tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17878225254411253242024-03-06T00:31:30.753-05:00MORE GLIB ThAN PROFOUNDStevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12392111410804449860noreply@blogger.comBlogger485125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787822525441125324.post-84769586637858165602023-02-22T23:11:00.300-05:002023-12-18T08:07:16.326-05:00EDELBLUM MYSTERY THEATER: DON'T LOSE YOUR HEAD<p>I was still 23, (January 10, 1979), when my career as a craps dealer started in Las Vegas. During my third shift, the toilet I worked in hired Eddie Murphy.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_vuXr8wZ8OBc_EyufpQohlDhvQD-Mv4wPhQjUzyPH_7gfPeC-pxD0XXIvGvFuB7iMYX4tFIlSUZQm6zJGwt2ViGY7CQAaB1e-K6XNPcIyU3UtTiWcI941h6LaiIj-yrgXBopKiKPTjmPVE-9qDPmCU1Z85gopn3Io4W6gV-Iyg47jnTkDybQbJ7QFhQ" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_vuXr8wZ8OBc_EyufpQohlDhvQD-Mv4wPhQjUzyPH_7gfPeC-pxD0XXIvGvFuB7iMYX4tFIlSUZQm6zJGwt2ViGY7CQAaB1e-K6XNPcIyU3UtTiWcI941h6LaiIj-yrgXBopKiKPTjmPVE-9qDPmCU1Z85gopn3Io4W6gV-Iyg47jnTkDybQbJ7QFhQ" width="285" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>EDWARD REGAN "EDDIE" MURPHY WAS BORN IN BROOKLYN NY, ON APRIL 3rd 1961. HE ROSE TO PROMINENCE AS A STAND-UP COMEDIAN, THEN SUPER-STARDOM, AS A REGULAR ON SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, (1980-1984).</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />To clarify, I worked with a different Eddie Murphy. This Eddie Murphy (Edwin Murphy), was a pot-bellied redhead from Western Pennsylvania. He had a scar from a brawl above his left eye that permanently arched his eyebrow making him look consistently confused.<p></p><p>He once told me that when the coal mines began closing, the best chance of earning an honest living was either as a cop, a clergyman or going into the service. Due to his complete disinterest as well as several drunk and disorderly arrests, becoming a police officer was never going to happen. He was certain there was no God so the church was out. And when Eddie got his draft notice during the Vietnam War, he was rejected due to heart problems. So after many years in odd-jobs, he came west to take a stab at casino work.</p><p>The dump we dealt in had the most toxic environment to learn a trade. So Eddie and his confused facial expression lasted about three weeks. One day, he was a "No Call, No Show," and never came back. In the short time before he abandoned his job, we were on same craps crew about ten times. He was smart to leave. I lasted 90 shifts and frequently reflect on the experience by saying, "if I knew then what I know now, I would've quit before Eddie did." </p><p>The extreme awfulness displayed by the managers and low-level supervisors was aimed at the customers...and the break-in dealers, (everyone who had the misfortune to work there were newbies).</p><p>I never imagined seeing Eddie again. Oddly, ten years later here in New Jersey at the Shore Mall, we crossed paths. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZEYjWaGc7L1dQIu3DWL-olFnffpcD52qt3u7cRTT0FnTLCSd0SvMhM6ahc-yb398PHkpAoZn1WoqeUWQG4k-qg_FHxnLoJkkNx1SL96w4qVkYyfKv8WEg9qLWENqfRXG1orZka72DJwk9zQp0p4Ff9a0uMG6XqWQwPMGfQnNBU6pXLurwNJRBghGlaA" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1149" data-original-width="2048" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZEYjWaGc7L1dQIu3DWL-olFnffpcD52qt3u7cRTT0FnTLCSd0SvMhM6ahc-yb398PHkpAoZn1WoqeUWQG4k-qg_FHxnLoJkkNx1SL96w4qVkYyfKv8WEg9qLWENqfRXG1orZka72DJwk9zQp0p4Ff9a0uMG6XqWQwPMGfQnNBU6pXLurwNJRBghGlaA" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>"SEARSTOWN" OPENED IN 1968 AS AN OUTDOOR SHOPPING CENTER, (ANCHORED BY SEARS). FROM 1971-1974, IT WAS REFURBISHED AND ENCLOSED. IN 1976, ITS NAME WAS CHANGED TO THE SHORE MALL. IN 2009, THE PROPERTY WENT BANKRUPT WITH BOSCOV'S AND THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES AS THE SURVIVING TENANTS.</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Eddie and I sat on a bench and swapped war stories for a half hour. But this article is being billed as a mystery and so far there has been nothing enigmatic about it...till now!</p><p>I remembered most of his stories and he seemed to remember most of mine. Finally, he started telling me a familiar tale. Rather than say anything, I let him talk without interupting because not only did I know exactly what he was talking about but wanted to hear his entire version.</p><p>Eddie's account was spot on! I didn't tell him that I knew all about it and that I used to tell it a lot but stopped because it was so crazy. It was so far-fetched that I began doubting my memory. Far worse, my audience didn't believe a word of it.</p><p>Yes, the art of story telling includes exaggeration. I usually tell my readers that they should allow for a 15% embellishment factor. Bottom line, I'm not reporting the news, I'm trying to be entertaining. But the looks I got from telling this <u>true</u> story stirred my insecurities...and I didn't like the idea that friends thought I was a liar.</p><p>Let's fast-forward to earlier this week. Please bear in mind that the only reason I'm sharing this, is because I sort of have a witness, otherwise, you might think I was telling a tall tale now..</p><p>When I lived in Brooklyn there was so little wildlife (not counting insects) that if someone said, "Oh no. A dead bird." The other person would look up and say, "Where?"</p><p>Since then, Las Vegas (1979-1984) and suburban New Jersey (1984-present) I have been exposed to tons of adventures (and misadventures) with the animal kingdom. But never have I ever been so intrigued until a week ago.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8rkDnMIJ_CspmRWGaEL4E84oI9JFfb4W49CAdyLyFi9dQsr3NAnHslT18DkH4YANWQ39fgMflEI63PdVGdPgs7o3a66RrUdIbyOQPs4nz1VgzOKVogYB2zhNFamBFaxReJJmUkZvZGz9YoiTCivzlbWvUx3JKzIvkpKuGwEPHQbbQWVmNclYo9P2pgA" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="945" data-original-width="1500" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8rkDnMIJ_CspmRWGaEL4E84oI9JFfb4W49CAdyLyFi9dQsr3NAnHslT18DkH4YANWQ39fgMflEI63PdVGdPgs7o3a66RrUdIbyOQPs4nz1VgzOKVogYB2zhNFamBFaxReJJmUkZvZGz9YoiTCivzlbWvUx3JKzIvkpKuGwEPHQbbQWVmNclYo9P2pgA" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>HERE IN JERSEY I'VE SEEN A DEAD BABY SHARK ON THE GROUND IN A PARKING LOT. A SWARM OF LOCUSTS CROSSING THE LIVING ROOM, IN MY LAS VEGAS CONDO, BATS DIVE BOMBING MY FAMILY'S HEADS AT HE GRAND CANYON AND NOTHING BEATS THE THRILL OF A COUPLE OF TURKEY BUZZARDS GOING TO TOWN ON A DEER CARCASS.</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p>My latest escapade happened at dawn. I brought my recycling out to the curb and on my way back, a downed tree limb caught my attention. But beyond it, near the gate to the backyard, I squinted in the semi-darkness at what I thought was a squirrel standing on its back feet. Suddenly, Rocky took flight. It was not a squirrel, it was a bird, (a foot tall or better). Actually, it was two birds. At first, I thought it was a momma hawk teaching its baby to fly. It just couldn't be because the little one's flight was<b> perfectly</b> synchronized with its mom.</p><p>It was all over two seconds. I scratched my head and inched closer to where they blasted off from. <b>YUCK! </b>There were a gazillion feathers clustered there. I'm so naive to the notion of the circle of life and the whole reality of survival of the fittest but that's what I just saw. The poor kid was in the bird's talons and was wisked away to become a meal. Not much of a consolation, but judging from the plummage strewn everywhere. at least the tyke put up a heroic fight.</p><p>Later, I told my wife Sue. She listened but my explanation wasn't very rousing to her.</p><p>A few days went by. We were returning from taking Daisy (our dog) for a walk. I said, "Sue, wanna see the clump feathers that I was telling you about?" She said, "Not really. But let me bring the dog in first. " A minute later we went back out for my first visit to the battleground in full daylight. So we were simultaneously shocked. Attached to winter's dead grass, the feathers were still there. But seemingly stuck in the ground like a commemorative statue was the erect head of a tiny black bird with its long beak running parallel to the earth of killing zone.</p><p>We went inside and spoke about it. I told Sue I would attend to creepiness. Around ten minutes passed and I went back out with garden trowel and a cell phone to take a picture I couldn't believe my eyes...the little head was gone! It's damned near impossible. After being outside for days, the little bird's head had vanished. You snooze, you lose.</p><p>There is <b>NO</b> exaggeration here. My only witness never saw that the head was missing and I don't even have a photo. Still, it's 100% true. With no embellishment. Jeez, now I'm starting to feel insecure. I would to lose my own head. Maybe I shouldn't have told anyone I wish Eddie Murphy was here to back me up... </p>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12392111410804449860noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787822525441125324.post-67216892738597990752021-02-08T11:04:00.009-05:002023-02-22T12:42:29.786-05:00QUARTERBACK TRENT DILFER SAVED MY LIFE, 20th ANNIVERSARY<div class="separator"><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><strong><em>I hope Trent Dilfer subscribes to "Google Alerts" because this is a true story and might be the best way for me to thank him.</em></strong> </div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Trent Dilfer was mostly a back-up quarterback in the NFL, (1994-2007). His biggest sparkling moment had to be, leading the Baltimore Ravens to a decisive 34-7 victory over the New York Giants, in Super Bowl XXXV. </div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Mr. Dilfer and I have never met. To my knowledge, we've never been in the same building at the same time nor have I ever bet on a game he participated in. Yet, twenty Super Bowls ago, on January 28, 2001, on a day that marked his greatest professional achievement, he also accomplished something far more profound. He most certainly saved my life.</div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562475417225481682" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjikNqVEGuEd7oMFJ4ARjIaARpe8aNSKSNamHXnq6Ew5vmZmoc02oOEQJd1JEYV7PQlMXnGGGC6spZaygOw4cNfq98TrsG-izxPW9e4jHVB0PaQ1jJPiDUeZ6PTp49IE-Y46kNbCAd9LSg/s200/z+-+dilf.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 136px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 105px;" /><strong>DILFER HAD MORE DOWNS THAN UPS AS A PLAYER DURING HIS CAREER. UPON RETIREMENT, HE BECAME AN ARTICULATE ANALYST FOR ESPN UNTIL IN 2019, BECOMING THE HEAD FOOTBALL COACH, AT THE LIPSCOMB ACADEMY. </strong></div></div><div><br /></div><div>I should point out that in my youth, I had several brushes with death, (more than five times in my Las Vegas years, 1979-1984). Most of those could be blamed on poor judgment (okay, stupidity). But this story focuses on being a victim of circumstance, (aka another nimrod's stupidity). </div><div><br /></div><div>Seventeen years after returning to the east coast, my last brush with death occurred in the adjoining town of Smithville NJ. With a little research, I could tell you the exact second I almost met my demise. Please bear in mind, the names have been changed to protect the <strong>GUILTY!</strong> </div><div><br /></div><div>A friend and his wife invited my son Andrew, Sue and I to a lavish Super Bowl party in their custom-built home. This event included a kiddie birthday party downstairs so I would estimate that there were a hundred guests. While mingling, I counted six separate TV's showing the game as I took a self-guided tour of the cool nooks and crannies of this unique and beautiful home. </div><div><br /></div><div>This game pitted the favored New York Giants versus the far less sexy, Baltimore Ravens. Overwhelmingly, the throng were Giants fans or had bet on them. That left me, a bunch of Philadelphia Eagle diehards and one sloppy drunk, forty-something, valley-girl from Timonium Maryland as the only folks pulling for the Ravens. </div><div><br /></div><div>In a combination of getting away from the hostile, pro-Giants crazies and finding a seat, I brought my two-liter Pepsi-One bottle and wandered into a two-story atrium-like alcove off the dining room. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnZpBzWMoh6xwRaxsSA76qcYRXmOc0b7oSSt_IjZ0DrqtckSudBNGh1GAwuL12I81WspNUWLIYvX01WpNrlwaIOAYZKjLSpkIAK7s4Mrs4l0F4TSV8isSqZn7p1qrd-hiJmGrBHcAlxGUt/s225/z+-+a+pep.jpe" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnZpBzWMoh6xwRaxsSA76qcYRXmOc0b7oSSt_IjZ0DrqtckSudBNGh1GAwuL12I81WspNUWLIYvX01WpNrlwaIOAYZKjLSpkIAK7s4Mrs4l0F4TSV8isSqZn7p1qrd-hiJmGrBHcAlxGUt/s0/z+-+a+pep.jpe" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>PEPSI-ONE (1998-2015) WAS MY GO-TO BEVERAGE BACK THEN.</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>I found a home in this cozy southwestern-themed greenhouse spot. In front of a little TV, surrounded by plants and flowers, I plopped down on the only chair in the room. To make my Eden-like situation even better, during the early part of the game, I had private access to a banquet table full of delicacies. Even when others discovered my guest cave, they were forced to stand or sit on the spiral staircase that led to a bedroom loft. </div><div><br /></div><div>The game was still scoreless when our more-than-tipsy hostess, inexplicably decided to water these plants. She probably would have gone unnoticed if she hadn't temporarily uprooted the couple sitting on the steps of the winding staircase. On her way up, we all lost focus on the game when she slipped and almost fell. </div><div><br /></div><div>A few minutes later, I stood up to get a food refill as Ravens quarterback Trent Dilfer dropped back to throw. He arched a long bomb. I stopped to watch. When the receiver caught the touchdown pass, I cheered and took an instinctual step, closer to the TV. While celebrating Dilfer's perfection, I felt a breeze on the back of my neck and heard a nearly simultaneous crash. Inches behind me, in the exact spot I had vacated, a huge barrel cactus in a heavy, earthenware pot lay splattered on the terracotta-colored, ceramic tile floor.</div><div><p><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5562829108587085570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0HH_ebyeKjVug6OIQx5FnS07PYMQorhygv6uL1Fn94fSBNe_TSqvSRnji8Zse5V5aeUXwuHBi1szyE0c189DQ8WqxEtGIQqHQN30nUXanqAcwyTpoCzp9eQ1MBeZvMBjZGO1Vk8ZGtmw/s200/z+-+terracotta.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 200px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 200px;" /><strong>THIS NATIVE AMERICAN TREASURE, DROPPED FROM A LEDGE...WITH OR WITHOUT A STOUT BARREL CACTUS INSIDE...COULD'VE BEEN LETHAL.</strong></p><p>Curiosity seekers came into the room. I looked up and saw the hostess. She was holding a watering can in one hand and covering her mouth with the other. I was shocked and couldn't figure out if she was embarrassed or laughing. Her concerned friends pried through the crowd into the tiny garden room, looked up and voiced their concern for the poor woman's well-being.</p><p>I was still stunned as people jostled me away to tend the mess as she unsteadily came down. Her husband greeted the bombardier at ground-zero, saw the countless spider cracks in the floor tiles and said, "What happened?" She shrugged, "Hadda whoopsie."</p><p>She turned her back on him and ignored me as she was surrounded by more lady friends. The valley-girl from Maryland handed her a can of Heineken. Madame Guillotine inhaled it in one continuous chug. While getting ushered away, she picked out a large pottery shard from the trash and announced to her cronies, "This shit cost me $300 at the Hopi reservation in Arizona." </p><p>I never got an apology. The hostess was so blitzed that I'm certain she forgot about me seconds after her little accident. And the host probably never knew how close I got to meeting the Grim Reaper...or suffering some level of damage in my already gray matter deprived brain. </p><p>Instead, I took the high road, put that drunk out of my mind and concentrated on the fact that Trent Dilfer saved my life. Yes, there's no statute of limitations on appreciation. So now, twenty years later, I still hope this blog will find its way to my savior so we can communicate and allow me to voice my gratitude.</p></div>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12392111410804449860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787822525441125324.post-2740091399193808472020-03-23T00:43:00.000-05:002020-03-23T13:17:43.570-05:00THE GUMMY CONSPIRACY<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>If it wasn’t for the sameness, odd hours, repetition, </b></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>harsh working conditions,</b></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b> redundancy, customers, coworkers, management and doing the same things over and over and over again...casino work wouldn’t be so
bad.</b></span></i></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b> The article below is dedicated to the rare breed of casino lifers who persevered for decades, to make an honest career out of the easiest job you'll ever hate. </b></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b> The story focuses on my last Las Vegas job, downtown at The Golden Nugget, (1982-1984). Its deeper message combines the joke above with the advent of the gaming industry going corporate and the hostile work environment it amplified. This step in the wrong direction sped-up my disillusionment, despair and feeling of being trapped until irreparable, full-blown burnout set in. </b></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I was (27) when I was hired at the </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Las Vegas Golden Nugget.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> I </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";">had dealt craps at six other casinos for four carefree years when the first inkling of discontent struck me. This negativity grew. Soon I put my condo up for sale with the intention of getting out of the business and moving back east. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> The housing market was depressed so the process took over a year. This waiting </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 48px;">period became tedious with each day being </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 48px;">increasingly </span><span style="text-indent: 48px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";">anticlimactic.</span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">DOWNTOWN CASINOS WERE ALL BUST-OUT DIVES COMPARED TO THOSE ON THE STRIP. WHEN I WAS HIRED AT THE NUGGET, (AUGUST 1982), IT WAS IN THE TOP THREE JOBS ON FREMONT STREET, (ABOUT $40/DAY IN TIPS PLUS $3.00/HOUR IN SALARY).</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">In a dark corner of the seedy Western-themed Nugget, my crew was standing dead, (open with no players), </span>on the high-limit (five-dollar minimum) craps table. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">To pass time, we were gabbing-away when we got stuck on who composed the soundtrack for the, “Good the Bad and the Ugly.”</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-niQZOGEi3pB1zmCeHJqaVHf3mEIET1oWFKeAJyRlgnUz4TEJXZPG37f8_U-O8YuwtF5y9gVzASqjhs5EhVDPdcZHdmbQN879gG6o5XhiKoZE4joMdcrjLRXQIKKRWOEegzFnfIATCb_/s1600/z+-++agood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-niQZOGEi3pB1zmCeHJqaVHf3mEIET1oWFKeAJyRlgnUz4TEJXZPG37f8_U-O8YuwtF5y9gVzASqjhs5EhVDPdcZHdmbQN879gG6o5XhiKoZE4joMdcrjLRXQIKKRWOEegzFnfIATCb_/s200/z+-++agood.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>"THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY" (1966), WAS PERHAPS THE GREATEST "SPAGHETTI WESTERN," (A SERIES OF INEXPENSIVELY PRODUCED COWBOY MOVIES MADE IN ITALY). THESE FILMS PUT CLINT EASTWOOD ON THE FAST-TRACK TO SUPERSTARDOM BUT ITS HAUNTING TUNE WILL REMAIN ICONIC FOREVER.</b> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Mateo Archuleta (42) our stickman </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">said, “Yeah he did TV themes too...it's on the tip of my tongue. I think he died last year."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Mateo was valuable because he had a </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">connection inside the Nugget's executive </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">office. T</span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">his </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">unidentified ally provided </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">confidential </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">information to</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> him which he shared with us.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> His </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">influence (juice) was so strong that for a year and a half, he was overpaid fifty dollars a day.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> He was finally called upstairs when </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">payroll caught-on that he was being paid as a boxman.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> He plead ignorance and mixed a dollop of truth into a colossal lie, “I'm broke and live off tokes, (tips). Because of my divorce settlement, my whole check goes straight into my ex’s account. I get no salary.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> Mateo wasn't asked </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">to re-pay any of the estimated twenty thousand dollars. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">H</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">is hourly wage was adjusted to dealer pay </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">and there weren’t any other repercussions. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> Our conversation continued as I scraped a black speck off a wafer-thin casino chip with my thumbnail and said,
“What is this shit?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Antony
Francis our heavy-set floor supervisor rasped, “We were talking about the music...”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He stopped in mid-sentence and growled, “Stop playing with the checks, (chips).”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";">In
his late forties, Francis, a <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Las Vegas</st1:place></st1:city>
native had a medium to dark complexion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was a savvy </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">craps supervisor, (floorman) who</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">se expertise, finesse and
wit saved many dealers during confrontations with players.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">I ignored his sternness, scratched off more dirty dots and said, “No really, look, they're everywhere.” I set it down, picked
up another but it was stuck to a third chip.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">“See, this goop glues ‘em together.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">He
motioned me to stop. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">I
said, “C’mon Ant. You never looked at this crud and wondered what it was or
how it got there?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Antony</span></st1:city></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> looked at the boxman and said, “Don’t show
off your bad habits in front of the F.N.G.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Rosy
cheeked B. P. Garton, our immediate supervisor was about my age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A stranger to us, this was his first night on our shift. According to Mateo, he had been shipped-off from day-shift for being</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> intoxicated on duty. Rather than firing him, he was punished by getting sent to swing-shift.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Terry
Ferris another dealer on my crew said, “Let’s ask him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hey B. P., you know the guy who wrote...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">B.
P. didn’t seem drunk just preoccupied and unhappy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">He
looked up like he couldn’t be bothered and moaned, “Hugh...something or other?”
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Detoxification or rehabilitation
programs for employees were unheard of back then. If you seemed</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> under the influence and your</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> performance suffered, you were fired. </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">Garton fit into an old casino adage; those who can’t deal craps, sit box. It suggests that the position is a sanctuary for incompetents or an “old-man’s job.” So being outstanding,
like B. P., meant nothing. He was probably kept on because of mitigating circumstances or he too had juice.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Like
his response to our trivia question, B. P. kept his non-game related comments short all night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Nick Tucker our unofficial crew captain returned from his break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";">He golfed with upper management and did favors for a lot of people including them. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Nick was a golden-boy with a license to do as he pleased. Due to this sway,</span> our four-man crew was kept together on the high-limit game and exempted from the randomly chosen teams for the other five tables. Many dealers </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">were jealous</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> of</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> this </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">special treatment </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">because we stood dead a lot and fooled around.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">Nick tapped-in and Mateo greeted him with, “Who wrote the music
for all those spaghetti-westerns?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">He shrugged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">I said, "Garton thinks the guy's name was Hugh...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Nick
perked-up, “Oh yeah, Hugo Fuckyourself!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">We exploded in laughter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Our outburst
turned heads so Antony Francis despite being part of the festivities was obligated to go through the pretense of telling us, "Cool it."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Nick was universally loved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
had met him in 1978, at dealer school in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Manhattan. We had </st1:place></st1:city>a four-year gap until reunited at the Nugget. Through his leadership skills, he had an uncanny way
of bringing groups together and making people feel good about themself. Yet off-duty, he led a mysterious, hermit-like
life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Later,
I was daydreaming about going back to <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New
York</st1:place></st1:state>. Between doing
simple craps procedures, I cleaned more grit off the chips until a player
rushed up to our table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">The
dice were in mid-air as he threw down a clump of fifties and shouted, “Six
hundred no five!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Caught
off guard none of the dealers responded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">B. P. raised out of his stool, pointed at the cash and yelled, “Bet!
