I felt like a kid again. I thought, “What the hell is this 16 year old Greaser doing in this old man’s body?”  I could see Vegas in the valley below. It is the ultimate fun destination. Me and Jo, my wife, had shared great times here with family and friends. I could remember the time when my buddy Jake and I lost our asses in a dice game at the Tropicana. We were pissed off and walking back to the Flamingo, when a guy in a ratty car pulled in our path and flashed a bunch of jewelry at us. “You guys want to buy a Rolex cheap,” he asked? Jake doubled up his fist and with an overhand swing pounded the roof of the car. It sounded like the gong at the gateway to the Great Wall of China. The guy had his answer and burned rubber getting out of our way. I remembered shooting dice with my daughters, Kathy and Sharon at Binnions.  We were at a table with a one armed China man. He looked like he was out of central casting. He had on traditional Chinese garb with the little beanie and even had a long pigtail. He was on a roll. We were all shouting and cheering. He made us some bucks that day. Vegas had always been the destination of choice for me. They say,”What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” The truth is what happens in Vegas stays in the memory room of your heart.

I checked into the Suncoast Casino. They were comping me for a three day weekend stay. I got into the evening hold-em tournament. The conversation turned to the cold weather. The people from the Midwest made me laugh. They all knew how to clean an icy windshield with a comb. The dealer said a credit card will work too. There were ten tables playing. I lasted until the final two tables. I made the mistake of going all in with a bad hand. I would get revenge tomorrow. Day thirty-nine warmed my heart.     

Day 39
Comped room at the Suncoast Casino, Las Vegas

Day 39
The suburbs of Las Vegas


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