Five-seventy, no five, eleven dollars change!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">“Geez,”
I moaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Antony
Francis remarked, “We got superman here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">B.
P. didn’t respond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Later, Terry asked about his game knowledge and math proficiency and B. P. said, “The composer was Hugo <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Montenegro.</st1:place></st1:country-region>”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">After
work, my clique went to the downstairs bar at Binion’s Horseshoe
Casino.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We ordered a round of Amstels as B.
P. staggered by without acknowledging us. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">He sat at the far end and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Roy the bartender automatically brought him a draught.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>B. P. took a long slug and stared down at the bar. A minute later he sat up, sucked the mug dry and resumed his morose posture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">“Hey
<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Roy</st1:place></st1:city>,” I called
out. “Send the brown suit an Amstel.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">B.
P. remained slumped as <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Roy</st1:place></st1:city>
whispered something to him and gestured our way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Roy</st1:place></st1:city>
looked at us with an empty expression, shook his head and took back our token of fellowship.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Terry
Ferris said, “That scumbag refused our drink.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Mateo
called <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Roy</st1:place></st1:city> over
and asked, “What did he say?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">“He
mumbled something like, ‘I’m taking a warm bath with my toaster tonight.’
What’s that supposed to mean?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">One of the other Nugget craps dealers, an arrogant pest named Mike “Meat-Bone” Feischbien butted-in, “I heard the whole thing. That Garton is a funny fella...yous pissed him off and he made joke. The thing of it is, he likes Bud...a lot of Bud...and only Bud!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Thirty-three
year old Meat-Bone coincidentally grew-up two blocks from me in Canarsie; my old
neighborhood in <st1:place w:st="on">Brooklyn</st1:place>. But I never knew him. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Nobody at work liked him. Far worse, he was taking an aggressive, mercenary approach to weasel into our inner circle.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">His oppressive personality stemmed from being sharply handsome as well as a
competitive body-builder. But on the job, he was lazy, condescending towards
other dealers, sassy to the supervisors and bullied inadequate tippers or other
players whose style of play wasn’t up to his standards.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Nick said, “Beat it!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">The
egotist wouldn't be shunted aside, “Did you know Garton and his kid brother were in a head-on crash with some space-case goin' the wrong way on <st1:place w:st="on">West
Sahara</st1:place>?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a fire and they needed the
‘jaws of life’ to get his ass out before the explosion. He was in a coma
for weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When he came-to, he found out his brother was already burnt alive before the car blew up.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Meat-Bone
sat down and addressed Nick, “Hey Nickel-Ass, Garton's been goin' to a shrink? But he’s
still miserable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> So he OD's</span> on Budweiser everyday.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Nick ignored being called Nickel-Ass, “Give the man what he wants. Send him a Bud.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Roy</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> brought one to B. P. He held it up as if to say cheers and gave us a half-smile. We waved him over. He grudgingly came.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">The
lost soul squelched a burp and slurred, “I’m n-not a fucking new
guy. I’ve been at the Nugget three years and...I didn’t like that F.N.G. crack!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Nick
Tucker said, “We know that now...and dude, that ‘570 no 5’ was amazing.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">B. P. shrugged and </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">I said, “He don’t want to talk shop.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">“That’s
right, Bart,” Meat-Bone said to B. P. “How much stock in the 'king of beers' you got now?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Life came into B. P.’s far-away eyes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">I
said, “Bart? Are you a Bartholomew? I never met a Bartholomew.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">He
inhaled another beer and loudly belched, “Actually...I-I’m a Barton.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Antony
Francis said, “Really. Then you’re Barton Garton...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">I
interrupted, “If you’re always this gassy, you’re Fartin’ Barton
Garton.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">B.
P. broke out into a broad smile, “I don’t know what my
parents were sniffing but if you think that’s bad, check-out my middle name.
It’s Parton! <b>AND</b> my brother’s name is...”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His voice suddenly trailed off, “I mean WAS, Martin...Carton...Garton...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">B.
P. shutdown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> S</span>econds later, he stood and stumbled away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Meat-Bone
chased him down but was given the brush.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Meat-Bone returned, “I’m burnt-out too but at least I can
pick-up a ‘floozie’ any time I want. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That poor bastard got nuthin’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t mention it but after
he came out of the coma...because of his boozin', Bart’s wife divorced him and took their kid back to <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Kansas, Nebraska or some such place</st1:place></st1:state>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">The
next night B. P.
was off. While standing dead, his name came up and we decided to offer him a membership into our country club. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Later,
I got our conversation back on the black crud on the chips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We debated the issue and concluded that; filth
and dust combined with humidity, sticky liquor or perspiration produced the
grimy muck. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">The volume of our silliness got loud as we speculated about other precious bodily fluids that
our clientele might use to dampen the chips.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Antony
Francis encouraged us to quiet down so we softly listed sickening health
habits we had been exposed to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Mateo
mused, “We should wear rubber gloves.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Antony</st1:place></st1:city> picked the dice bowl off the top of the table’s chip bank
and examined it.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT0XWyNnufmNZd5cGzdc0ts_pjy8ecViZazcv96xjkfwKXZRlL7nSbyK6W2C4ap3CM9SmNnzPKUTYycjsn5hgkTY2Xt8ulTkgxE9Qh5nBSb4udKGdQru2Bjwj55gR9niTvGAr9aO5bFqE-/s1600/z+-++a++Craps%252BDice%252BBowl%252BBoat%252Bwith%252B5%252BDice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT0XWyNnufmNZd5cGzdc0ts_pjy8ecViZazcv96xjkfwKXZRlL7nSbyK6W2C4ap3CM9SmNnzPKUTYycjsn5hgkTY2Xt8ulTkgxE9Qh5nBSb4udKGdQru2Bjwj55gR9niTvGAr9aO5bFqE-/s200/z+-++a++Craps%252BDice%252BBowl%252BBoat%252Bwith%252B5%252BDice.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">DICE BOWLS IN ATLANTIC CITY ARE MADE OF A CLEAR ACRYLIC. IN LAS VEGAS, THE BOWLS ARE ALSO PLASTIC BUT COVERED WITH A THIN BROWN, RUBBER VENEER.</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">“Look,”
he said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“These sticky specks have infected the bowl too.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Terry
Ferris sneered, “We’re like modern day coal miners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of ‘Black Lung Disease,’ we should
worry about catching beriberi, the pox or fuckin' leprosy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Antony</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> chimed in, “Hell, it wouldn't take an earthquake for this rickety old
rattle-trap of a building to cave in.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nick Tucker was returning from break as I
said, “We should work in an airtight bubble and make payoffs through
a transom.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Mateo saw the small pile of debris I had scraped off the chips and said, “Look
at all that shit...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Forget about it,” Nick
declared, “I got something hot off the press.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
listened as he q</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">uietly added, “I heard we're not only getting new chips...”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">To emphasize his point he looked around the
shadowy sawdust joint before whispering, “But major changes to this toilet are in the
works.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";">B. P. Garton refused our invitation to meet-up with us outside work. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> He also said, "I'm okay. And don't worry, I'll wait till I'm alone when I pull my own head off. So please don't ask me again."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Despite being serious and robotic, w</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">e liked working with B. P. He never bothered us and only came alive when we needed him </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">to handle complex problems</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">. At least around us, he was more perky.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Nick’s inside scoop was accurate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A week
later, property-wide mandatory meetings </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">were conducted</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> by the President.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">These assemblies detailed the physical changes to the casino, discussed new marketing strategies
and were designed to overhaul the mind-set of all employees.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> His big </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">catch-phrase was: We want to bring the strip downtown.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The casinos on the strip attracted the rich and beautiful from every corner of the earth. These expansive properties had plush suites,
exquisite dining and state-of-the-art entertainment complexes. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> The storefront dumps on Fremont Street had little to offer beyond generic </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">gambling </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">and cut-rate food specials.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">So our dung heap rivaling big-time resorts seemed far-fetched.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">At my meeting, a </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">cynical buzz was heard when the President said, "We are poised to be a world-class hotel and global destination of the immediate future."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> I
overheard a chef scoff, “They can jazz-up this joint and give us new
uniforms but they can’t change the address.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> A hostess behind me crowed, “These animals'll spit on Tuscan marble just as easy as this ugly, worn-out carpet.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> In
the farthest corner, I noticed </span><st1:city style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><span style="font-size: large;">Clifton</span></st1:city><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> and
Lester “Boo-Koo” </span><st1:place style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><span style="font-size: large;">Jefferson</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">These identical-twin craps dealers segregated
themselves from the predominantly white staff.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><st1:city style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Clifton</st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">
was an excellent dealer but he was unapproachable and militant in nature. Brother Boo-Koo
was a spontaneous clown.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">He had great
stories and I liked spending my breaks with him.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">But he drank on his breaks and nobody liked working with him even when he was sober.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<st1:place style="text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="font-size: large;"> Clifton</span></span></st1:city></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> cried out, “Bullshit!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just mo’ money for ‘the man.’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Some of us reacted to his statement and saw them slap hands. Boo-Koo drifted behind a pillar and was unaware that a lot of people witnessed him take a mini Dewar’s bottle from his pocket and down it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> The speaker promised pay
raises. Dealer salaries would increase immediately. This bump reflected seniority and ranged from 12c to 37c per hour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I was</span> unimpressed as others voiced their displeasure. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The room hushed when the dealers were singled out, “You are our blood and guts. Play-ball with me, and tokes
will double in six months.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">He let the positive vibe linger until adding, “To do this correctly, we all must be on the same page.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">So to get every department's focus onto a higher
level, we’re making you all partners.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Based
on tenure, we were each given a bonus of Golden Nugget stock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The holdings I later received were worth
$250.00. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">I </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">returned </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">to my crew and </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">relayed the
information. They were all skeptical, expect for Nick Tucker.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";">The
Nugget's </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">metamorphosis started as w</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">orkmen erected scaffolding and hung g</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">igantic plastic
dust protectors. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> <b>"</b></span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><b>PLEASE PARDON OUR APPEARANCE,"</b> signs sprung up a</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">mid drilling, hammering and sawing </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">as </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">t</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">he table games and slot machines never slowed.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Walls were removed, ceilings were opened and the tiny next-door slot parlor,
the Friendly Club was bought out.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_XA6MiEj1fR9uBQzdiQRiVaTZXiaiWhDkMOOZgtsNn5-hE4qBwg3oPGoV2jiXI3TsZ6F68_7Q1likQSFqu1ZEL_4GOeRUhVMB3W4mtlMH9cA6uBDbzdkHHov6qH18pY78Gb7IbxnGpbs1/s1600/z+-+a+Friendly_club.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="650" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_XA6MiEj1fR9uBQzdiQRiVaTZXiaiWhDkMOOZgtsNn5-hE4qBwg3oPGoV2jiXI3TsZ6F68_7Q1likQSFqu1ZEL_4GOeRUhVMB3W4mtlMH9cA6uBDbzdkHHov6qH18pY78Gb7IbxnGpbs1/s320/z+-+a+Friendly_club.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">BY ABSORBING THE SHORT-LIVED FRIENDLY CLUB (1978-1983) , THE NUGGET OWNED THE ENTIRE SOUTH SIDE OF FREMONT STREET BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND STREET.</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Ground was soon broken on a</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> second hotel tower as the existing rooms were systematically gutted and
renovated. In a maneuver without precedent, a portion of adjacent </span><st1:street style="font-family: "courier new";" w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Carson Avenue</st1:address></st1:street><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> was purchased from the city
to further accommodate expanding the back of the building.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyqYBQZQLOgqAPYsNbgUaLcx2hotIiZfu-KG9gDJZNAskaLD9-UPeiBpfuKbSLC2IXAZLjnKjFHLEcg-RJIR6FozzgMBVxh03WK_EoDjqJzvZaD1xELbM9s_MBPBAazzV1GVED8YKUX8S2/s1600/z+-+a+nug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="553" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyqYBQZQLOgqAPYsNbgUaLcx2hotIiZfu-KG9gDJZNAskaLD9-UPeiBpfuKbSLC2IXAZLjnKjFHLEcg-RJIR6FozzgMBVxh03WK_EoDjqJzvZaD1xELbM9s_MBPBAazzV1GVED8YKUX8S2/s200/z+-+a+nug.jpg" width="153" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">DEALER UNIFORMS WERE ALSO UPGRADED TO INCLUDE; AN EMBROIDERED VEST, WESTERN TIE, FRILLY JABOT AND A SLEEVE GARTER.</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Craps table maximums rose to an incredible $100,000.00 and five times odds were
implemented.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> T</span>he ancient threadbare, gummy chips were replaced and the dimly lit
rustic interior gave way to a bright, beige and white Victorian motif. </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> Those of us who grumbled at the President’s projections were proven wrong as </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">the caliber of the gamblers improved. More importantly, i</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">n less than six months, our toke income more than
doubled.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> T</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">he Nugget
had blossomed into a highly-sought, trendy, elite, strip-like job. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">But bundled into the equation</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">, like our </span><st1:city style="font-family: "courier new";" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-size: large;">Atlantic City</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> brethren, we went corporate. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> One of the first memos generated by the new regime
concerned “Performance Evaluations.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Such ratings were designed to assure management that the staff had
incentives to reach higher levels of productivity.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Those that weren’t fulfilling their potential
were to be “written-up.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">This documented reprimand was the first step in the newly installed concept of
“escalating discipline.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> Historic evidence</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> would now rationalize dismissals.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> The problem was our administration never
specified when this program was going to be instituted.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> So</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">, influence brokers who anticipated a boon used their authority to arbitrarily create space for their cronies.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Favoritism is unfair...unless the partiality benefits you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I never lost sight of that notion because I needed juice to get in the Nugget when decent folks were still wiping their feet before going back outside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Boo-Koo Jefferson </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">was cited for being intoxicated on duty and </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">without warning was the first to get cut loose.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> B</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">rother </span><st1:place style="font-family: "courier new";" w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Clifton</st1:city></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new";">
ranted about bigotry for days.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Every spare moment he had, he preached about racial
persecution. Suddenly, the radical became apolitical as a rash of indiscriminate terminations, for flimsier reasons shuddered the Nugget.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> T</span>he whole gaming staff realized the situation's gravity after the casino manager paid an impromptu visit to graveyard shift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">He
gathered the shift-boss and a blackjack pit-boss together and said, “Everyone
to my left is fired!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Nine
dealers and two floormen were randomly discharged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Despite </span>the improvements, the "</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">heat" was stifling</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> My brighter attitude stood out</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> because </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">I was willing to give up the whole mess </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">as soon as my condo sold. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> *</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">The next night, I was excited because a realtor was showing my place in the morning.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> M</span>y optimism didn't last. The first prospective buyer in months came in but wasn't interested. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Dulled by disappointment, two days later I saw the onslaught of ridding chunks
of personnel, in the newly installed Asian table game, Pai Gow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Utilizing (32) black lacquered tiles resembling dominoes,
hordes of curiosity-seekers gathered to watch this elegant, high-limit
game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm9TJvYB2akIWeBcD2mDQyLAcHxS6_BNhEuHTnGYAFLJMM7xnU8rtIep3KrMiA35Lne5bdEbZgZm9SpZwqKs6zMLK-wifSlgobkbj5r6SMtKG5E4NUfdyhjJcwppBd9TqMsaOf7tPQOwAe/s1600/z+-+a+pai-gow-tiles.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="421" data-original-width="388" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm9TJvYB2akIWeBcD2mDQyLAcHxS6_BNhEuHTnGYAFLJMM7xnU8rtIep3KrMiA35Lne5bdEbZgZm9SpZwqKs6zMLK-wifSlgobkbj5r6SMtKG5E4NUfdyhjJcwppBd9TqMsaOf7tPQOwAe/s200/z+-+a+pai-gow-tiles.gif" width="183" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>PAI GOW IS A MAINSTAY OF CASINOS TODAY . IN 1982, IT WAS RIPE FOR SCAMMERS BECAUSE IT WAS AN UNKNOWN COMMODITY, RUSHED INTO ACTION</b>.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Our two Pai Gow tables were dealt,
supervised and played exclusively by Orientals.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> On a break,</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> I went over.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Everything was being said in Chinese; I had
no idea what I was looking at.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span></span><br />
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> I read a new floorman's name tag and stammered out my best
politically correct pronunciation of PHUC, “Excuse me FOOK.”</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> He peered over his bifocals and said i</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">n perfect English</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">, “It's pronounced Foo.”</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> In
my mind I impersonated Maxwell Smart and thought; </span><i style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ah yes, the old silent “C” trick, I always fall for that one,</span></i><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> as I
said, “Sorry Foo. What’s the object of this game?”</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> To match his deadpan expression he droned, “Are you familiar with the
intricacies of international championship caliber chess?”</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> I
said, “Heh?”</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> “Well,”
he stated, “this is even more complicated.”</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Inspired
by Terry Ferris, I growled under my breath, “A pox on you and all your
ancestors.”</span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> My curse came to fruition because on the
third day of operation, those two tables lost a quarter million dollars in one
shift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> T</span>he game was
removed and anyone who ever dealt or supervised it, was canned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";">In an atmosphere
where solid employees were getting picked-off by nonsense, it was shocking that</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Mike “Meat-Bone” Fleischbien </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">never
altered his negative approach.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Instead of taking a
lower-profile, he stepped-up his harassment campaign on our lead floorman (relief pit boss) to be on our crew.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Terry Ferris and several others were fired for
pattern call-outs. Nick Tucker approached all his bigwig buddies on our friend's behalf. But nothing in their powers could stop the casino's crusade. To make matters worse, Meat-Bone became Terry's first replacement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Meat-Bone thought he was God’s gift
but with a body builder competition later in the week, he was especially full
of himself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In the early part of our shift, </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Meat-Bone was admiring his fresh manicure as he said, "At least I'll know my ass from a hole in the ground when some schmuck bets $100K</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">...like that's ever gonna happen."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Antony Francis cut him off but Meat-Bone said, “Shut up!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Unchecked, his </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">deluge of </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">self-importance continued until </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">I got a sudden urge to end the monotony. I called over two
girls to open our game.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> I was explaining the rules when Meat-Bone started lecturing me, “I gotta tell yuh Sonny; this ain’t a ‘table
for table’ gig.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">I’m gonna make the same
scratch whether I work or not...so; let’s not.”</span><br />
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> It
pissed me off that he called me Sonny but it killed me that I didn't have a snappy comeback.</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Other
players bought-in as Meat-Bone ragged on, “I’ll have to teach you how I ‘look-off players.’”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The action developed and a Hawaiian couple joined in.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">Hawaiians stood out as pleasant, easy to please and generous tippers.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">Nick was overt to welcome them.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Meat-Bone interrupted Nick and blared at me,
“Kid, I’ll explain what you did wrong after I ‘thin out the herd.’”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Taboo comments
like that should never be said out loud. We made </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 48px;">distorted faces</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> b</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 48px;">ehind Meat-Bone's back</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> and he </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">disregarded the dirty looks
we let him see.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was setting up bets and Meat-Bone tapped me with the stick, “Listen! When you're on break, you ain't one of the those morons who stops to give jerks directions..."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> I said, "Heh?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> "Look," he said, "Um here to help. Even you understand that. When I get us standin' dead again, I’ll straighten you out.”</span><br />
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> We
were all entertaining the Hawaiians...except Meat-Bone. His antics were
especially irksome to the woman.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">Antony
Francis stepped in to </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 48px;">distract</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> her from </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">Meat-Bone’s
abrasiveness but failed.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> She
read his badge and grinned, “Come on Mike, don’t be such a downer.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">Smile, you only live once.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> “I
gotta bad cold.” To encourage sympathy Meat-Bone embellished his symptoms and
nasally barked in his </span><st1:place style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><span style="font-size: large;">Brooklyn</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> accent, “I
shudda stayed home.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> She said, “Then you should've stayed home.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">We came here to relax.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">This is no place to be miserable.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> “Yuh right. But our new attendance policy is strict." He extended his open hand and added, "For two-hundred, I’ll go home right now.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Her
face lost all its cheerfulness but before she could counter Meat-Bone glared at
me and spat, “See what you started.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Mateo returned from his break and Meat-Bone rotated over to deal to them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Before
Meat-Bone tapped-in, </span><st1:place style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-size: large;">Antony</span></st1:city></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">
intercepted him, “I’m not kidding. Get with the program or I’ll write you
up. And the way things are going around here, it could cost you your
job.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">I don’t want that and you don’t...”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Meat-Bone scoffed, “Yeah.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Simultaneously,
he flexed all ten fingers, made a fist and outstretched his fingers again.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">This was his common idiosyncrasy when being
criticized.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> He said, “Yeah!” He repeated his tell and snarled, “Do whateva
yuh gotta do.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> B.
P. Garton relieved our boxman.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Mateo</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> and
I greeted him with his new mantra by humming the Budweiser jingle.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">B. P. smiled.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> A
cocktail waitress came by to deliver drinks and B. P. crowed, “Get me a Budweiser long-neck with a hemlock chaser.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> It
made me feel good to think we made a difference in lifting B.
P.’s spirits.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> I</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">n a low-key way, he supported our
efforts to charm the Hawaiians.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The
Hawaiians were champs yet Meat-Bone either remained aloof or
growled at their irregular place-bet pressing pattern. He also found it fit to keep hammering me for opening the game.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The
wife defended me, “If you’re sick, you’re sick.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">But you don’t have to be mean.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">Leave that guy alone.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The
husband added, “Brudda, you need to chill out.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Meat-Bone countered, “Chill out?</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">I already
told ya, I’m friggin’ dyin’ ova here!”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> “Up
in my room I have some paco-lo-lo,” the man whispered, “that’ll put a smile
on your face.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> “Look
bub,” Meat-Bone snapped, “I don’t need no drugs tuh feel good.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<st1:place style="text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="font-size: large;"> Antony</span></span></st1:city></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> was having trouble finding the new
“Disciplinary Action Forms” because the Pendaflex hanging folders hadn’t been
labeled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the same time, Meat-Bone
was staring down the Hawaiian man when he exploded with a thunderous
sneeze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A two-foot long
string of mucus dangled from his nose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 48px;"> W</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 48px;">e all took silent joy in his travail. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 48px;">The Hawaiian couple laughed. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 48px;">Meticulous Meat-Bone</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> had</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> no way to save face. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 48px;"> Mortified, he</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> gathered
the mess in his left hand and demanded to be relieved.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> B.
P. caught eye-contact with Meat-Bone and dryly snickered, “That’s the funniest
thing I ever saw.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">You must be as
embarrassed as all hell. Wanna come with me when I jump off the
roof.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Everyone
was now laughing as the Hawaiians howled, finger pointed and repeated the same
phrase, “Homni-budda, Homni-budda.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This commotion sidetracked <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Antony</st1:place></st1:city> from the write-up
form.</span><br />
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Meat-Bone
was angry, but craps procedure forced him to remain at his station. </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> In
desperation he obnoxiously cried, “Francis, get me a goddamned Kleenex!”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<st1:place style="text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="font-size: large;"> Antony</span></span></st1:city></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">hated being called by his surname and
bitterly grabbed them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Teasingly, he held
the tissue box just out of the impatient patient’s reach.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Unflinchingly <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Antony</st1:city></st1:place> demanded, “Well.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Well what?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“How were you brought-up?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You never say please or thanks or apologize
or...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“C’mon a-ready.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Antony</st1:place></st1:city> maintained his upper hand and didn't care our game was at a complete halt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>B. P. grinned like never before as <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Antony</st1:place></st1:city> bled every second to prolong the humiliation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Say please," Antony said, "and there
better be a thank you too.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Please. Thank you. Thank you with a cherry
on top!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Antony</st1:place></st1:city> stared him down until Meat-Bone smiled in defeat. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He did his finger flex routine and conceded,
“Yeah, I’m an ass-hole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, <u>please</u>
give me the damned tissues.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>When things calmed down I asked the couple,
“What were you saying when you said ‘homni?’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You mean homni-budda?” the husband asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The chuckling wife said, “We don’t
have a real word for it because we don’t catch colds.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I shrugged as she turned away and
blushed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Through budding laughter the husband cried,
“Homni is the Hawaiian word for nose and budda is...butter.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He looked at his wife and they wailed, “Homni-budda is snot!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone, including B. P. was hysterical,
even Meat-Bone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">An hour later, another floorman informed <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Antony about </st1:place></st1:city>a big money player coming to our game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Antony</st1:place></st1:city> approached, “Mr. F., how you doing? Welcome to table-five.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I'm hangin' on like a hair in a biscuit. And forget that Mr. F. shit,” he broadcast in a strong southern accent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The name's Farquharson, Charley Farquharson. I’m from <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">L.A.</st1:place></st1:city>” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> From his pockets Mr. F.</span> sifted through marker receipts and set more than a hundred, black, hundred dollar chips in the rail. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He said to B. P., “Let’s up the ante and
bet a thousand on all the hardways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
don’t color-up my bets.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The game resumed with a ten-high pile of hundred
dollar chips, on each of the four hardways.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“No problem, you got a bet Mr. F.,” <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Antony</st1:place></st1:city> said. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The high-roller </span>smiled, “I want y’all to call
me Charley.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><st1:city w:st="on">Antony</st1:city>
reflected on Mr. F.’s “<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">L.A.</st1:place></st1:city>”
gag and decided to play straight-man.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Geez
Charley that’s funny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My in-laws are
from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Pismo</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Beach</st1:placetype></st1:place> and you don’t sound like
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Y</span>ou sure you’re from Los Angeles?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>With a friendly slap on the back he yelped, “Sure as shit <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">boy</i>,
I’m from <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">L.A.</st1:place></st1:city>”
In a normal voice he added, “<st1:place w:st="on"><b>L</b>ower <b>A</b>labama</st1:place>
that is.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Antony</st1:city></st1:place>
froze-up. He summoned all his self-control and resisted confronting
Charley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> D</span>espite his skin pigment,
Caucasian features and conservative nature, <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Antony</st1:place></st1:city> was a black man and hated under
any circumstance being called, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">boy</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Charley got on a losing streak and was too
involved to notice <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Antony</st1:place></st1:city>’s
indifference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I’m tired of piddlin’ with these ‘roots.’ They’s
wearin’ out my pockets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go see if y’all’re
too scared to raise my hardway max to 5K?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Charley motioned toward the two full stacks of
over-sized orange thousand-dollar chips (the bankroll’s highest denomination)
and said, “I wanna bet them giant pumpkins.”</span><br />
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<st1:city style="text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="font-size: large;"> Antony</span></span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> groaned, “Piddlin' with roots?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What do you mean roots?”</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Charley
blasted, “Big guy, what's this, y'all's first rodeo.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">Roots...blacks...get it.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<st1:place style="text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="font-size: large;"> Antony</span></span></st1:city></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> remained coy.</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Charley
looked around first and softly said, “I got too much class to call ‘em N...”</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He cut Charley off and scowled, “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">DON’T </b><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">say it Mr. </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">F</b><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">., w</span>e run a respectable place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s no need to insult anyone.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Antony</st1:place></st1:city>
stormed off to the pit-boss. He relayed Mr. F.’s request and lingered nearby as the shift-boss was phoned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Antony</st1:city></st1:place>
got the thumbs-up sign and returned to inform Charley.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Charley gestured at the pit-boss and mocked,
“Your boss over yonder is a-feared a me. Goin’ over the limit ain’t no
big thang.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hell, he looked like he was
gonna shit a litter of lizards.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Charley made five-thousand dollar bets and
proceeded to lose another $85,000.00 with us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> At </span>3:00AM, Mr. F.’s losses for the day were $140,000.00. He switched
tables. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>* </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> Twenty minutes later, I saw Charley walking towards the elevators as the </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">casino thinned-out. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">During </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">Mike Fleishbien's break, w</span>e were annoyed that the other crews had been sent home early with full pay. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Nick, Mateo and I ranted about Meat-Bone's rudeness and
blamed him for making us stay till the end, (we </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">overlooked our privilege as the designated high-limit dealers).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">Two drunken fleas, playing the $5.00 minimum were on our game.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">Between the dice rolls, I scraped off the
waxy black dots from old chips that had strayed back into my working stacks.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">I
was so rapt that I didn’t notice </span><span style="font-size: large;"><st1:place style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Antony</st1:city></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">springing to attention until he alerted us with a sharp, “Ahem!”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">Two men around fifty, dressed in expensive suits came through the main entrance.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><st1:city style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-size: large;">Antony</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> scrambled to advise the pit-boss. The
pit-boss notified the shift-boss and they conferred with </span><st1:city style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-size: large;">Antony</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> before welcoming
them. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Hey
Mac,” said the shift-boss, </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">“what’s
shaking?” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">“This
here is Mr. S. He’s in from </span><st1:city style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-size: large;">Tallahassee</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">,”
Mac said as handshakes were exchanged. “He’s a good player."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Absolutely,”
the pit-boss nodded.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">He turned to </span><st1:city style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-size: large;">Antony</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> and said, “Give
them whatever they want.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">Mac
scanned the new décor and said, “I heard you made changes; this is
magnificent.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">He turned to two
gorgeous black women who had sauntered in behind them, “Ladies, maybe we’ll take a
shot here before going back up to Caesar’s.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">These
statuesque young women were both dressed in short, tight, black
skirts. One wore a gold sleeveless sequined top, the other's was the same but silver.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">To accent their outfits, they each had a
small gray mink covering their shoulders.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">While the men contemplated gambling, the girls spoke quietly and rubbed
their faces into their furs.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">Antony told us, "That's</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Monte McQueen, the lounge performer." He pressed his nose to one side and added, "Mac's very connected."</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">T</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">he casino manager came by with the pit-boss and whispered to Antony, "Mr. S. is a 'whale,' treat him like royalty." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">Like a kid in a candy store Mr. S. pointed at our table’s sign and sighed,
“I can bet a hundred grand here.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Yeah,”
Mac said, “this place is double sharp.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> He</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> turned to </span><st1:city style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-size: large;">Antony</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">, “Looks like we’re going to do more
than window shop. Bring us a bottle of Dom and four glasses.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">Both
men were empty handed when Mr. S. called, “Sixty-thousand each five and nine." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">Our
game screeched to a stop.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">Even B. P. Garton
didn’t know what to do. But Antony Francis took control.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">In
a well-choreographed manner he said respectively to Mr. S., Mateo the base
dealer, B. P. and Nick the stickman; “You have a bet, set him up, mark-up
$120,000.00 and get a roll.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZ9xQ7ell1Lbxw6o4jEE_dM3G2avg49KkX1FPFSMvADHbkobaIk1qs1mC9u41ubN0dpjSxeoTce3HYydJJ9htepxuyj9IvJ562c-0O3jQzy6y_H0qUfONqhR_spYvAVDMh9eeCcIMR-8n/s1600/z+-+a+call+bet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="512" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZ9xQ7ell1Lbxw6o4jEE_dM3G2avg49KkX1FPFSMvADHbkobaIk1qs1mC9u41ubN0dpjSxeoTce3HYydJJ9htepxuyj9IvJ562c-0O3jQzy6y_H0qUfONqhR_spYvAVDMh9eeCcIMR-8n/s320/z+-+a+call+bet.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";">AT THAT TIME,</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> A “NO CALL BETS” NOTIFICATION DIDN'T EXIST ON VEGAS CRAPS LAYOUTS. MOST CASINOS SUBJECTIVELY ALLOWED PLAYERS WITHOUT VISIBLE CASH OR CHECKS TO "CALL" A BET</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">. HOWEVER, AT THE SUPERVISOR'S DISCRETION</span></span></b><b style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";">, THIS COURTESY COULD BE ACCEPTED OR REJECTED.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">IF ACCEPTED, THE BOXMAN WOULD SET ASIDE A CORRESPONDING AMOUNT OF CHIPS.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">AT A TIME DEEMED NECESSARY BY THE CASINO, THIS "FRONT-MONEY" a.k.a. "TABLE-MARKER" MUST BE REPAID.</span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span></b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">The
problem was, our chip bank only had two stacks, (forty), one-thousand dollar chips and nothing larger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The casino administrators
were so anxious to improve the club’s image that it hadn’t solidified its
new policies and procedures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This lack
of foresight resulted in ultra high-limit games being ill-equipped to handle
the essence of their existence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> A</span> helter-skelter attempt was made to set-up this action. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Nick's first stick call was, “Nine, center field nine." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">Our game ground to a halt again. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">There
weren’t enough chips to place the bet and none to either mark-up the action or make the $84,000.00 payoff.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">The pit-boss
scurried off and returned with some turquoise-colored, laminated
buttons that were unadorned except for an imprinted; 10,000.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> “Lammers”
are the same shape as casino chips but about half the size. They are mainly
used to alert the eye-in-the-sky when markers are taken out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Use these,” the pit-boss said, “until the
fill gets here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite the approval, Mateo knew his (our) jobs were jeopardized by this blatant broach of protocol. Mateo weighed the penalty for insubordination if he refused to follow instruction, (make payments with ersatz chips). After a brief hesitation, he set-up six
of these buttons each, on the place-bet box for the five and nine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>B. P. followed his directions and used
twelve more to “mark-up” the call bet. Mateo grit his teeth and paid Mr. S. with four, thousand-dollar chips and eight laminated buttons.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Meat-Bone was returning from break. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Antony ran to head</st1:city></st1:place> him off in the aisle before relieving the stickman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> While t</span>he pit-boss rationalized the emergency use of the lammers to Monte McQueen, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Antony made Meat-Bone</st1:city></st1:place></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> swear to be on his best behavior.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Meat-Bone was on stick for</span> three insignificant rolls until he called, “Nine, nine field nine.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The same method of payout was used. B.
P. informed <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Antony</st1:place></st1:city>,
who told the pit-boss that there weren’t enough lammers to cover another
winner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pit-boss ran to the baccarat
pit and returned with the shift-boss and a Baggie full of turquoise lammers plus shrimp-colored
ones, labeled 100,000.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> Mr. S. covered
the table with lesser bets and over the course of twenty minutes managed to win
more than he lost.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">When the shooter sevened-out Mr. S. crowed, “Let’s get out of here.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">First, the table-marker was settled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Next, we</span> followed the pit-boss’ directions and “colored him out.”</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiwDUd3UAIzkEWOQJuTjLMxyrneTjXP2pKsff1Bx0VCw3sAjz4Wroa3xEhy_CfjLrL1vj7UG2R8ipS3ExtlxZXOnxpUb2BCqFS1636erkIxR8_EZ9AL60OVzdHVvBvo6UJ-tJXoGunMhbW/s1600/z+-+a+color.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="612" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiwDUd3UAIzkEWOQJuTjLMxyrneTjXP2pKsff1Bx0VCw3sAjz4Wroa3xEhy_CfjLrL1vj7UG2R8ipS3ExtlxZXOnxpUb2BCqFS1636erkIxR8_EZ9AL60OVzdHVvBvo6UJ-tJXoGunMhbW/s200/z+-+a+color.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>THERE ARE DIFFERENT REASONS TO "COLOR-UP" BUT IN GENERAL, IT'S A CONVERSION FROM A HIGH VOLUME OF LOWER DENOMINATION CHIPS, TO A SMALLER AMOUNT OF CONVENIENT, EASY TO TRANSPORT BIGGER CHIPS</b>.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">B. P. counted out
$272,000.00 in winnings. Under the shift-boss' scrutiny and the pit-boss' authorization Mr. S. received: two shrimp-colored
lammers, five turquoise lammers, twenty, one-thousand-dollar chips plus four
purple five-hundred dollar chips.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The shift-boss said, “Gentlemen, the cage is ready for
us. I’ll walk you over to make sure everything runs smooth.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mr. S. asked Mac, “What should I tip the dealers?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> Under
these extreme and unusual conditions, we feared for our jobs. But our work was flawless...even Meat-Bone was
polite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr. S. was an ideal player and
responded to our hospitality with kindness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Big numbers danced through our heads as Mac
grunted, “Fuck the dealers.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pointed
at the two original players and said, “Give them something and let’s go get
laid.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> Mr.
S. tossed Meat-Bone the four purple chips and said, “Give those guys a thousand
each.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> Meat-Bone
cursed the lucky recipients who in turn, laughed in his face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He aimed his frustration at Mr. S. but
the entourage was out of earshot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> A <i>sommelier,</i> in a red velveteen jacket, pushing a cart with
Dom Perignon on ice, turned the corner. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> Mac
grabbed the bottle out of the bucket without losing stride and called out,
“Sapphire, Ruby one of you guys ‘duke’ him a fifty.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> The
girl with the brassier complexion didn’t want to give anything up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> She reached under her skirt and produced a wad of bills and said, “Tsk,
shee-it.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> She muttered more obscenities and surrendered a five-dollar bill. Bewildered, the speechless wine
steward indignantly waved his unsigned paperwork as they strode away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>At 3:50AM, the first wave of graveyard dealers were sleepily coming on duty as the fill with a million dollars in five thousand
dollar chips arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We gawked at
these over-sized, glittery gold beauties because, we had never
seen such high value chips. Our admiration came to a halt as a new craps crew relieved us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> Outside,
as we crossed <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Fremont Street</st1:address></st1:street>
to have a drink at the Horseshoe I said, “Those five-thousand dollar chips kinda looked like golden nuggets.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> Nick said, “Did you notice the little flecks of red, white and green stripes on the
edges...it’s no coincidence, the flag of Italy has those colors.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> Meat-Bone blared, “Nickel-Ass who gives a shit!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
bastard shudda gave me that two-grand...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> Mateo
roared, “We just broke every rule in the book with those stupid lammers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m glad we got stiffed. When heads roll, at least they’ll know we got nothing out of the deal."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">Meat-Bone flexed his fingers and said, "We don't have to sweat our jobs. 'Cause on the way to the cage, if the CM has half a brain, a few of those lammers are gonna slip outta that bag and into that jerk-off's hand. Shit, he don't want anyone over-thinkin' those buttons. We'll be swillin' fuckin' beer and playin' 40c keno in a minute but the CM's gonna be drinkin' champagne, doin' coke and eatin' caviar outta them whores' navels when they lay him off twenty grand."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">"Only you think that way," Nick said.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">"That's right Nickel-Ass," Meat-Bone said, "all the bosses are the salt of the earth."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">The
following night <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Antony</st1:city></st1:place>
was supervising us and our recurring nightmare Meat-Bone was on our crew again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were standing dead when the recently fired
Boo-Koo Jefferson came in, drunk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To my
left, he wanted to show <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Clifton</st1:place></st1:city>
something but his brother’s table was too busy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> T</span>hey agreed to meet at 2:00AM when his shift was over. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Antony</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> said, "Yo Boo, you working?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Work? Work’s for saps, Holmes,” Boo-Koo
bellowed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From his back pocket, he
removed three haphazardly folded, sloppily scribbled, spiral notebook sheets and
bragged, “Man, check this out. It's my life story.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He handed over the papers, spun in place ala
James Brown and loudly proclaimed, “Woo-oo-oo!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The movie rights alone’ll be worth a hundred-twenty-five grand.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The material perplexed Antony</span>. He glanced at me, arched his brow and was giving it back as the casino manager and shift-boss stormed into the pit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were followed by a pit-boss and a floorman
from blackjack. An impulse of fear shuddered my body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Behind me, <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Antony</st1:place></st1:city> and our pit-boss were questioned about
Charley Farquharson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apparently, Mr. F.
got hot on graveyard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He won enough to
pay-off all his markers and left the casino winning $108,000.00.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“This Farquharson fellow," </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">the shift-boss asked </span><st1:city style="font-family: "courier new";" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-size: large;">Antony, "</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">he a good friend
of yours?” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“No sir,” he replied, “far from it.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The casino manager asserted, “Then why did you let him go
over the hardway max?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Antony</st1:place></st1:city>
had no idea the pit-boss didn’t go through the proper chain of command.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While the two “perpetrators” stared at each
other, the pit-boss gently squinted and gave a minute head shake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Antony</st1:place></st1:city>
understood the “dummy-up” signal but opted to tell the truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once he “fingered” the pit-boss, they were
both led away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Antony</st1:place></st1:city>
and the pit-boss were fired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> The rest of our shift was a </span>drag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> At</span> 1:30AM, the
game behind us closed. They replaced Clifton
Jeferson’s crew who went home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
new dealers stood dead for thirty
minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">A
light game started and their boxman B. P. Garton said, “What's under the bowl?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">The
stickman looked underneath and saw that because of the gummy filth on
the chips and equipment, a black $100.00 chip was stuck to the bowl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The stickman thought nothing of it and slid it towards the bank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>B. P. discovered the short stack and replaced what he termed the “missing
tooth.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">B.
P. grinned and told his floorman. The floorman considered the
rash of firings, and to prove his conscientiousness and to protect himself, he
ill-advisedly passed that trivial morsel onto the substitute pit-boss.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The next day, we heard a new term: <b>Suspended
Pending Investigation</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though
nothing was stolen and there was no history of theft in a similar mode,
thirteen people weren’t permitted to clock-in the next day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This group included the eight dealers, (both
crews) that had worked that table, B. P. and the boxman before him, two
floormen and the pit-boss who reported the “impropriety” to the shift-boss.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> T</span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">o coax confessions, snitching or to unearth an organized plot, t</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">he</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “informal private
interviews,” upper management painstakingly gave each suspect amounted to the “third
degree.” </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">this exercise-in-futility failed</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">, to justify their
actions, an independent agency was hired to conduct polygraph tests.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Mateo</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">'s source in the President's office told him that the results were useless but were termed; inconclusive.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> He also paraphrased from a letter sent to corporate</span>: <b><i>to minimize the possibility of a culture of deceit within the organization, we are “compelled” to layoff all potential conspirators. </i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were no covert
activities and management knew it. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">This </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">"investigation" was a farce.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Remove </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">the fluff and all that's left was an excuse to purge a mass of employees, in order to “juice” in more friends.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The “Gummy Conspiracy” signaled the
end of the Nugget’s “reign of terror.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> Three
weeks had gone by without any firings when Nick said, "I was told 19% of all the dealers were axed.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> His thought was cut short when we watched on another table, “Meat-Bone,” getting chewed out by one of the new floormen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> Meat-Bone
flexed his fingers and roared, “Yeah... but I shouldn’t have to deal to pricks
that lick their chips.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> Mateo quipped, "Even when he's right, he makes an asshole out of himself."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"> Nick shook his head, “Decent people like B. P. lost their job for no reason.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> And </span>that slug slipped through the cracks?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";">A week after Thanksgiving 1983, Nick Tucker never returned from a vacation. His private life was always veiled in secrecy so we guessed Nick was overwhelmed by burnout
and left town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Others speculated that he might have harmed himself. </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">The casino labeled it: </span><b style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">job abandonment.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Mateo's juice upstairs had no answers.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="font-size: large; mso-spacerun: yes;"> I joked, "We need Nick, to find out why he isn't here." </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Our morale continued to soar in the revamped Nugget. The excitement rose higher when corporate headquarters announced its latest venture, the Mirage was to be built </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">on Las Vegas Boulevard. E</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">armarked to compete with the stalwarts</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> of the strip, my fellow dealers recognized the possibility of being transferred there as a vital investment in their future. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">I knew I wouldn't be around to take advantage of it but I was happy for my friends</span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: large;">.</span> </span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZXQTVbcD1nul7VFySvp1eIECbrA0dsGj7-8yoososl8E2fPWZ4SzApMwpAixB1W9IcNCtXP0PxsRO5bGk7zlBOZpIhMF0q0FSxJUHhVQifOPhKmfuwoDicFSqbigSEui6hSd30em1G7K/s1600/z+-+a+Mirage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="375" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZXQTVbcD1nul7VFySvp1eIECbrA0dsGj7-8yoososl8E2fPWZ4SzApMwpAixB1W9IcNCtXP0PxsRO5bGk7zlBOZpIhMF0q0FSxJUHhVQifOPhKmfuwoDicFSqbigSEui6hSd30em1G7K/s200/z+-+a+Mirage.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">THE MIRAGE OPENED ON NOVEMBER 22, 1989 WITH A WORLD'S RECORD, 3,044 HOTEL ROOMS. DESIGNED TO JUMP START SAGGING PROFITS IN LAS VEGAS DUE TO NEW CASINO VENUES, THE POLYNESIAN-STYLED RESORT BECAME THE FIRST OF A NEW WAVE OF SWANKY, THEMED CASINOS.</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">In January 1984, I suddenly sold my condo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite my career prospects being on an upswing, I was thrilled to resign on my own terms and return to <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:state>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Mike
“Meat-Bone” Fleischbien's last words to me were, “I can’t <u>possibly</u> guess what you
could do in the ‘city?’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ll be back here diggin’ ditches with me before you know it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">I
remember thinking; he’ll never change.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Years later Mateo
Archuleta</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> phoned me when the Mirage opened and said, “A lot of us old-timers got sent up.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">The work still
sucks but it’s the best job in town.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">Mateo was catching me up on gossip and said, "Oops, I almost forgot, Meat-Bone
was left behind. He's angrier than ever.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">I laughed, “What goes around, comes...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">“Hey," he interjected. "You
remember B. P. Garton?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">“Of
course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> N</span>ice guy once you got to
know him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Before I left, </span>I saw him; he
was having trouble finding another job. Did he catch-on at the Mirage?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">“No! On Christmas Day, he blew his brains out.”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><i style="text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Casinos going corporate led to more hypocrisy. Its formalization suggested greater job security and benefits for the common worker but...at what cost?</b></span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><i style="text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Entitlements and favoritism remained common and if they wanted to fire you...they found a way.</b></span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: 0px;"><b>In better houses, the money became its own trap. Those who were burnt-out or discontented and wanted to </b></i><i style="text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>switch professions</b></span></i><i style="text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">,</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b> found it difficult to earn a comparative salary overnight.</b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"> </span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><i style="text-indent: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>New properties make bold promises and infrequently follow through on the initial hype.</b></span></i></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><i style="text-indent: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Corporations sole responsibility will always be to satisfy stockholders. Which means the analytics that govern their fiscal health and best interests, (other holdings), </b></span></i></i></span><i style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>are lumped into a single priority</b></span></i></i><i style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>, ...thus watering down aspects of the total entity. </b></span></i></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><i style="text-indent: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Accountants and other </b><b>lay people d</b></span></i></i></span><i style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i style="text-indent: 0px;"><i><b>edicated to profits </b></i></i></span></i></i><i style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>become decision makers. Cuts are made. Benefits, working conditions and equipment suffer. Soon, the frontline Joe is just a body on the floor and a nameless number on a spreadsheet. </b></span></i></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><i style="text-indent: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">The result is, long-term casino employees survive by not getting too high or too low.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> This</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> might be practical in the short term but eventually, it breeds mediocrity, complacency and a staff rife with sarcastic complainers.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></b></span></i></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><i style="text-indent: 0px;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b>The hollowness of corporate gaming is obvious because they profess requiring qualified individuals with upbeat personalities but contradict themselves by hiring </b><b>obedient</b><b> lemmings to work weekends and holidays, miss special events, tolerate smoking, brave dangerous weather and even risk exposure in a petri dish that supports contagious diseases.</b></span></span></i></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i style="text-indent: 0px;"><i><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></i></i><i style="text-indent: 0px;"><b>Yes, I've made the best of a dicey situation but I'm not proud of my staying power. It just proves that in 41 years, I haven't had a better idea worth following through on.</b></i></span><br />
<i style="text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b>Looking forward, I would expect the position of casino dealer to become as obsolete as a blacksmith. A new generation of </b></span></span></i></span></i><i style="text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b>computer savvy </b></span></span></i></span></i><i style="text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b>gamblers have already arrived. In growing numbers, they prefer playing off-site with virtual dealers. Online table games will take a huge chunk out of brick and mortar casinos and eliminate humanity for the sake of the bottom line. </b></span></span></i></span></i><br />
<i style="text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b>In the meantime, I hope casinos outfit their robotic supervisors with Kevlar vests and their indifferent dealers in full body condoms. Of course they won't because saving lives doesn't come cheap.</b></span></span></i></span></i><br />
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Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12392111410804449860noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787822525441125324.post-91472798551088218582020-02-03T00:43:00.000-05:002020-03-09T08:06:42.044-05:00PRIMAL SCREAMER<i><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold;">Looking back
at my former friend Ciro, I'm reminded; sometimes the good we do, doesn’t do us any good.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><b style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> More specifically, while concentrating on personal gain, a selfish piece of crap going nowhere in life can be incorrectly and</b><b style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> temporarily perceived as a hero</b><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><b>.</b></span></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In 1980, the deafening roar of jets taking off from nearby <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">McCarron</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Airport</st1:placetype></st1:place> was a constant
reminder to Shirley Birnbaum why her three-bedroom rancher had been so
affordable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like most negativity
in her life, she accepted the noise as something she was powerless
against.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Far worse, unloved </span>Shirley, dulled by indifference was convinced life had passed
her by. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Immune to the racket above, she
labored over five different breakfasts as she bitterly mulled another lost
argument with her husband Morris.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Shirley grabbed two eggs in each hand and trudged in
tattered, fuzzy-bunny-slippers from the refrigerator to the stove. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She smashed an egg
onto the skillet’s edge and snarled Morris’ closing summation, “Life insurance! What’s
in it for me?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The four-egg </span><st1:city style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Denver</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
omelet, bacon, hash browns and heavily buttered rye toast was for him.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He was approaching three hundred pounds and
Shirley knew this modest "snack" would be chased by the MGM’s all-day, free employee
food orgy; where he was a bellman.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Friendless and overwhelmed by motherhood, the Women's Lib movement had been wasted on Shirley. So as she reviewed her sequence of errands before work, the only way she could spite Morris was to </span><b style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">not</b><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
dice his red peppers as finely as he liked.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">In 1966, Morris avoided the draft and the risk of being sent to Vietnam by enlisting in the Coast Guard</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> He and Shirley met after h</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">is discharge and dated for two
years.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Three months before graduating high school, t</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">hey unceremoniously wed w</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">hen she became pregnant with
her eldest son Barry, now twelve. They got a small apartment in Hollis Queens and moved to Las Vegas in 1969.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Shirley watched hubby slobber down his meal while flipping Barry’s single slice of French toast.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Th</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">e boy was still in pajamas blindly watching cartoons in the living room waiting to be served.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Without
a true foundation of love, the unwanted child symbolized Shirley’s futility.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She called Barry to the empty table. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He took a few cautious nips and proclaimed, “This sucks;” and returned to
the TV.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Shirley wasn't in the mood for another clash even though he did the same
with a waffle the day before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nathan (9) was dressed and ready for
school. Designed to ignite their non-existent flame, his was the only planned birth
of the Birnbaum brothers. He belied the Middle Child Syndrome and was
mom’s pet. Easy to please, she poured milk onto his corn flakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He popped into the cluttered kitchen, “Need any help?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shirley smiled,
shook her head and hugged him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I made all the beds, brought out the trash and the newspaper’s in.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Nathan
was proud to have a tall, thin and pretty mom. He radiated in joy as she handed him two
quarters and four nickels. But Shirley looked at his crooked grin and regretted her failure to demand from Morris the braces Nathan needed and deserved.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“I owe you thirty cents,” she said, “I’ll make it up tomorrow.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He shrugged, “Okay
ma.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Nathan
ran to his bedroom and deposited the quarters into the glass, five-gallon water
jug called his “All-Quarters Piggy Bank." For two years, the boy dreamed of
saving up for a dirt bike.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Shirley admired his ethics and felt shame for envying his ambition.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">On
the stove’s last burner, a small pot of oatmeal simmered.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Adam, her thirteen-month old had been under
her feet all morning. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">D</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">istracted by the toddler she burnt her hand and shrieked, </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Shit!” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Nobody came to her aid. Instead, the human shackle tugged at her leg
as she held her hand under cool water. Shirley pulled free and sneered as the
tyke switched to banging a pan with a wooden spoon.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Adam's
“accidental” birth resulted from an isolated sexual encounter and
a discount vasectomy.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> S</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">he gave up her job
as a paralegal and blamed him for </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">ending her chance for divorce and sealing her pathetic fate.</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Shirley slurped lukewarm Sanka and smeared cream cheese on a stale bagel as she cleaned up. Suddenly, Nathan rocked the house between takeoffs with an obscene rant. The family converged on the bedroom he shared with his big brother as he screamed at Barry. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">"Mom, he stole my quarters <u>again</u>," the victim lashed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Barry tried to rebut but his father took an
intimidating stance and readied a backhanded slap at the alleged perpetrator’s
head. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Nathan continued, “Look Ma, remember I showed you, I finally covered the
‘bald spot.’”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">His </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">bottle bank had a </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">concave bottom. Its </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">upraised center forced the quarters to encircle the middle, which until filled
over, had resembled a bald spot.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Nathan
had celebrated the passing of this milestone weeks ago but now the glass center reappeared.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“No,
no I didn’t,” wailed Barry as the wrath of Morris’ knuckles crashed his
cheek.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He fell to the floor and from
his knees cried in denial.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Barry rose in defiance, “I swear, I didn’t. Natey's lying!”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Morris grabbed the boy’s shoulders and shook him
viciously.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Shirley watched in horror </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">and uncharacteristically screamed but it was too late.</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Barry </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">crumpled and writhed in agony from the whiplash
effect.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Sort this bullshit out,” Morris commanded and</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> left without apologizing or knowing the extent of the injury. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Shirley called her supervisor at the
Landmark Casino and said, "I'm not coming in."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The wait in the emergency room would take two hours.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">Adam was given a pacifier and was wrapped in his “blankie.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">Luckily he had the ability to nap anywhere.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">Barry stewed the whole time and ignored his mom’s redundant lecture.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">During a lull, she drifted off to another time when she resorted to screaming.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Shirley recalled her</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">part-time job </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">answering phones at Global Imports, </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">during sophomore year in high school</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Her boss Mr. Nasarz, an Afghani, sold Middle-Eastern <i>chotchkes</i> but specialized
in Persian rugs.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">One Saturday afternoon while he
strolled up </span><st1:street style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Steinway Street</st1:address></st1:street><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
smoking a cigar, she was to tidy his office.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Instead, she </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">phoned her boyfriend Mel
Tannen, a nineteen-year-old, unemployed dropout with a motorcycle.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Mel, you
were supposed to be here with the money.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She vehemently shook her
head as he spoke.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“No,” she spewed, “I
don’t give a shit about your faring.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">If
my parents find out, I’m in big trouble </span><u style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">and</u><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> you’re dead!”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">She listened</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;"> and h</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">er tone mellowed </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">until screeching, “No! Don’t do this to me.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The doctor won’t do
it for a dime less than one-fifty.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> I</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">nstigated by his attitude, t</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">ears welled-up in her eyes. Suddenly</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> she roared, “Fifty-fifty!</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Where am I going
to get seventy-five dollars?”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She interrupted his rebuttal, “Again with the fuckin’ faring.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Drop dead!”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">S</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">he slammed down the receiver as Nasarz returned.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">In a heavy accent he shouted, “Shully.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Shirley
called back, “What?” as she made herself look busy.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Mr. Nasarz didn’t notice that the room hadn’t been
cleaned or that Shirley was crying.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Shully,
vot is dis vot?” he kidded.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Ven I
speak, you say, ‘yes sir, no sir,’ you don’t say; ‘vot.’</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Now, you votch shtock, vile I take shit.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Ovta, I get you lime-reeky.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Look
Mr. Nasarz,” she bleated, “can I get a fifty-dollar advance?”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Dots
almost tree veeks sollary,” he countered as he opened his wallet. “How ‘bout
chvunty.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Shirley
saw the glut in his billfold, “How about thirty?”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She took the money, pecked his
cheek and ran out forty minutes early.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Eleven
blocks away, Mel lived </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">above a </span><i style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">salumeria </i><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">with his mother, in a one bedroom,
cold-water flat</span><i style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">.</i><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Shirley banged on his door until he scowled, “Who’s there?”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She didn’t say anything and pounded
harder.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Mel appeared at the door in a worn-out terry-cloth robe.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He was
holding a quart bottle of Schlitz by the neck as he failed to
keep Shirley out. Inside, she immediately started screaming.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Quiet,”
he loudly whispered, “mumsey's asleep.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Shirley kept yelling. Mel hurried to the sink and took a small
flowery, off-white ceramic sugar-bowl from the top shelf.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Okay already shut-up,” he said as he
withdrew curled currency and counted out eight, ten-dollar bills.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She expected more, “Yeah but...”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“But
nuthin’.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">This is it. I’m
buyin' that faring. Period!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Shirley stuffed the money in her bag until hearing a strange female voice,
“What’s all the to-do?”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Rosalie
Hollander, a fourteen-year old slut from </span><st1:street style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Hauser Street</st1:address></st1:street><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> stood cracking gum in
the doorway to his mother’s bedroom.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Clad only in carnation panties and holding a joint, she stared at Shirley and
mockingly said, “Where’d yuh go wit duh beer?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Shirley
screamed like never before.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> S</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">he
soon realized it was pointless. He </span><u style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">wasn’t</u><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> giving up more cash and
there was nothing else she wanted from him.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">After some quieter obscenities, Shirley left.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Back on the street, </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">she
raced back from the corner and spit on the seat of Mel’s windshield-deprived motorcycle.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">From a Rexall Store, Shirley telephoned her best friend
Marnie.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">It was Marnie through a cousin's friend that the “doctor" was found.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“I'm going through with it,”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Shirley said. She </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">rehashed the confrontation with Mel and added, “We’re finished.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Yeah, I’m calling the doctor as soon as I get
the rest of the money.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Shirley listened to Marnie and explained, “Mr. Nasarz gave me
thirty, eighty from fuckin’ Mel and I scraped up my own eighteen.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">With your ten, that’ll leave me twelve bucks short."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">At dinner, Shirley's father, Solomon Brandeis adjusted his plain cloth yarmulke and
finished his prayers.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Shirley
lied, “Daddy, Mr. Nasarz couldn’t pay me till Monday.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Can I borrow fifteen dollars?”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“I
knew it,” he erupted. “I told you not to work for that conniving Arab
bastard.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Shirley’s
mother cautioned, “Sol, you don’t mean that.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Plus,”
he added, “you go with that deadbeat schmuck.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">You disrespect me by bringing him here and it
kills me that he touches you, and who knows what else.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He
went into a coughing fit as her mom implored, “Calm down Solly, your
blood pressure.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He
caught his breath, “The thought of that piece of crap being
Jewish is an insult to all of us.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He sipped his Manischewitz and quipped, “The very idea of living above a
pork store...makes him unclean by osmosis.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Plus, t</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">hat moron’s initials are just like his head...MT.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Both women were unmoved by his surprising
attempts at levity.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Mr. Brandeis returned
to his usual austerity, “Forget borrowing, </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">you can <u>have</u> the fifteen, if, you give up your little Melvin.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She snapped, “Okay, deal!”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He counted out two fives and five ones with skepticism.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She tried grabbing the money. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Her father withheld it and said, “Let's add one caveat.” She was nodding as he added,
“That nice Morris Birnbaum is back from the Coast Guard. His mother was asking
about you.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Shirley
shrugged, “If he asked me, I’d go out with him.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She swiped the loot, advanced to the front door and chirped, “I’ll call you later.
I’m sleeping at Marnie’s.” </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">A squeaky gurney pushed through the ER's waiting room stirred Adam. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He wriggled into a comfortable position and fell back asleep. Shirley glanced at Barry's furrowed brow and resumed her trance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The next day in the pre-dawn, Shirley and Marnie waited in identical navy pea-coats on the darkened corner of Yellowstone Boulevard and Austin Street. A maroon, late-model, two-door, Chevy Impala pulled up. They got in and sat up front. The thirty-ish "doctor" broke the awkward silence by reviewing a checklist he had given Shirley. He was satisfied that all the criteria was met and said, "Good," while extending his hand. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">In unison the girls counted the crinkled bills and finished with an upbeat, sing-song cadence for the last ten singles.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Marnie announced, "The money's right."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The man said, "Your accountant can leave now."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Marnie refused and a short negotiation began. He compromised, "Okay she can come. But she can't be in the car or hanging around during the procedure. The first glints of sun were trying to break through the cloudy horizon as he drove the near-empty streets. Along side Forest Hills High School, at the last spot on a dead-end, he parked next to a fire hydrant.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Through a rusty chain-link fence meshed with barren vines, they overlooked the Grand Central Parkway.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The doctor said, "Okay kid, get lost for an hour. Queens Boulevard isn't far."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Marnie agreed to that and other instructions but hid up the street, in the warm vestibule of an apartment building. Faithfully, her eyes never left the doctor's office. Shirley thought the nameless doctor was an ugly creep but his bad breath and stale body odor were repulsive. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;">He told her to sit in the back. She found t</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">wo layers of white towels labeled <b>"CONSOLIDATED LAUNDRY" </b>already covering the seat as he returned from the trunk with a leather medical satchel. "Take off your jacket and unbutton your shirt please," he blankly requested.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Sheepishly<b> </b>she complied and exposed her breasts. His lascivious expression made her want to ask if he was a real doctor. Instead, she focused on his oily complexion and blackened nose pores. She blurted, "What does opening my blouse, have to do with working down there?" </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">"I asked you to dress this way for <u>your</u> comfort and to speed up the process." Shirley felt dumb as he added, "You know there's no refunds. Want my help or will there be more childish questions?" <b> </b> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">She nodded to mask her embarrassment and tensed up as his hand glided across her bosom. He squeezed her left breast while rubbing his face on the right. Shocked and appalled, the naive girl searched her mind for the word stethoscope but couldn't think of it. Intimidated, she stared out the window. In a hypnotic stupor, the cars whizzing by on the highway below were a blur. Shirley was alerted by a hand gesture and didn't react. He obnoxiously cleared his throat. She correctly guessed and shimmied out of her stretch-pants. Her eyes welled-up as his middle finger deeply explored her...at varying speeds. He introduced a second finger finger and soon a third while grinding his face across her chest. Luckily, he stopped.</span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> But he sat up and unzipped his fly. "What do you think your doing?" she bellowed. "You seem nervous. To properly continue, I need you to relax," he countered. "It seems you're not producing enough vaginal flow." "No asshole, it's bad enough I let you get a cheap thrill off me but I'm not paying you to fuck me." "Now, now young lady." "No! Do the job now, or I'll scream so loud your windows'll shatter." Peeved, the man removed three stainless steel bowls from his bag. Into the first, he loudly dropped a hemostat, curette and forceps. Shirley was relieved there wasn't a wire hangar as he filled another bowl with isopropyl alcohol. After rinsing his hands, he inserted the "sterilized" hemostat. Light-headed, without anesthesia, she fainted as it penetrated her. </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Barry roused his mother and a nurse led them to an examination room. Fortunately, the doctor said it was a minor neck strain.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Barry was permitted to attend school the next day but the doctor questioned the accident.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">To hide her husband’s brutality Shirley claimed, “My son said, he fell off the bed. I was downstairs.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The doctor referred to her admission form to confirm the address. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He couldn’t recall two-story homes so close to the airport and said</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">, “Does he ‘fall’ off the bed often?”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Shirley couldn’t look him in the eye, </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">repeated her story and added, “No. Not really.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He made notations on Barry’s chart, “This fresh abrasion on his cheek.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">You say, was from ‘horsing around’ with his brothers?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Yes!”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He gave her a social services pamphlet and said, “I see...and what about that burn on </span><b style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">your</b><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> hand?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The next day, Shirley was pre-occupied at work by Barry's hospital visit.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Weekday afternoons were quiet at the
Landmark Casino but this day was especially slow. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Shirley
was the assistant cage manager.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Her
title sounded like it should pay better than eight dollars an hour but it was
more than the attorneys had paid.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> There was little to do, so Shirley’s mind kept wandering.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Regardless how she tried to avoid it, she dwelt on her wasted life.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She thought about
her ex-boyfriend and husband, and was irked to have remained faithful
to losers.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Her shift was almost over
when she decided to blow-off grocery shopping and get a drink.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Shirley
counted down her money drawer ahead of time, hoping to get out a little
early.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In her haste, she counted herself
to be one hundred dollars “over.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She recounted and reached the same conclusion. In reverse order, Shirley tried a third time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The result was the same and her
supervisor would be there shortly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">My friend Ciro, (previously we dealt craps together at Hotel Fremont), was gambling in the
Landmark that day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Together with his friend and current coworker, Ricard “Otto” Hauptschmeier, they entertained Otto’s boyhood friend
Doug Mueller. Mueller was a farmer and had piloted himself in from rural <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Indiana</st1:place></st1:state>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Otto,
at five-three had aspired to be jockey.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> At sixteen, he moved to Los Angeles but</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> matured late and filled out.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> H</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">e remained in horse racing as a groom at Los Alamitos,
until a startled gelding's hoof crushed his larynx.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He detested any reference to his squeaky
voice and moved to </span><st1:city style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Las Vegas</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
rather than return home to his mother and kid sister.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> Doug’s family owned two-hundred acres in a predominately German agricultural community.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">He and his younger brother Fritz (15), inherited it when their
parents died in an airplane crash with their intoxicated dad at the helm.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The farm’s productivity suffered without their folks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, to remain solvent, the Mueller boys chose to cultivate a more
profitable, illicit crop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The brothers</span> would load their contraband into suitcases and Doug flew-in periodic marijuana
deliveries to Otto, in his twin-engine Piper Cheyenne.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Ciro</span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> was a regular customer of Otto.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">When he heard about Doug’s
operation, he saw a potential bonanza, set-up a meeting and </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">a three-way partnership was
formed. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Through Ciro’s cunning, the potent
homegrown yellowish weed was passed-off as top-of-the-line Hawaiian.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">More importantly, Ciro began a networking campaign that netted deals in both </span><st1:state style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;" w:st="on">Ontario</st1:state><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> and Arvin </span><st1:state style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">California</st1:place></st1:state><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> Ciro</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> hadn’t even scratched the surface of
his connections and nicknamed their enterprise, "The Syndicate."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> They finished playing blackjack and Ciro said, </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“If Ogden (Utah) goes well tomorrow, next week I’ll hook the Syndicate up with my cousin and our people in New Jersey and </span><st1:place style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on">Brooklyn</st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Doug had been pounding Crown Royal for hours but his
eyes lit up as Ciro led them to the cashier. He </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">functioned well playing cards but he could
barely stand. Otto looked
funny trying to keep the six-footer on his feet.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Doug’s San Francisco Giants cap fell off and Ciro jammed it back on
sideways.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> They
were laughing as they neared the casino cage.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Only Ciro needed to redeem chips.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Shirley watched the happy trio approach, appreciated their freedom</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> and greeted Ciro with an upbeat, “How’d you do?”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Ciro crushed out his cigarette and smiled, “Lose, lose, lose. I gotta find a better hobby.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Otto was propping Doug up against a pillar as Ciro pushed forward one hundred-forty-five dollars in chips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> He
faced away from Shirley, lit another Parliament and said, “Hey Ott, at least I only lost fifteen
dollars.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Shirley
thought Ciro was cute and capriciously said, “Would you like two, hundred
dollar bills?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> He said, “Yeah, two hundreds would make my day.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> She
professionally counted out, “One, two. Twenty, forty and five. Two-hundred
forty-five dollars sir.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Ciro hesitated, “What’s this...Candid Camera?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Shirley
said, “I don't see many real smiles here.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> He took the cash and pushed a twenty back
to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “No thanks, you already made <u>my</u> day.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Fifteen
minutes later at the car Doug slurred, “W-where’s my lucky Giants cap?” </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Ciro went back in and found it on the floor next to the
cage.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> H</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">e saw Shirley leaving and hustled to catch-up.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> On the way to the parking lot, he wanted an</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> explanation for her generosity.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Before
he said anything she said, “Isn't that your friend’s hat?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Ciro nodded as Shirley said, </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“What
does the SF stand for, shit-faced?”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">They laughed and she added, “Hey ‘Money-Bags,’ take me out for a
drink.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> They
agreed to meet at the nearby Alias Smith and Jones Bar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Ciro told Otto about Shirley as Doug obsessed over bending his
precious cap’s brim until it was just right. Up the street, Ciro dropped them off at the
Alpine Village German restaurant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
there that I was to meet the three of them for dinner, ninety minutes later. He</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> was pleased that Shirley was out front as he
pulled up.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> At the bar she said, "You play at the Landmark often?" Ciro</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> smiled, "Yeah, it's the world's biggest phallic symbol." </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She shrugged, "A what symbol?"</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOvVAQk9YCHJv_3jnjHwIZVC-HwQPztEVbKfxc3od8yoIt8lPZuowh8y0IlHqI6Atf37SEBMXfC5l7SNClIKwH4MHIkyjnsMR75MRTlt50QejiQPeQ05E6AeujM0Aep_4QhIn5kmzo6Ab/s1600/z+-+a+landmark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="996" data-original-width="1000" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOvVAQk9YCHJv_3jnjHwIZVC-HwQPztEVbKfxc3od8yoIt8lPZuowh8y0IlHqI6Atf37SEBMXfC5l7SNClIKwH4MHIkyjnsMR75MRTlt50QejiQPeQ05E6AeujM0Aep_4QhIn5kmzo6Ab/s200/z+-+a+landmark.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>DESIGNED TO RIVAL THE SEATTLE SPACE NEEDLE, THE 31-STORY LANDMARK HOTEL AND CASINO, (1969-1990) WAS A COOL PLACE TO VISIT. BUT FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES AND EVENTUAL BANKRUPTCY LED TO ITS IMPLOSION IN 1995. FILM OF THE </b><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>DEMOLITION</b></span><b> WAS USED IN THE 1996 MOVIE,"MARS ATTACKS!" AND IN THE CLOSING CREDITS OF 2003's, "THE COOLER."</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Shirley blushed from the explanation but didn't protest. Ciro took it as a positive sign and led her to a booth in a dark alcove. Soon, s</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">he hinted at her unfulfilled life.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> T</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">wo red house-wines later, she revealed intimate details of her domestic disharmony.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> She added, “That fat bastard is the one who looks like he gave birth three times. Jeez, if he wasn’t so stupid, lazy and cheap, maybe he wouldn’t
be so bad.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Your
Morris sounds like a real winner.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “You
don’t know the half of it. Damn, I probably don’t know the half of it either.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “You’re
funny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like that...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Who’s
trying to be funny?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, enough about
me...how’s your love life?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Ciro offered little information, “But, I’m a free agent now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> She primped her hair as Ciro asked, “What's up with your hand?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Burnt
it making breakfast...I’m such a klutz.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Looks
bad. Working in casinos, you should keep that clean. It could get infected.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “It’s
no biggie.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “No. It
<u>is</u> a big deal.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Ciro</span> got up to get ice and two band-aids from the bartender.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> H</span>e caressed her hand and dabbed the ice onto the wound.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Shirley tingled more from his touch than the iciness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> He responded to her glow, “I feel better knowing you feel better.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The
hour spent together was therapeutic for Shirley; Ciro had made
quite an impression.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> At her car Shirley twirled her hair and said, “I’m off tomorrow. Are you free around noon?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He nodded as she continued, “Can I bring my
baby to your apartment?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d like to chat more.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>* </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I
recognized Otto when I came into the Alpine Village’s bar. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Doug was chugging a
twenty-ounce beer as he introduced us. Doug polished off two vodka martinis before Ciro joined
us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Otto
and Doug ordered weinerschnitzel. Ciro got a steak and I tried
sauerbraten.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Doug seemed composed as he
downed another gigantic beer but he neither ate nor spoke much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> We were done with our entrées as Doug made a circular motion with his hand and said to the waitress, “A round of peppermint schnapps.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I said, “I hope you won’t be operating any heavy machinery...”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Otto
pounded Doug’s back and in a grating voice that sounded like he gargled with lye said, “You know he’s our pilot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> And Ciro's</span> flying back to <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Indiana</st1:place></st1:state> with us.” Cryptically,
Otto toasted their anticipated windfall and added, “Then he’s taking us to <st1:place w:st="on">Brooklyn</st1:place>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Doug
burped, “And Jersey t-too.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Ciro got up to use the restroom and I went with him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> He bragged, “I'll have us selling so much shit; they’ll need a bigger
plane.” </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I asked, “How can you fly with that sot?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “He’s
okay...booze is his fuel. Besides, the ends justify the means.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I shook my head and Ciro changed the subject, “That cashier from the Landmark is a Jew from <st1:place w:st="on">Queens</st1:place>. I bet she’s a minx in bed.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Back at the table </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I interrupted his blossoming fantasy, “A woman wouldn’t bring a kid, if anything other than...”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Doug ordered more schnapps as Ciro cut me off, “She just said that to get her foot
in the door...no way she brings the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">vonce</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>* </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The next morning, Ciro opened his blinds. The rush of warm sunlight
bathed his third floor apartment.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> At 11:45, h</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">e stood outside his door and looked past the pool, Jacuzzi and sauna to watch for incoming cars. Three cigarettes later, his half hour vigil got stale. Ciro figured she stood him up.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> phone rang, he ran in and grunted, “Yeah." </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Ciro listened and injected, "Uh-huh", as he scribbled, <u><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">NLV</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Airport, 5:AM</st1:placetype></st1:place>.</u><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">His concentration was broken by</span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> the blithe </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;">drumming </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">of long fingernails on his big window.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Shirley, wearing shorts and a crepe, sleeveless shirt came in through the open door carrying her child.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Adam saw Ciro and cried.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Ciro</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> wasn't thrilled either, but scrambled to free her of the heavy diaper bag. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Under
the big window, Shirley laid her son on the sofa in front of the TV.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She handed him his bottle and asked Ciro to
put PBS on.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He shrugged, </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;">“PBS?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Shirley muttered, “Another useless man.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> She put a pacifier in Adam’s mouth, swaddled him in his blanket and changed the
channel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsBw20xUbxu6DYkfr1O9aAoyf3AlF4TIeaFmyGLfhbRBGUFpQPZ5iaAIgVpD2U_zY3yWNd519B7vLyEhoolhw23p5_zMqZyMBa2Rg-5OyFD7o6sf9P8wQICd88iBz99GVnM6kXOdLxLvLC/s1600/z+-+ashtrays.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsBw20xUbxu6DYkfr1O9aAoyf3AlF4TIeaFmyGLfhbRBGUFpQPZ5iaAIgVpD2U_zY3yWNd519B7vLyEhoolhw23p5_zMqZyMBa2Rg-5OyFD7o6sf9P8wQICd88iBz99GVnM6kXOdLxLvLC/s200/z+-+ashtrays.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>CIRO CLAIMED HE SPENT TWO HOURS SPRUCING-UP HIS APARTMENT. IF SO, HE PROBABLY USED THE WHOLE TIME CLEANING THE ASHTRAYS AND THE ASHES OFF HIS COFFEE TABLE.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Ciro led her outside and left the door ajar.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">They leaned on the railing, looked down at the pool area and softly spoke. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Shirley
asked, "Your neighbor saw your girlfriend ‘doing it’ with
someone else from up here?”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“</span><u style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Ex</u><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">-girlfriend,” Ciro clarified. “Yeah but her exact words were, 'at 4:AM, your Brandee was bouncing on a guy’s lap in the whirlpool.'”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Shirley
shook her head in disgust.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> “I
confronted the bitch but she said, ‘I swear on my daughter’s life!’ I knew she was a lying sack of shit, Brandee palmed that brat off on her mother in </span><st1:state style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Connecticut</st1:place></st1:state><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
years ago.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Ciro reacted to Shirley's sour expression, “We all know that sex is the most important part of a relationship.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Couples have such different interests; the
intimacy of the bedroom is usually their strongest bond.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Shirley didn't flinch and thought that sex with Morris was like washing windows; an annoying, seldom done
household chore. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Ciro put his hand on hers, “Building the sexual experience over time, a
couple learns to give ‘it’ better and better, in the expectation of getting
‘it’ better and better.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> She recalled her legal background and purred, <i>“Quid pro quo.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Ciro didn't understand her mewing but plowed on, “After, the bed becomes the great
open forum. Both partners are equal, on pillows side by side...face to face.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Shirley
found wisdom in those words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their
eyes met. They gravitated to one another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Their
lips were about to meet when she snapped out of the trance and said, "Gotta
check the baby.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Ciro followed her inside. The sun was causing Adam to squint in his sleep so Shirley
innocently drew the blinds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She shuffled to the kitchen with two empty bottles. Ciro ignored her frumpy posture and gaped at her long, smooth legs. He gently locked the front door and followed her to the sink. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">From
behind, he put his hands on her hips, kissed her neck and cooed, “How’s your
boo-boo?”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Shirley
sighed, “I dunno about this.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Ciro pressed against her back and cupped her breasts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> She said, "I can't do this." Ciro's tongue glided around her ear, "Do what?" </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">H</span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;">is technique was all new to Shirley. Her m</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">odesty was no match for her rising hormonal rush. She was losing control </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">and bleated, </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">"I can <b>NOT</b> get pregnant." </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">"Don't worry. I have protection." Her body relaxed as Ciro scraped his thumbnail down and up </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">the center of her buttocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
encountered no resistance as he probed lower each time. Shirley looked back and smiled through puppy-dog eyes. He took her
shorts and panties down to her ankles. Ciro got on his knees. He was grinding his face into her posterior as his hand drifted up her leg.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Ciro stop; the baby,” she panted in a breathless tone.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Shirley broke free and advanced to the kitchen transom without adjusting her clothes. At the opening she spied her tranquil son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She waddled back and whimpered, "Please don't hurt me."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Their</span> prolonged foreplay accelerated and they made love
standing up. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Shirley picked her bra off the floor and Ciro asked, “What are you doing?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “But
Adam...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “He’s
okay. We're just getting started. Let’s do it again.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The idea seemed absurd as Shirley said, “Again?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “That
was sex. Now, let’s make love. Because, with a little more help from you...”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> "The better I give it, the better I'll get it." </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He
gathered their clothes and led her to his bedroom. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Thirty
minutes later arms locked, they emerged fully dressed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They went by the contented sleeper and
returned to overlook the pool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shirley basked in the warm after-glow as they necked. Her mind wandered to Morris snoring seconds after he was done with her and Mel kicking her out, as if she were a whore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Shirley was in heaven when Ciro suggested another tryst for the following Thursday.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She nodded, massaged his crotch and kissed him deeply.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> She murmured, "<u>All</u> Thursdays are good for me," as her hand wandered under his shorts. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Two units away, a door opened and Ciro pulled away. A</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> senior woman in a red tam came out </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">toting a
large faux-rattan handbag.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Ciro stopped the seventy-year old, “Shirley, this is Mrs. Duff.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Please,
please call me Nona.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> He
pointed to the pool area with his eyes, “Mrs. Duff, I mean Nona, was
the friend that told me about the Jacuzzi.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The perky woman slapped Ciro’s shoulder and said in a subdued Irish brogue,
“Now Shirley’ll never trust me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
feigned secrecy and continued, “I could see that one was trouble but you look
very nice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m pleased to meet
you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Ciro</span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">’s door creaked open and </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;">disoriented</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Adam stood, quietly rubbing his eyes.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Shirley
picked him up as Mrs. Duff said, “Well, who’s this bonnie lad?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The youngster</span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;">smiled at the stranger and</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> cooed.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Mrs. Duff tickled under his chin as Shirley said, “He doesn’t
usually warm up to new people.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Adam was beaming as the woman said in a dulcet tone, “Saint’s preserve us...look
at the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s my bingo day at the
Western.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mrs. Duff marched to the
elevator and called back, “If he’s always this good, I’ll sit for him if you
ever want to catch a matinee.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> They
waved good-bye as Ciro called out, “Mrs. D., you’re my best friend in the
whole complex.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> A week later, at North Las Vegas Airport,(NLV) Ciro and Otto loaded empty
suitcases and their own baggage onto Doug Mueller's plane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The h</span>ung-over pilot examined his instrument panel and scratched notes onto a clipboard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Ciro and Otto buckled their seat belts </span>as Doug obsessed over his ball cap before cleared for take-off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Doug taxied towards the runway, cracked open a Bloody Mary Cocktail and proclaimed, “Breakfast time.” Upon liftoff, h</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">e downed three
Tylenol and sucked the can dry.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Over mountains in northwest <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Arizona</st1:place></st1:state>,
the plane was rocked by violent turbulence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ciro readied an air-sickness bag as</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;"> impulses of nausea hit. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The previous short deliveries were simple but as the plane dipped and
pitched, Ciro was certain that he’d wretch. In a </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;">cold sweat, Ciro'</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">s queasiness </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">wasn't helped by Doug gulping a second Miller High Life. He kept thinking of Doug’s drunken father crashing and
how fragile life is.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> T</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">o block his suffering </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Ciro </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">thought of Shirley </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">and made a mental note to bring her back something special from </span><st1:state style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:state><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">They hit a series of air pockets and Ciro barfed.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Later, </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Ciro held his stomach and whispered to Otto, “I’ve
never seen your boy sober.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Neither have I. And I’ve drank with him since we were kids. But since his folks died, even I can't keep up with him.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> To occupy their time, they projected their profits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Ciro</span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> said, “It's a safe <i>guessimation with </i>a few runs a year, we can retire on Easy Street</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Otto said, "No. We'll be the <u>Emperors</u> of Easy Street." </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">At an airfield i</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">n
eastern </span><st1:state style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Kansas</st1:place></st1:state><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">,
they refueled.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Ciro kissed
the ground before gathering Doug’s empties for the trash. Back in
the air with Doug steadfast at the controls, refreshed Ciro and Otto slept for three
hours.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Doug
pierced the long silence by crushing an empty beer can in his fist and announcing, “There she is.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Ciro stretched and yawned. He happily </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">looked down at Mueller’s farm until </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;">the plane vibrated while banking into their final descent. His stomach turned. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Doug's touch down was routine but Ciro christened his arrival in Indiana by running out of the plane and vomiting in their corn field. Young Fritz Mueller</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> guided them into a Quonset-hut barn
that served as a hangar.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Otto introduced Ciro to Fritz</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> as they removed the luggage. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Doug took out a joint and belched, “Be in after I-I refuel.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Ciro hurriedly</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> followed </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;">Otto and Fritz with</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;">empty suitcases </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">between a tractor
and a combine, through a side door.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Along a broken, weedy path, he braced for an explosion as they entered the house.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The shabby exterior was contradicted by a contemporary, yet messy, interior décor.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> In the disorderly kitchen, </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;">fresh from the trash compacter, a hundred, one-pound marijuana bricks encased in plastic wrap were ready for transport. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis6eCEt8dqBjOJqNmnGFXo_1jLlRnFBTh_KmTote7LyFLAaNe9PxEO78UepBfxXtIK7eSUkNOLKATedFsujlLPklgkRE7EcIf0F53cB_BPjUs7Ad25ZmFyAFP4BiudVkrZHN13i7jAagkV/s1600/z+-+a+pot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis6eCEt8dqBjOJqNmnGFXo_1jLlRnFBTh_KmTote7LyFLAaNe9PxEO78UepBfxXtIK7eSUkNOLKATedFsujlLPklgkRE7EcIf0F53cB_BPjUs7Ad25ZmFyAFP4BiudVkrZHN13i7jAagkV/s200/z+-+a+pot.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>TRASH COMPACTORS WERE VALUABLE TOOLS FOR POT GROWERS </b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /> The
new cargo was loaded into suitcases and stowed in the plane.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Ciro wandered to the back porch, looked out onto the Mueller’s property
and commented, “I like it here.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Oh
yeah,” Otto laughed, “with you, the population here’ll
be five hundred and <b>one</b>...and that’s including the graveyard.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Before
you move in,” joked Doug, “remember, it’s twenty minutes to civilization.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Otto
croaked, “He means Freelandville. Yeah, if you like <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Manhattan</st1:place></st1:city>,
you’ll love going to town there.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Fritz chimed in, “C’mon take me with you to <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New
York</st1:place></st1:state>.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Doug snapped, “No!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He stood up, downed a bottle of Michelob and said, “Ciro, his dream of excitement in the big city is ‘cutting the mustard’ at the </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;">cat house in </span><st1:city style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Vincennes</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAz9dX2t5AvxyAXG0vvXFj5fSEWm8706SovfY2FFwrxs-9FmAhMOsiMxz9PqJHz6oTURG1qZvnZWGg1OlMjO59hDhgjprQbH6siMqebPf-YFaRmM_LUdDhc1sErZZrKfsKGqepAQl_NW2P/s1600/z+-+a+ran%25C3%25A7ois-Marie_Vincennes_historical_marker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="645" data-original-width="974" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAz9dX2t5AvxyAXG0vvXFj5fSEWm8706SovfY2FFwrxs-9FmAhMOsiMxz9PqJHz6oTURG1qZvnZWGg1OlMjO59hDhgjprQbH6siMqebPf-YFaRmM_LUdDhc1sErZZrKfsKGqepAQl_NW2P/s200/z+-+a+ran%25C3%25A7ois-Marie_Vincennes_historical_marker.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>VINCENNES INDIANA (POPULATION 19,000) IS THE COUNTY SEAT FOR KNOX COUNTY. FOR FOR THEIR NEIGHBORING BUMPKINS , IT WAS THE BIG CITY.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Otto was laughing loudest when Fritz got in his face, “Fuck you Shorty! I cut the mustard more'n a hundred times. AND, I don’t need no
whores!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> In Las Vegas earlier that morning, Shirley gave Nathan four more quarters to deposit into his bottle bank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> But during</span> breakfast, he complained about dizziness and a headache.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> A</span>spirins didn't help and it was decided that
he stay home from school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Barry challenged this preferential treatment and </span>broke his week-long, self-imposed vow of silence. He demanded to stay home
too and Shirley, with a more capricious outlook agreed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However she placed
a condition that both boys clean their closet and the garage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Nathan painfully nodded as Barry groused, “I thought </span><st1:city style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lincoln</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">
freed the slaves.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Shirley
responded, “<i>Quid pro quo</i>.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Her sons</span> were puzzled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Barry, you want to stay home?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, I want you to stop feeling sorry for
yourself. From now on, I’m going to give you back exactly what you give
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That means; you will give me better
and better respect and you’ll get better and better privileges. It’s time to grow up and pull your weight.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Two hours later, Shirley brought folded laundry into their bedroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Neither boy</span> was there but the closet was neat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> In the </span>garage she was gladdened
to see progress and them working in concert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> She smiled, “Keep up the good work and we’ll go out for lunch.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>At Burger King, rejuvenated Nathan had already brought
ketchup, napkins and straws to the table as Shirley arrived with their
bounty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But Barry’s moodiness returned after opening his bun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Pickles,
I hate pickles, I told you to tell them no pickles,” he whined.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The boy stood up, “This sucks! I’m throwing it away.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Shirley pointed at this seat and said, “Sit.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Barry stared off into the distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His mom
reached across the table and gracefully removed them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “See, it's easy to get what you want.” While eating his pickles
Shirley added, “Want me to have your burger too?” He</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> sat down, grabbed it and took a big bite. Shirley grinned, "I didn't think so."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> At 2:AM, the three would-be drug moguls landed at Allaire Airport in Central New Jersey. Ciro soldiered through the tough flight despite a vivid</span> nightmare with horrific plane crash images. <st1:place w:st="on"> </st1:place></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> Ciro's lowlife cousin Nunzio met them with a rented Ford Econo-van. While Doug completed the airfield’s
paperwork and paid the landing fees, Ciro and Otto off-loaded the heavy valises. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Doug
was drinking Crown Royal from a hip flask as Nunzio returned from a pay phone</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">, “Duh ‘meet’ is on.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">During
the twenty-minute drive south on the </span><st1:street style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Garden
State Parkway</st1:address></st1:street><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">, Otto and Ciro switched their
commodity from the suitcases into black, plastic trash bags.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Nunzio </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">exited the highway, looked at his watch and said, "Dat's good. Weh plenny early."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> An uneasiness gripped the van.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Everyone's fear was stoked as they drove </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">west through the </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">empty eeriness of the </span><st1:place style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on">Pine Barrens</st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Ciro poked his head up
front. He didn’t like being in the middle of nowhere.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> He agonized with so much money at stake that a petty criminal like Nunzio, blood relative or not, could be setting them up. Plus, he was the only one armed</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> They
turned right onto a blacker, more remote road and Ciro barked, “Where the fuck you taking us?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Good dis is it,” Nunzio announced, "and we beat dem here." He tried to hand Otto his pistol, "Can yuh handle one-uh dese?" The little man refused it and rasped, "No way!" Doug hiccuped</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">, "Give it h-here." He </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">checked the chamber and nodded as Nunzio said, "Dese is good people but if duh shit hits duh fan, yuh should watch our back from duh woods." Nunzio</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> inched forward onto the unlit, unoccupied, gravel parking lot of the tiny Popcorn Zoo. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimrd1uYDisimSiIR_YyPiFYhaIl23-OJvtyTJKlY4I6jE3C7HtfLtSD3pZqAfuOhgbUUmbnJHQttvMMcSwE7zZRUnRI8ps4cOieu-FevY1Udor9FyS56gOw0ouHDY0QSTfBYNwYSKvo8sY/s1600/z+-+a+pop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="736" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimrd1uYDisimSiIR_YyPiFYhaIl23-OJvtyTJKlY4I6jE3C7HtfLtSD3pZqAfuOhgbUUmbnJHQttvMMcSwE7zZRUnRI8ps4cOieu-FevY1Udor9FyS56gOw0ouHDY0QSTfBYNwYSKvo8sY/s200/z+-+a+pop.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>SINCE 1977, THE POPCORN ZOO IN FORKED RIVER NJ, HAS BEEN A SANCTUARY FOR ABANDONED, INJURED, ILL, </b><b>EXPLOITED</b><b>, ABUSED AND ELDERLY ANIMALS.</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">At the far end, he made a U-turn to face the entrance.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Before Doug could get out, an unmarked step-van appeared. Ciro</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> saw the set-up and regretted Doug not getting into his position.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"></span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> A Latino in a black hoodie got out. Nunzio met him halfway. They spoke. The man signaled his truck by spitting on the ground.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> A hyper redheaded lieutenant advanced to his side as a</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">n
ethnic mix of four stoic henchmen spread out in a wide breadth behind them. Nunzio whispered aloud, "Ciro." Ciro joined the three officers. Doug's steady hand targeted the black sweatshirt's chest as Otto hid, cowering behind trash bags. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The
dead-pan leader said in a Spanish accent, “Got dee gudes?”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Poker-faced Ciro responded, “Got the cash?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The
redhead motioned past the parking lot and told Nunzio, "Tell your guy to pull up behind those bushes.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Hidden in an inky</span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> clearing, they used flashlights to weigh the merchandise and count the money.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The jittery transfer was
completed without a hitch.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The step-van disappeared and Ciro sighed, “<i>Andiamo</i>!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Nunzio
said, “Where’s duh rummy?</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Did dey kidnap
him?”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Ciro aimed an obscene tirade at Nunzio until a</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> lion’s blood-curdling roar ended the verbal onslaught. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Otto's scratchy voice cried, “Dougie’s never been to a zoo.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Ciro huffed, "Fuckin' <i>strunza."</i> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">They ran, hopped a short fence, passed the thin, single chain that held the “closed” sign and jumped a turnstile.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Inside, Doug was straining his arm through the lion enclosure's wire fence.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Otto screamed, "Get your arm out of there..." as the giant cat pounced from thirty feet away. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Doug pulled his arm free.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Two feet away, safe from harm, they felt the irritated beast's rancid breath as a</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">nother roar cued their exit.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">A watchman appeared but couldn't chase them down.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Through the woodlands, the</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> guard failed to identify them or the van. Without evidence of wrongdoing, the
incident wasn't reported.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Nunzio accelerated onto the paved country road, grabbed the gun from Doug and said, "Fuckin' alky rube..." Doug giggled, </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“I wasn't going to shoot it. I wanted to touch him.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> They
were nearing the parkway when Otto noticed that Doug’s forearm was bleeding and </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">hoarsely crackled, “Don't fuckin' laugh! Yeah it’s just a scrape but another second, and we'd be calling you Lefty.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Doug
tugged at the bill of his cap and crowed, “With my lucky hat, I’m invincible.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nunzio drove them into <st1:place w:st="on">Brooklyn to celebrate the "Syndicate's" payday</st1:place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> A</span>t a 24-hour bar on <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Emmons Avenue</st1:address></st1:street>, Doug
swilled beer, as Otto was introduced to raw clams, calamari and scungilli.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Across the street, t</span>hey relived the highlights of their </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px;">day on a pier among anchored fishing boats. At dawn, they greeted the new day with</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> coffee and cake, at the Sheepshead Diner. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>They slept on the floor of Nunzio’s tiny
basement apartment in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Bath</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Beach</st1:placetype></st1:place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> At noon</span>, from inside a backgammon
case, Nunzio showed Ciro a cache of stolen jewelry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Cuz, jus' fuh you, half price.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See anyting yuh like?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Out of curiosity and “professional” courtesy Ciro looked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Among the baubles</span> were tangled chains, a knock-off Rolex, a locket, a gold crucifix, a cameo and lesser items.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> He was unimpressed</span> until he moved away an ugly beaded bracelet and found a unique necklace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> To imply it was worthless Ciro dangled it, “How much?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Nunzio scratched his inner ear with his pinkie, “I sold one just like it fuh one-forty. But yuh can have it fuh a C-note.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “I’m
not even sure I like it. I’ll give you thirty.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “C’mon
‘Money,’” Nunzio moaned. “Yous scored yesterday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus, Um takin' yiz tuh my main man fuh a
biggah deal tuhday.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“No <i>sfacim</i>, Finley's <b>our</b> man." "Yeah but..." "</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Hey! Get this straight. My guys did right by you. Remember, this ain’t my operation,” Ciro lied. “I’m just in for a taste.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Yuh cheap bastid,
yuh killin' me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> D</span>at’s uh eighteen-carat Egyptian Rope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> A </span>quality item.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll meet yuh halfway;
eighty.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Ciro knew Shirley liked Middle-Eastern culture from her Global Imports days.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> He
really wanted it for her but continued to hard-line, “Eighty? Good math Nunz. I’ll
go forty, take it or leave it.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nunzio caved-in, “I love dat piece and I ain't gonna break-up with her for unda forty-five." When Ciro nodded he said, "Trust me Cuz, yuh scored
again.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The next day at 1:AM, hidden by a copse of European elm trees in <st1:placename w:st="on">Prospect</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Park,</st1:placetype> their big <st1:place w:st="on">Brooklyn</st1:place>
deal was consummated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Ciro</span> knew this crew from the old neighborhood but was relieved that everything went smooth, (Doug didn't even wander into that
zoo). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Later that morning, at </span><st1:placename style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on">Newark</st1:placename><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;"> International, Ciro was</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> dropped off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Under an assumed name, he flew a commercial
carrier back to Vegas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Nunzio's next stop was Allaire Airport. </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;">On the way to Doug's plane, he</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> hustled the </span><st1:state style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on">Indiana</st1:state><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> boys into an extra
hundred-dollar tip, (Ciro had cautioned them to expect it).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The following Thursday, Ciro and Shirley
came out of his bedroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They passed
angelic Adam napping and continued outside to the balcony.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From his pocket, Ciro removed the unwrapped
gift box he got for her necklace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Shirley
sensed it was jewelry, “I-I can’t accept...”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Ciro said, “I want you to have it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>C’mon open it.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> "I shouldn’t,” she said and looked inside. “Oh it’s beautiful
but I could never wear it.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “But
you can. Hubby has his head up his ass and won't notice. Even if he does, just say you bought it off a down-and-out player.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “I never saw one
like it...must've cost a fortune.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “It’s
called an Egyptian Rope. The jeweler said they’re the ‘hottest’ thing in <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:state>.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Egyptian,”
she pondered. “Put it on me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> At a mirror he fastened the clip and said, "Gorgeous! <u>You</u> make the necklace look even better." He squeezed her breasts, kissed her neck and led her back to his bedroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Later, Ciro carried the diaper bag down as the baby slept in his
mother’s arms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shirley secured Adam in his car seat and said, "Thanks, I love the necklace. It's been a long time since I got a personal gift."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Ciro said, “Whatever we do, wherever we go, I hope you can always imagine the ropes twirled together, as a symbol of us.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Shirley
was startled by the implication, “Are you going away?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “No, no.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s just that...with
or without me, it's time for you to be your own person. You know, make yourself happy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The following Wednesday, Ciro surprised
Shirley by visiting her at work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
feared that he was canceling their Thursday “matinee.” So she was overjoyed that he had arranged a special outing and got Mrs. Duff to give up bingo, to baby-sit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> The next morning, </span>Shirley followed Ciro's suggestion and arrived two hours early, in sneakers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They left chipper Adam with “Granny Nona” and got in Ciro's car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> Ciro amazed her with a
prepared picnic lunch as they sped off to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Red</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Rock</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Canyon</st1:placetype></st1:place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> He</span> was surprised that she’d never been there and realized the
severity of her stifled life when she confessed that she never heard of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwor6Q29uOzJWvF9OgDi6xd7I7UhS-nANBhRxBWIBe7r_P57eI9EH7u8UzhnnmHoHMjeK7lu_TzLviyajNSZp5Zgqs8wYn_2qkFbgzmjBekOzhyphenhyphenlj9cQKlPrx82XfEs00JgVDQGLSoYov2/s1600/z+-+ared+rock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="686" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwor6Q29uOzJWvF9OgDi6xd7I7UhS-nANBhRxBWIBe7r_P57eI9EH7u8UzhnnmHoHMjeK7lu_TzLviyajNSZp5Zgqs8wYn_2qkFbgzmjBekOzhyphenhyphenlj9cQKlPrx82XfEs00JgVDQGLSoYov2/s320/z+-+ared+rock.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>RED ROCK CANYON IS A POPULAR SCENIC DRIVE THROUGH THE DESERT. IT GETS ITS NAME FROM THE OXIDATION OF THE IRON </b><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>DEPOSITS</b></span><b> DOWN THROUGH TIME.</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Westbound on </span><st1:place style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;" w:st="on">Sahara</st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">,
the city’s development ended at </span><st1:street style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;" w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Buffalo
Avenue</st1:address></st1:street><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">. Eight miles into the desert, they
entered the park.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Ciro passed three parking areas until he found one without visitors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At a picnic table overlooking a valley, they
ate and laughed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Ciro said, "Let's walk off lunch with a hike.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shirley lovingly placed herself in Ciro’s hands as they trekked through
the never-ending flat wasteland between mountains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> A half-hour later Ciro stopped and whispered, “Listen. You can hear absolute silence. And if you
really concentrate, you can hear your heart beat.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was true. The pure quiet held a special significance for both New Yorkers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But for Shirley this introduction to nature represented a deeper importance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> S</span>he rarely realized a
moment’s peace raising three kids with no help, two blocks from an airport. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> These isolated dots continued their Eden-like walk as their course took an imperceptible
upward slant toward the base of a mountain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Twenty minutes passed and the novelty got played out. Shirley felt disappointed that she was missing her weekly thumping and claimed to be tired. She wanted to go back and he agreed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Ciro said, “But wait." He put his index finger to his lips, "Shush, listen.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Shirley shook her head, “What?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Water,” Ciro exclaimed, “I hear running water.” Revitalized, he said, “Let’s climb those rocks
and see where it’s coming from.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shirley
was not athletic and said, "I'm not sure about this," as she persevered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> At the higher elevation, they followed the sound of water along</span> a path and found
a minuscule rivulet trickling down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Ciro</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> went ahead as the trail snaked upward through boulders.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The flowing sound got louder until he found a little, glistening waterfall that formed a small pool.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “C’mon
slow poke, check this out,” Ciro called.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Disenchanted </span>Shirley turned the corner and was awed by the beauty of Ciro’s discovery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
scooped some water and splashed her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She went to return the favor until noticing in the miniature lagoon, dozens of froglets and didn’t want
to disturb them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Further up, their trail ended and Shirley said, “Ciro, thanks for the perfect day. It couldn’t get
any better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it’s a long walk down,
we should get going.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Ciro checked the time and said, while pointing higher, “Where's your pioneer spirit? It’s early.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Let's</span> see what’s up there.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> To bolster their assent, they grabbed bushes and braved loose gravel. Ciro playfully slapped her butt and urged Shirley higher by poking her bottom. Suddenly, she dislodged a chunky stone and slid backwards. Shirley went past him but Ciro</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;">prevented a dangerous fall by </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;">clinging to a sapling and grabbing her wrist. He </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">steadied himself, got a strong foothold and helped her to the next crest.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> High above the desert floor, they found a wide, flat formation jutting out of
the canyon wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Ciro</span> rested on a small
table-like ledge in the mountain face and lit his last cigarette. Shirley stood near the edge, mesmerized
by the majestic vista.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> He discarded his empty Parliament pack on the pristine ground and called to her, "Wouldn't it be cool if we were the first people to discover this spot."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Teary-eyed, Shirley comprehended her sorry life and the tragedy of missed opportunities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Ciro</span> admired her </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px;">red figure as it eclipsed the sunlight. Aroused, h</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">e flicked the cigarette butt over the side and got off his perch. Ciro nibbled her neck, </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">fondled her breasts and took down her
shorts.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Ceer-Ro," she pleaded. "Someone’ll see us.” Shirley tugged up her shorts as Ciro reasoned, "This ain't the Jacuzzi. Out</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> here, it’s just me, you and the froggies.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Besides, if someone did see, they’d be happy
for us.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Ciro undressed her. Soon, their nude bodies embraced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> He</span> laid down on the giant rocky slab to
make her more comfortable on top.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Shirley was uncertain about t</span>his
new position but her instincts kicked in and she became increasingly enthusiastic. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He
shouted, “Bounce baby, bounce!”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Unencumbered
by walls and unbridled by conventions, she wildly controlled her own
pleasure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually, her thunderous
screams of emancipation echoed the canyon louder and louder until she
celebrated the eruption of her first-ever orgasm. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> From their aerie, naked to the world, they stood arm-in-arm surveying the complexities of the beautiful yet rugged terrain. Shirley picked up her panties, "I loved it that way." Ciro scratched his chin, "Really." He gathered all their clothes. Ciro arranged them on the table-like ledge and had her bend over it. He ground his body against hers and from behind entered. The new sensation was uncomfortable and Shirley gasped, "Please don't hurt me." Their passion accelerated. "Ciro, I think you're in the wrong er, um...spot." "You don't really want me to stop..." She ignored feeling dirty and the raw ache as her uneasiness subsided, "No, do it to me." Her mind emptied as the pleasure mounted with each quickening thrust. When he exploded, she let out a primal scream until mellowing into groans of unimaginable satisfaction.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">They returned to Ciro’s apartment. Granny Nona and Adam were playing paddy-cake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “You’re
so lucky,” Mrs. Duff sighed. “You have the sweetest son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s brought me a lot of joy but he doesn't speak." "I know. My pediatrician suggested a pathologist. But it may be natural with two, crazy older brothers." "Makes sense," Nona said. "</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Thanks for sharing him with me.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The
compliments kept coming, but in mid-sentence the happiness left the old woman’s
face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the telephone, Ciro read a message she had taken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He hurried
into the bedroom and slammed the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Mrs.
Duff whispered to Shirley, “Do you know Doug?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Before Shirley could answer,
they heard Ciro’s garbled rant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Nona said, “Someone named Otto called while you were out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said Doug was dead.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on"> Perched a</st1:placetype></st1:place>top a gradual rise, surrounded by lush
green fields and a white picket fence, Ciro and Otto parked at </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px;">the unassuming Knox County </span><st1:place style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px;" w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Lutheran</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Church</st1:placetype></st1:place><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";">.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">The splendor of its spire, b</span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">athed by the glorious Indiana morning sun encouraged their gaze beyond the cloudless azure skies, to the heavens
above.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> They </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px;">left</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> this idyllic setting and inside found </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px;">the funeral in progress. Forced to make last minute travel arrangements, they felt conspicuous as the curious</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: 16px;"> gallery turned from the proceedings</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: 12pt;">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Fritz sat in the first pew. An austere aunt and uncle sat to his right. To the teenager's left, a small</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;"> female in the fetal position, shrouded by a black hat and veil snuggled him</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> They soon learned more gruesome details of their partner’s fate; he was threshed to death after falling into his combine. Later, Ciro viewed the corpse. He wanted to say that the twenty-four year-old looked better dead than alive.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Instead
he commented, “Morticians are artistic geniuses.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Otto lamented, “Considering how badly he was cut up, look how natural they made him.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> In
the casket, placed next to </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;">Doug’s</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> head was his lucky San Francisco Giants cap.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Ciro was tempted to say, 'shouldn't he be buried with his liquor cabinet,' but said, “Look
Ott, the brim of his hat is bent exactly how he liked it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Otto rasped, “Freaky.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> He jabbed Ciro's ribs to notice the diminutive girl attentively at Fritzy's side, "What's Holly doing here?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The young couple avoided eye contact with Otto and Ciro.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “How
old is your sister?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Fourteen,” Otto scowled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Are
they ‘with’ each other?” Ciro posed. “She looks twelve.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Otto avoided the question, “She better not fuck-up
our deal.”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Fritz was getting consoled by others as Otto sensed hostility.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Each time he approached, the boy</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> slipped away before he could be cornered.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> A neighbor whispered to Otto, “Y’know, their folks
didn’t have no in-surance and neither did Doug.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I doubt poor Fritzy will be able to keep the place up.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Fritz is pretty sharp, " Otto said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> "</span>You never
know what that little weasel has up his sleeve.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The man continued, “Hadda be some shock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Y’know, it was Fritz who heard the screams and found the body. Musta been an awful sight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The cops figure Doug was soused when the combine’s elevator got
jammed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He musta climbed up and a
gust of wind blew that dang hat off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
guess he lunged to get it, slipped and the damned contraption started back up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Funny, the ball-cap hit a snag in the wall and sorta got hung-up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s why it ain’t all tore up too.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Behind the Mueller’s farmhouse, Doug was laid to rest next to his parents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Otto and Ciro lingered until everyone left. </span>Alone at the
family plot, nestled beside a shallow brook under a sycamore tree, they approached Fritz.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Unsympathetically
Otto spewed, “Everything’ll stay the same. You keep fifty percent and we split
the other half.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Politely,
the kid said, “Be right back...”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Fritz
pulled his tie off and strode up the back stairs of the
house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Minutes later, he emerged
barefoot and shirtless, wearing bib overalls with only one strap
fastened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Under his arm he carried a
double-barrel twelve gauge shot gun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Atop his back porch he stated, “Get off my land and never come back.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Otto’s
gravelly voice barely croaked, “But;” as Fritz drew a bead on them and cocked the trigger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">retreating duo backpedaled as the boy shouted, “Nothing. Zero percent!</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Scram</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> or I’ll shoot you trespassers dead.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Holly
appeared from inside the house wearing an over-sized Ball State tee-shirt like a dress. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUayhw3oenutrhd8m_rpdBwNqdjT-xZwEi8UI5L5YNe1KbOZZ6w979lRdEt-3eq7UVUQFSP0iaMz-i6gqqiY8-kCue7o9ApiKJCrecsvFhep2QNtZgcNTGbrLy_kvcEAwpb5pmwq_yAMZX/s1600/z+-+a+ball.jpe" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="900" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUayhw3oenutrhd8m_rpdBwNqdjT-xZwEi8UI5L5YNe1KbOZZ6w979lRdEt-3eq7UVUQFSP0iaMz-i6gqqiY8-kCue7o9ApiKJCrecsvFhep2QNtZgcNTGbrLy_kvcEAwpb5pmwq_yAMZX/s200/z+-+a+ball.jpe" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>LOCATED IN MUNCIE INDIANA, BALL STATE, FOUNDED IN 1918, IS A PUBLIC UNIVERSITY. OTTO AND HOLLY'S MOM WAS ENGAGED TO A HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATOR IN VINCENNES WHO WAS A BALL STATE ALUM .</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> She put
her arm around Fritz's waist and watched Ciro and Otto get in their rented car.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Otto
turned on the ignition as Bad Company’s, ‘Shooting Star’ blared on the radio. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Ciro looked back at the teenage couple, “I guess Dillinger and his moll <b>are</b> ‘with’ each
other.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Otto
kicked up dust and sped away. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">On a Monday two months later, Shirley sang </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px;">in front of her full-length mirror </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">as she posed in her new, lacy, white
sundress.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> S</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">he anticipated wearing it for her next liaison with Ciro.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">The phone broke her fantasy.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> S</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">he listened and was
frozen in astonishment. Shirley scrambled to angrily change clothes, put Adam in her car and race to
the MGM.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> She confronted Morris in the lobby, “We gotta talk!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Not here," he said in a cocky tone, "I’ll be home at 5:30.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Shirley turned heads by shouting, “We gotta talk, <u>now</u>!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Morris
led her to a recess behind pay phones, “Now what?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “5:30? You never come home at 5:30.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You always
get home after seven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What the fuck are you doing all that fuckin' time, every fuckin’ day?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Shush,
watch your language, the baby...I work here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Don’t
change the subject...I got a call from Little ‘fucking’ Caesar’s today.”</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguRH7p8RJRrGUU1e75Gzvq8BnHtbXGHf18C1eEIkyGVlf1zucHhexqtgLPu4esJ0FJwIjwDqGBEqanIFim3frT55Fmp10-phzUvDpsgvbVK9-svhHdm0MKLK3nJeZFa_3gcJ2RK22_J2_g/s1600/z+-+a+little.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="363" data-original-width="540" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguRH7p8RJRrGUU1e75Gzvq8BnHtbXGHf18C1eEIkyGVlf1zucHhexqtgLPu4esJ0FJwIjwDqGBEqanIFim3frT55Fmp10-phzUvDpsgvbVK9-svhHdm0MKLK3nJeZFa_3gcJ2RK22_J2_g/s200/z+-+a+little.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">LITTLE CAESAR'S (1970-1994), WAS CADDY-CORNER FROM CAESAR'S PALACE, (THE PROPERTIES WEREN'T RELATED). DURING MY STAY IN LAS VEGAS, (1979-1984), LITTLE CAESAR'S HAD THE REPUTATION OF BEING THE WORSE CASINO TO WORK FOR WHILE ATTRACTING SCUM-OF-THE-EARTH CUSTOMERS. THE NOVEL "CASINO" SET THE DUMPSTER BEHIND THE BUILDING AS AN APROPOS SPOT FOR THE MOB TO DUMP A BODY.</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">Morris' voice quivered, "O-oh..."</span></span><br />
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<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"> * </span></span><br />
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<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">Morris came straight home that night and found much of his clothes and personal items at the curb in trashcans or haphazardly strewn about the driveway. He also discovered that the house locks were changed and Shirley wouldn't let him in. The next day, she retained a divorce lawyer.</span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> On Thursday afternoon while
Adam napped at Mrs. Duff’s, his liberated mother, two doors down,
screamed through a series of orgasms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Afterwards,
while luxuriating in the Jacuzzi, Ciro handled her Egyptian rope necklace as he grazed her excitable breasts. He said, "This looks dynamite on you. I'm glad you came to your senses and wear it." Ciro stroked her face and lovingly bit her neck. Shirley wanted to tell him that for a month she had already been dating an analyst from the Landmark’s legal department.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wasn’t sure how Ciro would react so she began itemizing Morris’ indiscretions instead. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> “</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;">I almost died. Some goon from</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Little Caesar’s called and said Morris had eight-fifty in unpaid markers.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> They were worried about losing a valued customer because o</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">ver the years, that doofus
lost thousands, playing quarter video poker.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Ciro placed her hand on his crotch, “He’s a bigger loser than we thought.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “No,”
she freed her hand and continued, “it gets worse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pieced it together</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;"> w</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;">hen I heard <b>quarters</b></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> So I didn't </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">ask </span><u style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">if</u><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">, I asked Morris, 'how </span><u style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">many</u><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> quarters did you steal from Nathan?'</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Babe,</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> my whole body went limp. He said, ‘first it was twenty dollars, then fifty-seven and the
last time, one-ten.’</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">That fat prick let me blame Barry.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> And to shut</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> the poor
boy up, he put him in the goddamned hospital...if I didn’t scream, it
could’ve been worse.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Ciro's hand wandered up between her legs. His fondling caused a lull in the
conversation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> L</span>ost in pleasure, this was no time to mention the gentleman she was seeing and </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;">risk her coming ecstasy for</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> the long shot</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> of a secure yet dull future.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Kids splashing in the nearby pool disturbed Ciro's rhythm and broke Shirley from her daydream. They exchanged tender kisses until she straightened up and continued venting, “That
day at the MGM, I really went off. Adam was crying and fatso's boss
came by to see if <u>he</u> was okay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
didn’t plan it but as I was leaving, it just popped out of my mouth, ‘is there
anything else I should know?’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Check this shit out; he admitted lying about getting the vasectomy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t understand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That worm stared at the ground and confessed, ‘I never had the operation. I faked it and pocketed the money to pay-off markers.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I screamed and ran
out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I was sticking the baby in his car
seat, I hated Adam for screwing up my shot at a second chance. I almost smacked
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But he giggled...and I hugged
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked so innocent...I
cried, all the way home.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Ciro sucked her neck and squeezed her inner thigh, "C'mon upstairs. I got something that'll cheer you up." Shirley wiped her tears and smiled, "Definitely." She looked up at the balcony in front of Ciro’s apartment and saw<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mrs. Duff holding Adam. She held his little hand, pointed down and
together they waved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The pleasant scene caused Ciro to lose his urge. But he brightened at the prospect of taking a new chambermaid at Hotel Fremont out for drinks that night. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Glossy-eyed, Shirley
gathered herself, waved back and whimpered, “He’s been cute all along...I never
noticed.” </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><i>In 2010, I saw Ciro for the first time in twenty-six years.</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><i>Between repeated rants compounding the fact that he was now a total loser he said, "I cudda had the world by the balls but that asshole drunk, (Doug) went ace-deuce, (died).</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><i>In 1985, Ciro got one of his dalliances pregnant and married her. The woman had a fourteen year old delinquent son, was over her head in debt and was a regular drug user. Ciro's life began spiraling out of control after the son was stabbed to death in a youth gang altercation. From it, his wife's habit evolved into addiction and he divorced after a second try at re-hab.</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><i>Ciro was never a good step-father and failed as a single parent. In 1998, his daughter ran away and he felt no remorse that he never heard from her again.</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><i>Otto didn't take well to Doug's demise either. He took the idea of being the Emperor of Easy Street too literally and resorted to pedaling marijuana and pills. Two arrests later, his Las Vegas Sheriff's Card, (casino license) was revoked and his reliance to liquor led to acute alcoholism.</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><i>In 2002, Otto was diagnosed was cirrhosis of the liver. His half-hearted stabs at sobriety were meaningless. His condition worsened and he was put on a transplant list. Finding a suitable liver donor was difficult. Years passed. His mom had re-married a hospital administrator in Vincennes and he pulled some strings.</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><i>Otto moved back to Indiana and cleaned up his act. On the morning of the procedure, he showed up intoxicated and was turned away.</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><i>Ciro said, "As far as I know he never came back to Vegas. Then a few years ago, I got a call from his sister Holly who said he died in Los Angeles. I didn't go back to Indiana for the funeral."</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><i>Fritz Mueller, (a week before turning 17) was arrested and convicted for growing pot with intent to sell. To avoid lengthy imprisonment as an adult, his aunt and uncle took control of the property and sold it to pay lawyers.</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<b><i><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Shirley Birnbaum married the boring legal analyst from the Landmark. During their courtship, her weekly flings with Ciro continued until Adam started speaking. What sounded like gibberish to her fiance was clearly "Ciro" and "Granny Nona" </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">to her.</span></i></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><i>Several years later, he divorced her. She received a generous settlement and lived happily.</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><i>Despite using Shirley, Ciro was instrumental in rescuing her from a dead-end life. Too bad he never matured enough to uplift himself. Before we went our separate ways, I realized that I had no interest in ever seeing or hearing from him again.</i></b></span></div>
Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12392111410804449860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787822525441125324.post-2188698581697315312019-10-21T00:43:00.000-05:002019-11-07T22:56:11.919-05:00ROOTERS<b style="font-family: "courier new";"><i>It may not be "ROMEO AND JULIET," but this haunting tale is a love story. Equally puzzling, it's based on truth with most of the intimate details provided by Elvis Presley impersonator, Richie Lopez.</i></b><br />
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<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span></st1:city></st1:place>
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span></st1:city></st1:place>
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span></st1:city></st1:place>
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> *</span></st1:city></st1:place><br />
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span></st1:city></st1:place>
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span></st1:city></st1:place>
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span></st1:city></st1:place>
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Washington</span></st1:city><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> <st1:state w:st="on">D.C.</st1:state></span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> is perceived as flat but away from the
monuments to our nation’s heritage, the city is hilly with long, deep rocky chasms
cut through it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Atop one of
those peaks, prestigious <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Georgetown</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place> is
situated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just off campus, looking as if
it belongs in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">San Francisco</st1:city></st1:place>, a precipitous public staircase descends to M Street. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">These dreary stone stairs were so sinister that they were used during on-location filming of “The Exorcist.”</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJgGL0ocVjGr7AYnLdGyi34hFVg0oxUZev4zgV8ILQ2zeEtx4z913BWp-iHvMF8BFSJURtagWZxApwHhEuFVgDDcnbsl80-0Vg5WleIBMv6rzDWnQA6-2kH2C7qMZ_XmCU6q47y2vpq7H/s1600/z+-+a+ex.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJgGL0ocVjGr7AYnLdGyi34hFVg0oxUZev4zgV8ILQ2zeEtx4z913BWp-iHvMF8BFSJURtagWZxApwHhEuFVgDDcnbsl80-0Vg5WleIBMv6rzDWnQA6-2kH2C7qMZ_XmCU6q47y2vpq7H/s200/z+-+a+ex.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>BUILT IN 1895, THE STEPS, ESPECIALLY AROUND HALLOWEEN, BECOME A TRENDY DESTINATION FOR FANS TO PAY HOMAGE TO THIS FRIGHTENING FILM.</b> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> One such person, twenty-year old Ariel Mott, a sophomore art major was drawn there. She was
wearing a sexy French maid’s uniform with a<i> bustier </i>hidden underneath as
she prodded her unenthusiastic boyfriend, in his brown three-piece suit to see it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Along the pecan tree-lined sidewalk, they walked against the gentle rustle of fallen leaves. </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">The tower clock on Healy Hall</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> was tolling at 1:00PM as they reached the crest of </span><st1:street style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Prospect Street</st1:address></st1:street><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Martin, her p</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">reoccupied dullard stopped and allowed a sea of preteen trick-or-treaters to pass as</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Ariel coaxed him nearer to her quarry. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">T</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">he </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">steps, obscured by a slight rise in the pavement were surrounded by a
pair of two-story brick houses.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">More giddy
children flowed by as she again prodded him closer to the ominous landmark. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Ariel
pointed up to the ivy-gripped colonial home on the right, “The
devil threw his victims through that window. And they died horrible deaths falling down these
stairs.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> He
extended his antique gold pocket watch fob to check the time, “There
must be something strange in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">you</b>.
This isn’t the least bit spooky.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Martin had an inkling of her sordid past but Ariel's father spared no expense to have her criminal record expunged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Further, Mr. Mott arranged their introduction in the hope that the
sturdy foundation of an influential Democratic family would spur her into
responsibility.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Ariel ignored his negativity as she clomped down the
formidable steps in spiked heels. Unmoved by pop culture, he
remained up top and stared down at <st1:placename w:st="on">Key</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Bridge</st1:placetype> and into <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Arlington</st1:city> <st1:state w:st="on">Virginia</st1:state></st1:place>.
He was looking forward to dropping Ariel off there, at her parent’s house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later that night, she would be reluctantly
helping her mother in costume, to host the annual “Democrats for Cancer
Research Masquerade Ball and Auction,” (Ariel’s grandmother died of cancer
soon after giving birth to her mother. So Ariel’s mom obsessed over making this annual function bigger and better). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Martin, a determined law clerk fixed on the southern horizon as he
quantified the pecking order of his crucial phone calls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had envisioned Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter
as legitimate presidential timber and was volunteering for the campaign, in the hope of riding the candidate’s shirttail to the White House.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Ariel
set aside the aesthetics of steps and looked down in the hope of experiencing a
flash of vertigo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> T</span>he “rush” never happened. Instead, Ariel glimpsed up at Martin staring into space.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was tired of being his trophy and
resented him being her front of respectability. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">His
all-consuming political aspirations and her general indifference resulted in
their two-month relationship never being consummated.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Typically their dates ended early so she was freed-up to go back out. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Petite and blond, Ariel liked to cruise the bars in Georgetown and had relations with scruffy
pick-ups.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even worse, under the guise of
going to a concert, she and four friends had recently piled in a van for a
four-day sex, drugs and rock and roll odyssey to Miami.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She didn’t tell Martin that it was a cocaine-run or that three of the friends
were males.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Ariel
was coming back up as Fillmore Cunnynghame IV dragged his own apathetic companion to the
steps. More ordinary than handsome, his shoulder length wavy brown
hair was bound by a fire engine red headband. Consistent with his hippie-look, he preferred being called Fillmore
after the famous concert venue. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Fillmore </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">despite being born on Independence Day </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">was not quite the All-American boy.
However, he was a descendant of President Millard Fillmore.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">His forefathers left the Whig Party
during the Franklin Pierce administration and remained staunchly Republican.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Fillmore’s horny sixteen-year old girlfriend
looked young for her age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He playfully
termed his attraction to girls like her as “pedophilia.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had a need to dominate and feared rejection
from more sophisticated women closer to his own age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I</span>t was easy to ignore
her as she whined, “Let’s go back to your place and get wasted.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Such</span> eccentricities resulted in this less
than ambitious Renaissance man being expelled from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Stanford</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Twice, his wealthy and prominent father endowed the institution to “overlook” his supplying of narcotics to
minors. However, the third occurrence with the added charge of statutory
rape, left the chancellor no choice but to drum him out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Fillmore a former musical prodigy, now attended <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">American</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place>; where he was
more apt to be found on the quadrangle tossing his trademark glow-in-the-dark
lime green Frisbee than attending class. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Fillmore
lingered at the curb as Ariel reached the landing. He was making overt,
cheerfully cute comments to the passing adolescent females as he tuned-out his
girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He stepped past her and noticed Ariel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> He responded to her</span> flirtatious gaze with a cautious smile.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Soon t</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">hey
recognized their shared plight as Martin said, “I’ve got
to make some serious calls and you need to get home.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Fillmore’s
girl tugged his arm and removed her tinted glasses to emphasize her point, “C’mon this sucks. Let’s get high.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Ariel's beau said, “You wanted me to see it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw it. C'mon, let's go.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Fillmore
positioned himself behind him and ogled Ariel.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">His girl saw what was going on and resented Ariel arching her back to
exaggerate her meager, pushed-up bust.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Ariel
pointed across the street to the Tombs Tavern and broadcasted, “Martin, take me for a
drink.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Down
the half-flight of exterior steps, he reminded Ariel of the significance of the
stonewalled saloon. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> At
the bar, in a mock English accent he called out, “Publican.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Ariel
rolled her eyes and looked out the basement window at the legs passing along <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Prospect Street</st1:address></st1:street>.
She pretended to listen to Martin's ramblings as he listed historical figures that had frequented the premises.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">In mid </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">yawn, two sets of
ankles caught Ariel's eye.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">She followed them down the steps
and half-smiled as Fillmore and his girl came in.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">From a booth, Fillmore positioned himself facing Ariel. He ordered two drinks but</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> motioned the waitress back after his girlfriend went to the restroom. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> He handed her five dollars and said, “Don’t let the ‘shades’ fool you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
that kid gets back, ask her for ID.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> From across the room, Fillmore and Ariel visually locked as Martin drone</span>d, “<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Washington</st1:state></st1:place>
was known to have bent an elbow here." </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">He glanced at his watch and said, "Excuse me. I have to make some calls." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Martin</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">crossed paths with Fillmore’s returning
girlfriend.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">A minute later, she was asked to
leave when she couldn’t provide identification.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Fillmore winked at the server and lamented, “Kiddo, wait outside until I
finish.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">He went to the
jukebox. Tammy Wynette’s, “Stand by Your Man” was playing as Ariel drifted
over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While peering down at the titles,
he initiated a banal conversation.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Ariel scoffed, “Trick-or-treating
with your kid sister, sweet.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Fillmore countered, “Who’s the suit?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Mommy’s gonna be angry. She’s all alone
out there?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Fillmore
blurted out in perfect French, “When you finish dusting, I want to make you
explode in wild passion.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> In fluent Italian Ariel retorted, “If you
weren’t so crude, I’d think your Alsatian accent was endearing.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Hushed in a combination of embarrassment
and fascination Fillmore stammered, “W-wow.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Ariel was intrigued but she didn't want to give the impression that she was common without scaring him
off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Fillmore said, "Sorry if I came off as crass."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">A pleasant tête-à-tête ensued and shared interests were discovered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
were talking about skiing as Martin returned to settle his tab.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Look I gotta go,” Ariel said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Where will you be at 2:00AM?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Fillmore didn't want to blow off his weekly blues band gig at
an after-hours club on <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Minnesota
Avenue said</st1:address></st1:street></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">,
“I’ll be anywhere you want me to be.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Jefferson Memorial parking lot,” she
whispered before being whisked away. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Fillmore focused on her rear-end as the
song, “Elusive Butterfly of Love,” came on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When she didn’t look back Fillmore became apprehensive. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> He
slugged down the rest of his drink, mulled whether or not to show up
and murmured in French, “<i>Enchanted!”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">At 2:05AM, Fillmore’s
insecurities vanished as Ariel’s fire engine red MG Midget rumbled up to his
car. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> The crisp autumn air produced smoke in
Fillmore’s breath as he asked, “Where to?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Here,” she said.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">“Up for a walk?”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Fillmore fought off the urge to say that she looked dynamite in jeans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead he offered his raggedy
army jacket with the name DOVE stenciled above the right breast pocket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She smiled and shook her head. He
lit up a joint and handed it to her as they set off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their solitary stroll along the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Tidal</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Basin</st1:placetype></st1:place>
was romantically highlighted by the city’s reflection in the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They looped back to the Memorial and sat on
the top step.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><st1:place w:st="on">Jefferson</st1:place>’s
statue was seemingly eavesdropping as their superficial chat turned personal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> At the risk of rejection Fillmore confessed, “I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Everybody handles ambition
differently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I bet when something worthy comes along, you’ll jump at it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Besides, I don’t know what I want either.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ariel added, “If it’s okay, I’ll
take your jacket now.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> He covered her shoulders as she imitated
Gilda Radner from “Saturday Night Live,” “Yuh know; it’s always
somethin’.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">I</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">n her normal voice she said, “I’ve done things I’m not proud of.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">She shivered while sharing details from her arrests.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Fillmore responded in kind
and told her why he was kicked out of Stanford.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “It’s
freezing out here,” he said in a bubbly segue. “Wanna come back to the <st1:place w:st="on">Alamo</st1:place>?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “<st1:place w:st="on">Alamo</st1:place>?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Yeah,
that’s what we call my house.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Why?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “My two friends and I picked up a couple of teeny-boppers...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> He cut himself off and she said, “It's okay. <b>That was then</b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Tell me about the <st1:place w:st="on">Alamo</st1:place>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> “You sure?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Go
for it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Well...these
girls didn’t like the look of one of my friends. So to get rid of him, I sent
him on a bogus trip to the liquor store...and we went to my parent’s
house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Things got a little frisky,
clothes came off and we were “orgying” when the police pounded on the front
door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That weasel friend of mine dimed us out. Luckily, <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hastings</st1:place></st1:city>
stalled them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hastings</st1:place></st1:city>?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> He sighed, “Our butler.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Ariel
laughed, “Orgies, butlers, go on.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Sure?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “I
can handle it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hastings</st1:place></st1:city> held them off
long enough for us to dress, flush the ‘ludes’ and get the girls out the back door. The house doesn’t look anything like the <st1:place w:st="on">Alamo</st1:place>
but that’s how it got the name.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> *</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">At 3:30AM they entered his enormous, ivy covered Tudor in </span><st1:place style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Chevy Chase</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">Maryland</st1:state></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Undetected, they advanced to his
bedroom.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Fillmore adjusted the dimmer switch to a low setting, flicked on the TV and offered her a
chair. He went into his deep walk-in closet and emerged with a cigar box
and his phosphorescent green Frisbee.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Fillmore sat on the floor in front of her and used the underside of the
disk to sift out seeds and twigs before rolling a tight
joint.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “I’ve
smoked weed 511 consecutive days,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Ariel
slid down to his level, “I’m probably just as bad <b>but</b> I don’t
keep track.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She peered into the
closet, “You play?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Uncertain
what she meant he said, “Heh?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “The
oboe silly.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> He was amazed that she identified it by its case, “I was the cellist in my high school’s marching band but switched to the oboe.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Ariel smirked, “Very funny.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Fillmore responded to his own
disparagement by calling himself an asshole and </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">said, “You play?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Ariel
listed three other instruments and said, “But my first love is the flute.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> He
bolted into the closet and came out with his flute, “There’s nobody
home besides <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hastings</st1:place></st1:city>,
wanna play duets?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Before
he got his oboe, she was playing “<i>Caro Nome” </i>from
Verdi’s <i>“Rigoletto</i>.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Fillmore
called out from his closet, “I have the sheet music to Prokofiev’s ‘For
the Love of Three Oranges.’”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">I</span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">nstead of answering, she played it. He was o</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">vercome with excitement and </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">struggled to insert his double reed, until joining in.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Twenty minutes later they had finished the
first stanza of Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” when Ariel noticed the opening credits
of a black and white movie on the TV. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Oh
boy,” she exclaimed, “‘<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Casablanca.</st1:place></st1:city>’ Second to the 'Exorcist,' it's my favorite. Let’s watch.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> He stared at her, “Were you sent from heaven?” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">He pushed an over-sized beanbag chair to the foot of his bed. Fillmore plumped it up and Ariel made herself cozy. He placed a white throw-pillow that looked like a Rohrer 714 Quaalude behind her head and snuggled beside her. Cheek to cheek, he placed</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> his hand over her’s.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> F</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">ully clothed, they were
asleep before the French police apprehended Peter Lorre.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">For the next three
days, they were limited to phone calls until meeting at J. Paul’s for lunch.
At window seats, they ate, drank and chatted as the bustling Wisconsin Avenue foot traffic
went by. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “This
morning was the first time I ever went to a gynecologist,” Ariel mentioned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Fillmore was caught
off guard, “Really!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> She
looked into his eyes, “I broke-up with that guy.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Fillmore’s
raised eyebrow was his only response.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Ariel stroked his face, “We never slept
together.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> S</span>he lost eye contact
and continued, “But, I've been ‘with’ other guys while seeing him.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Fillmore was uneasy as he scooted his
seat closer. He kissed her cheek and lifted her
chin up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He feared the worst and hugged
Ariel as a steady flow of tears rolled down her face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “W-what
did the doctor say?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Ariel said, “Oh shit!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m so, so sorry. I’m fine. Really." In a whisper she added,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> "</span>I wanted to be certain I was ‘clean’ for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was afraid you’d think I was...”<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Relieved, he interrupted by quoting her, “That was then...” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">They embraced, had their first meaningful kiss and left. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Lovingly,
he escorted her back to campus.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “I can skip anthropology today,” Ariel
chirped. “Come back to my place." In French she continued, “Make me explode in passion.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “You go to class,” Fillmore laughed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Let’s at least have a first date.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> How about</span> tonight?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">That evening, just
past the Watergate Hotel on <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">New
Hampshire Avenue</st1:address></st1:street>, they entered an elegant
cosmopolitan restaurant...under-dressed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Greeted
like royalty, Raymond the maitre d’ took Fillmore aside and groaned, “Mr.
Cunnynghame kindly indulge me by allowing me to select for you a jacket and tie.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Properly befitted in an over-sized sports jacket and mismatched tie Ariel giggled,
“Don’t you look spiffy.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">They were ushered to a two-top in the
center of the dining room as their flower-child aura was frowned upon by the
pompous clientele. Upon being seated, Fillmore handed a twenty-dollar
bill to the appreciative Raymond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Fillmore spoke about his background over
perfect vodka martinis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were
sharing raw oysters as he revealed his mother’s history of nervous
disorders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> “Teddy
always instructed me to call her breakdowns, ‘vacations.’”</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Who’s
Teddy?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Oops, Teddy’s my father, Mr. Republican. Everyone calls him that because
with that brush mustache and funky glasses, he resembles Teddy Roosevelt. But
he’s a Fillmore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He hates that
name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He usually calls me Fill, which I
hate, but when he calls me Filly, I know I’m in trouble.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “My
dad calls me Missy when I’m in deep shit.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">During their Caesar Salad, Fillmore spoke
of Teddy’s ferocious demeanor and the aggressive tactics that made him
successful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “The
biggest turn-off is,” Fillmore explained as the terrapin soup arrived, “he
expects me to be the same way.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">A
complementary bottle of Mums Extra Dry was poured after the chateaubriand ala
béarnaise was served.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> The
flickering light of the candles danced in Ariel’s blithe green eyes as Fillmore
said, “I know it’s sudden but I have a surprise for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope you say yes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Ariel set down a creamy stalk of her asparagus in hollandaise sauce and said, “Whatever it is...yes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Teddy rented two condos in Tahoe. Come skiing with me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Definitely,”
she declared. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> "Teddy met me there twice in my Stanford days."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Ariel nodded as he spoke about
the flight, the area’s pristine beauty and accommodations. Equally smitten,
they decided against dessert.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Raymond returned his Carte Blanche Card and referred to the generous tip, “Even with the same name, no one could ever confuse you with your
father.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Sober, with three-quarters of their
champagne in hand, they left arm in arm, falling in love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">In her apartment, they drank the Mums
during a prolonged petting session.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Fillmore shimmied her jeans down and was taken by the monarch butterfly
print of her panties. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">In the morning, he became enthralled by
Ariel’s omnipresent sculptures, watercolors and oil paintings of large breasted
women.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">By the end of the week, Fillmore moved
in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They avoided outside influences and
spent most of their time unpacking, re-arranging and making love. Fillmore’s streak of smoking marijuana ended and without making
a specific pact, they abstained from hard drugs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">At Squaw Valley, Fillmore and Ariel were on the
slopes two hours after their plane landed. They were going strong into dusk until Ariel hit an icy
patch and plowed into a stout sapling, badly bruising her lower back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">The next day Teddy arrived and stayed in the
adjacent unit. He was personable towards Ariel but disapproved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alone in Teddy’s condo,
Fillmore endured a filibuster-like dissertation which merely condemned her for being the child of Democrats.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Fillmore responded, “And your point is?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “I hired a private investigator,” Teddy
boasted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Sealed records or not; when
you pay for the best, you get results. It seems your ‘friend’ has a criminal
history.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Big shit, so do I.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Besides, I already know. She told me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Teddy blasted, “Filly, are you aware she got
picked-up by some wastrel at the Smithsonian. And in the exit alcove of the
furthest, darkest corner of the space exhibit...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Yeah, yeah she went down on him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “But in the Smithsonian for God’s sake.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “So what.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Did she also mention that they were
discovered by a guard?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And to buy <u>his</u>
silence, she ‘serviced’ him as well! Until the whole kit and caboodle were
caught and arrested.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Ariel broke the tension by knocking on the
door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Fillmore put his arm around her waist, “I know everything I need to know and she knows more about <u>me</u>
than you ever will.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Teddy was disappointed. He wanted the trip to reinvigorate their turbulent relationship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> So when Fillmore cited Ariel’s injury and
declined the offer to ski together Teddy croaked,
“C’mon where’s your pioneer spirit?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Hell, she’s not even limping.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Ariel huffed, “It’s always something.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Fillmore sensed that Teddy was insulted, “Look, we're going to Truckee and <st1:place w:st="on">Virginia
City</st1:place>. We may stay a night in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Reno</st1:place></st1:city>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Teddy removed his rimless Prince-Nez
glasses, squeezed the bridge of his nose and relented, “Well then bully for
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before mother got ill, we
had our last good time at the MGM.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Emotionally, he added, “If you stay over, go there and make sure they
know who you are.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Away from the
heart of the city, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Reno</st1:city></st1:place>’s
MGM Grand was the classiest casino in town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Fillmore registered without fanfare and was assigned a basic room.
Unencumbered by luggage, a boisterous commotion led them away from the
elevators. In a cavernous space beyond the casino, they discovered a betting
parlor. In this “sports book,” the walls displayed gigantic racetrack tote
boards as well as “lines” (odds) for pro and college ballgames.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">A football game was being played on the
movie theater sized TV as Ariel and Fillmore scanned the room. Suddenly, there
was an outburst as the throng of bettors reacted to a controversial referee call.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Naive Fillmore asked a chubby man in a stained dress shirt, “What’s up?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “That
fumble was a bad call.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Fillmore had little interest in sports but asked, “Why's there football on
Thursday?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “It’s
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Idaho</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">State, at</st1:placetype></st1:place> <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hawaii</st1:place></st1:state>.”
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Ariel
chimed in, “All these rooters are from <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Idaho</st1:place></st1:state>?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Fillmore smiled, "Rooters. That's sweet..." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Before he finished his compliment the man yakked, "Now Hawaii won't cover, I'm screwed on the 'over' and it's impossible to 'middle' my bet!"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Fillmore
tuned him out and asked, “How come those little TV’s aren't on?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> The
man muffled a burp, “This is the only game today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> On Saturday</span>, there
will be a different game on all ten of those babies.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pointed above the betting windows that
resembled the ticket booths at Union Station and added, “Up there, they’ll post
all the updates until they become finals.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “I
can’t believe all these people give a shit about this crumby game,” Fillmore
mentioned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “There’s
nothing like the electricity of a sports book.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “I’m
sorry,” Fillmore said, “I don’t follow.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Nearly
all these people have a financial interest in the game. Trust me, you can’t get this kind of excitement anywhere else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And if
you think this atmosphere is something, come back on Sunday. Ten
times this many come for the NFL.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hell, you
can’t even move in here during the Super Bowl, the Kentucky Derby or a championship
fight.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Fascinated,
Fillmore was about to thank him as a buxom, scantily clad cocktail waitress
handed the man a beer. At the same time, Ariel admired the girl's long neck, well-toned back and
large breasts and thought she's make an excellent sculpturing subject.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> The pudgy man, leered at the girl’s bosom, handed her a five-dollar casino chip and said,
“Get these kids whatever they want.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">He then asked, “You guys </span><u style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">are</u><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> twenty-one?</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Right?”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">They lied by eight months and nodded. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The man sucked his cup dry and
crowed, “Betcha she’ll be back in a minute.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">It’s worth five bucks just to look at them titties.” Disturbed by his own callousness he turned to Ariel, “Pardon my language.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Ariel didn't react but made a mental note that she liked
looking at titties too.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> The
man wiped his mouth with his sleeve, “If they had a sports book in Modest<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">o</st1:place></st1:city>, I’d never leave town.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He motioned around the room, “’Cause legally
or not, people will find a place to bet sports.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">The barmaid returned. The lecher anticipated her arrival and had another “nickel” chip ready.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> While gaping</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> at her chest he said, “When it comes to sports books, there's big'erns and good'erns. And the MGM is a good'ern.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> While she wiggled away, he </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">elbowed Fillmore's ribs as he fixed on her rear-end and said, “Remember
this Bub, around here money talks and bullshit walks...very nicely.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> * </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">They went to the room, showered, napped and lounged around before coming down
for a midnight snack. Ariel wanted an omelet but all the restaurants were closed till 6:00AM. S</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">he settled for two bites from a vending machine </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">chicken salad sandwich.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Underage and not possessing the high roller mentality of his father, Fillmore was
intimidated from entering the casino.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Instead, they opted for a grand tour of the city in a taxi.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">The cab dropped them off on </span><st1:street style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Virginia Street</st1:address></st1:street><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">,
under </span><st1:place style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Reno</st1:city></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">’s
famous sign<b>.</b> </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPFL0NW3za0L4eBiUnhDD21-I6CrsheEkwSSZy-qvK7cOaOyzula1E1Zt1PAaf5I_KSOKT-m8MAnE-dQ_odtgb1I-9WzjmhFeUp9aQl5qnnp6FN41Cky_ZMwsrDUAQIA3K0J0dK8Yx2Dg4/s1600/z+-+a+reno-sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="957" data-original-width="1300" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPFL0NW3za0L4eBiUnhDD21-I6CrsheEkwSSZy-qvK7cOaOyzula1E1Zt1PAaf5I_KSOKT-m8MAnE-dQ_odtgb1I-9WzjmhFeUp9aQl5qnnp6FN41Cky_ZMwsrDUAQIA3K0J0dK8Yx2Dg4/s200/z+-+a+reno-sign.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>PRIOR TO ATLANTIC CITY LEGALIZING GAMBLING, RENO WAS THE WORLD'S SECOND BIGGEST VENUE IN THE WORLD.</b> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">They drank and gallivanted through quaint storefront casinos.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">At the Cal-Neva Club, they stopped
to watch people play slot machines. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Ariel whispered, "Let's get some nickels." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Their brazen jaunt into underage gambling netted them each a two-dollar loss.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Later, they were attracted by seedy looking
Harold’s Club.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They lost a few more dollars before realizing the rundown
Victorian-styled sawdust-joint was being
renovated. Lured by the modern brightness, they entered the refurbished side of the casino, where the table
games were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">The new side had a similar antique motif but
was clean, upbeat and had Ragtime music piped in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> A blackjack dealer was standing dead and encouraged them to play. </span>Fillmore was hesitant as he approached Corrine, a brunet in her early
twenties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> He was b</span>ashful and declined but accepted a quick
lesson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fillmore fixated on her open shirt and ample cleavage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ariel appreciated the sway of her unbridled
breasts too, but as a freedom of expression.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Fillmore
waited for her tutorial to end and softly said, “Do you know where we can
score some weed?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Corinne
replied, “Sure, I go on break in ten minutes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">They followed her through Lincoln Alley
and shared a joint behind Harrah’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An
hour later, Corinne took them to a tiny apartment crammed with young people and
they bought a “lid.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Made to feel so at ease, they hung
out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While a guitarist sang “<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Alice</st1:place></st1:city>’s Restaurant,”
Fillmore began telling stories of his world travels. Ariel remained enraptured even though she knew them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Most of their reefer was gone as Fillmore
finished his tale of smoking Nepali “shit” with the Sherpas in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Katmandu</st1:place></st1:city>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Someone said, "Let's go for munchies.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Thirteen of them trudged through snow flurries to Landrum’s
Landmark Diner, the self-proclaimed, “world’s smallest diner.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Fillmore and Ariel gravitated to
Corinne.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> She left her jacket open during</span> the walk as she called blackjack dealing; exciting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ariel peeked at Corinne’s jiggling chest and
recalled as a sixteen year old, her arrest for
skinny-dipping on acid in the Reflecting Pool of the Capitol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Ariel
asked, “You don’t mind exposing yourself?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “I’m
not showing anything. It’s harmless. Tonight I made $85.00 in tokes, (tips).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the weekends I do much better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Buttoned up, I’d make half. You see, we keep our own tokes. In all the other casinos, dealers pool the tips. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Plus, <u>they</u></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> have strict dress codes so girls gotta wear bras."</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Ariel said, "Interesting," as she imagined blackjack as their ticket out of </span><st1:place style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Washington.</st1:state></st1:place><br />
<st1:place style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on"><br /></st1:state></st1:place><st1:place style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on"> Somebody in the group </st1:state></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">remarked, “Hey, even if Landrum’s is empty, there won’t be enough seats for all of
us.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> A
debate started and Bob’s Big Boy seemed to be their new
destination until Fillmore took control, "How about I take everyone to the MGM."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">At 6:10AM, low-key early risers were stunned by Fillmore’s unkempt horde entering the
MGM’s lobby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> They advanced to the long buffet line j</span>ammed by
conventioneers. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Twenty minutes later at the head of the line, <st1:place w:st="on">Dorothea</st1:place>,
a wrinkled sixty-plus hostess with unflattering, long jet black hair refused to seat them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fillmore stopped his mob from
profaning her and without raising his voice rationalized with the
shrew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> She didn't give in so he told his followers, “Sit!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">A security force led by two men in suits converged on the narrow aisle to the cash register being blocked by protesters. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">The security supervisor Earl Pembry, a balding, hooked nose drill sergeant-type, rudely questioned Fillmore. The</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> other man's </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">nameplate read; Winston C. Hill, Restaurant Manager.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Pembry wasted a lot of time until asking, “You an MGM guest?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Fillmore smiled, “Yes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Pembry
extended his hand, “Key and ID!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Before complying he said, “You treat all paying customers this way?”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Mr. Hill stepped forward and in a calm Jamaican accent interjected, "Hello. My name is Hill. Please, may I know yours."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I'm Fillmore Cunnynghame.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Hill recognized the name, handed back his credentials and announced, “<st1:place w:st="on">Dorothea</st1:place> escort these
nice people to their seats and let’s get the queue moving.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> She referred to the most remote,
closed corner of the dining room and cracked, “Stick
‘em in ‘K’ zone?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Hill forced a smile, “No, they’ll
be more comfortable with everyone else in ‘D.’” He turned to Fillmore, gave him his business card and shook his hand</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">, “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you sir.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">You’re more youthful than I imagined.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">He reiterated his regrets over the mix-up and added, “Breakfast is on me and you can expect full ‘F and B’
for the duration of your stay.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Fillmore didn’t know or care that F and B
meant; food and beverage as h</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">e winked at Ariel, “It’s always
something.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Fillmore shook Hill's hand again and said, “Sir, does your middle initial stand for
Church?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Why
yes,” he smiled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Few people are clever enough to figure that out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Mr. Winston Church Hill, like your namesake, I appreciate your diplomacy...” He pointed at Dorothea and Pembry, “...and it might be a good idea to remind Morticia and Colonel Klink how to speak to
people. Also, it was very nice to treat us to breakfast, but I don’t want something for
nothing...I just want respect.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “I
understand,” Hill nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Fillmore said to Ariel,
“They fucked up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Free shit at this
point is like a Band-Aid on cancer.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Months later on a
grim mid-March afternoon, the aimless duo hiked Rock Creek Park. They trudged up from a deep ravine and entered the
Washington Zoo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like the city’s
landscape, its gradual slopes give it a flat appearance. Under
closer scrutiny, despite the concrete and the barred enclosures, many areas include natural peaks and valleys.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Fillmore was staring into the tapir enclosure as Ariel turned from a blustery gust to light a joint.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">The warmth
of the holidays was long forgotten and the new bi-centennial spirit thrust upon
them a greater need for independence.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">However, without a creative surge to break away, they remained wedged
between the comfort zone of their parents’ resources and their own fulfillment.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Their
stifled lives were agitated by the infighting between the families. The Mott’s
despised Fillmore’s lazy nature and vilified him; while Teddy constantly
reminded Fillmore that he was being hoodwinked by a “tramp.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Equally wrong, both parties managed to drag
politics into the equation further polarizing the situation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Ariel’s
head was hung low as they wound down a twisty wooded path towards the bald
eagle.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Blended in with</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> barren
trees, a few drops of rain fell as they stopped to snuggle and look up at the noble creature.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> The majestic bird was flapping its wings as Fillmore groaned, “It's time for <u>us</u> to fly
away.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> T</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">hey were ambling past the pachyderms as Ariel joked</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">, “Considering equal access, you’d think the Democrats would have built
their own jackass cage by now."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Fillmore
didn’t react. A stinging drizzle hustled them to the small
mammal house.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">In
semi-darkness, the meerkats watched the couple watch them. Another wave of insecurity
hit Fillmore.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">He wanted to kiss Ariel
but she turned away and sobbed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Don’t
worry I’ll sort out this bullshit...I swear I’ll make you happy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> “No,” Ariel whimpered, “it’s not that. I love you.
I’d live in a shack with you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She burst into tears, “Something is wrong with my back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm getting shooting
pains where I fell.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> He
grabbed her hand and bellowed, “I’m taking you to a doctor.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> In a tight embrace, they marched up </span><st1:street style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Connecticut
Avenue</st1:address></st1:street><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">. Inside his car, the showers ended. The sun
came out. Ariel felt warmer and claimed her subsiding pain had vanished.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> She didn't remind him of her fear of doctors and insisted, “Let’s go check out the
cherry blossoms.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> In silence, Fillmore kept fiddling with the car radio as they cruised through the business district behind the White House. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">The last minute of the
Beatles,’ “Nowhere Man” was followed by a commercial for the </span><st1:place style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">International</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Croupiers</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">School</st1:placetype></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">They had never discussed the possibility of becoming
casino dealers but t</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">he idea crossed their mind at the same time. </span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Ariel smiled, “Let’s check it out.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Fillmore said, "Cool. And it's only a few blocks away."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">On the congested street, t</span>hey counted down the addresses and like kismet, a parking spot opened up in front.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They rushed up to the sixth floor and impetuously
signed up for craps, blackjack, roulette and baccarat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> T</span>he registrar handed back his Carte
Blanche Card, “<b>PIF</b><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">’</span>s are our favorite students.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Ariel shrugged, "What do you mean?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> The man whispered, “Those who <b>P</b>ay <b>I</b>n <b>F</b>ull get advanced job placement.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I</span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">nto July,</span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Fillmore and Ariel attended every day and didn't need to apply themselves to excel.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">They gravitated
toward craps but her back pain flared-up while dealing it,
so she pretended to prefer blackjack. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">The
School’s director nicknamed them his "Bohemian, power couple" and advised against Reno because </span><st1:place style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Las Vegas had more opportunities that would suit their sophisticated tastes</st1:city></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">On their last day, </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Fillmore
showed clean-shaven and in his first haircut in two years.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The director led them into the break room and said, "We don't usually do this but congratulations on completing your training. And! A slightly belated, happy twenty-first birthday to you both." </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Students gathered around a table with a tray of Twinkies cut into twenty-one pieces.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> A girl said, "Ariel, blow out the candle and make a wish."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> She hesitated and Fillmore said, "Don't tell us what it is or it won't come true."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The director said, "Go on. Your birthday was July eleventh that's seven-eleven. That's good luck in this racket."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Ariel said, "I've never considered myself lucky..."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The girl said, "Cancerians are a perfect love match. They are devoted to each other and live in domestic tranquility."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> "Yes I'm very fortunate to find this guy," she said as she blew out the candle. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Later</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">, the director proudly announced
that he had placed them at the Las Vegas Golden Nugget Casino.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Ariel’s parents didn't approve of the move and threatened to disinherit her. They thought
their resources were so ingrained that she'd never risk losing it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">At
the </span><st1:place style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on">Alamo</st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">, Teddy said he was flabbergasted by
Fillmore’s shortsightedness and cancelled his credit card.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> The morning after they left,
Teddy confided in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hastings</st1:place></st1:city>,
“I was the same way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I fought my father
tooth and nail but eventually I sowed my wild oats and came around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let Filly try it his way. Once that spoiled
whore gets a taste of blue-collar life, I guarantee she’ll show her true
colors.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0px;"> Ariel's folks</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0px;"> remained confident that she was bluffing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> A month later, Mr. Mott said to his wife, “We have the consolation of knowing that indolent ne'er-do-well won’t poison our family name by marrying her.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">The epitome of soul
mates, Fillmore and Ariel were already dealing at the Golden Nugget for six years when I was hired in August 1982.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They were unmarried but monogamous. They had the
same breaks at work, doted on one another and liked holding hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>T</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">hey placed no boundaries and seemed friendly to everyone even the upper managers.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">I never dealt with Fillmore but I appreciated
his company, enjoyed his worldliness and peaceful
disposition.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">My
first day on the job, I was an emergency replacement for somebody who had
gotten arrested on his break.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> A</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> fellow dealer that day was twenty-seven year old, Christopher Dean.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">He hailed from </span><st1:place style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Lusk</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">Wyoming</st1:state></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">
and had been a rising star in pro rodeo circuit until a spinal injury ended his career.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">A stereotypical cowboy, “Rowdy” Christopher Dean, as he was known had short-cropped black hair, sunken cheeks and a thick mustache.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">His appearance was accented by
a dent-like scar along the outer orbital bone of his right eye, compliments of
an enraged Brahma bull.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> I soon learned, he</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> was semi-literate, an alcoholic, addicted to painkillers and sometimes “hyped-up” on speed.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> H</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">is ill-advised lifestyle resulted in monstrously aggressive and irrational behavior. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">I saw Christopher Dean at his worst in my first hour on the job. He got irate when our supervisor called him, “Chris.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> He threatened that floorman while telling him off and</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> finished with, “If
you can’t handle Rowdy, my name’s Christopher!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Our superior squeaked, “Sorry, I knew that.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Later, I was the stickman and a player made a bet for the dealers and himself.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The bet won.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> I directed the third base dealer, “Pay this
gentleman seven dollars and he’s up to win again.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Rowdy
was annoyed that I didn’t automatically <b>take</b> another tip from the
player’s winnings and barked from second base, “Dummy, give him six and <b>we’re</b>
up.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> P</span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">etty “shake-down” tactics like that are common. But </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">I had been trapped for six months in the “toilet” up the street (The Vegas Club) and was afraid of losing my job, on day one. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> So without </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">knowing who was who, I stuck to</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> procedure and repeated myself, “Give this gentleman seven
dollars.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Richie Lopez, the third base dealer
hesitated because of Rowdy’s menacing reputation. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">I
thwacked the craps stick in front of the player and Richie paid the seven dollars.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">To pacify my new
coworkers, I employed my best “soft-hustle,” and easily got the player to give
us another bet...legally. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Richie,
a </span><st1:city style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Chicagoan</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">
nodded to acknowledge my professionalism. I smiled back and noticed that he
wore his hair in a pompadour. Later, I found out that he supplemented his
income as an Elvis impersonator.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Later while waiting to clock-out, Rowdy in
a floppy black Stetson, stuck his right index finger an inch from my face and
blasted, “Where the fuck do you get off?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Don’t ever fuck with my money.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He looked for support from the dealers on line and roared,
“Don’t fuck with <b>our</b> money. Right!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> The
crowd was silent until his two redneck toadies grunted, “Yeah.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Even if it hit,” I said, “split
fifty ways that eight bucks is pennies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Look it’s my first day, don’t be such a ‘hard-on.’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “<b>HARD-ON! </b>C’mon outside. This hard-on is
gonna kick your ass.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">In the alley off <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Carson Avenue</st1:address></st1:street> encircled by spectators, I
awaited certain annihilation. While Rowdy laughed, his phantom punches
snapped close to my face as he danced to block my way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Through
the mosaic of voices I heard someone shout, “Hit ‘em.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Another
screamed, “Somebody stop them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> I muttered, “Look. I’m no fighter.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Rowdy
lost his grin as he fixed on my face and cocked his fist.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> F</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">rom behind a much smaller dealer with wavy brown hair grabbed his wrist.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> He
was about my age and said, “<b>CHRISTINE!</b> Stop it.”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">A profane exchange followed but Rowdy
backed down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every chance my hero got,
as if salting an open wound, he called him CHRISTINE.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rowdy threatened me again before skulking
away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> H</span>e took some parting shots until my
savior hollered, “Mess with him again CHRISTINE and it'll be the
worst day of your life.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> I read this fellow’s badge and said,
“Thanks Fillmore.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “He’s a real head-case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rumor has it, there’s a hunting knife strapped
to his calf. Avoid him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If he
gives you more shit, let me know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And if you’re alone with him,” Fillmore chuckled, “just call him
Christine.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Christine?” I asked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You have a Svengali hold on him?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> He smiled at my movie reference, “That's Christopher Dean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
you call him Chris, you get CHRIS DEAN.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He peaked in high school and lives in a macho fantasy world. Plus, he’s a mental-midget.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">A few times, I had drinks with Fillmore. But I didn't fit in with his “jet-set"</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> clique.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">On a tired street, in a residential
neighborhood, Fillmore and Ariel rented a modest house on the outskirts of
town.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Their simple, happy and loving lives became complicated when Ariel's back pain became more frequent and severe.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">A month after I started at the Nugget, Ariel was dealing
roulette. She and her best friend Ellie Buckwalter had the same break. They always washed up first before sitting down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Ariel went straight into the toilet four
breaks in a row so Ellie asked through the stall door, “You okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “The last few days I’ve been spotting and
it’s getting worse.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> At the sink, Ellie motioned towards her
crotch, “Have you seen a doctor?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “No. I’ve only seen a gyno once, years
ago.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">They discussed the uncharted territory of
pregnancy, the possibility of an extra heavy menstrual flow and
miscarriages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> On
their way back to duty, Ellie realized that nothing had been resolved,
“You should see a doctor to be on the safe side.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;">At the same time, </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Fillmore had been noticing an increased moodiness in Ariel and a sharper temper.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">A week later Ariel’s bleeding intensified,
the pain spread and her lovely face lost its healthy glow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Towards the end of a</span> shift, Ariel hobbled to the rest room. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Ariel sat on the toilet and was tending
her problem when Ellie whispered, “What can I do for you?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “I’m okay. See you later.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Ellie said, “No.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> The girls bickered until Ariel claimed, “It’s from a skiing accident.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Ellie left and ran to tell Fillmore. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">From his dealer position, a few minutes later, he watched Ariel uneasily cross the busy casino.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> An hour later, on the way to their car he sai</span>d,
“You’re walking funny.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> She said, “I tweaked something. Maybe it’s a Charlie-horse.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> He was dissatisfied with her explanation, </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">"I've been watching you. You're losing weight, look sad and all the color in your face is gone."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> "It's b-because..."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> He interrupted, "You're in pain. I spoke to Ellie and I called her gynecologist. He's doing us a solid by seeing you tomorrow at 8:00AM."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">In Dr. Randolph McGill's empty waiting room, Ariel completed a fifty-four question New Patient
Survey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Twice she asked for Fillmore’s help as he read <i>Entrepreneurial Magazine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">The examination was a half hour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Fillmor</span>e was absorbed in rereading an article so the nurse tapped his
shoulder to get his attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Inside he found Ariel slumped in a wheelchair as he was greeted by McGill’s firm handshake.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “I’m afraid Miss Mott's condition is dire,” he stated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“She must be hospitalized
immediately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go now and I’ll phone ahead
for a direct admission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll meet you
there and do an ultrasound.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Fillmore wheeled her into the
elevator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> On the way down Ariel contorted her body to see him
and bawled, “I’m <u>so</u> sorry.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Hours later, a disconsolate, lonely figure
sat in a darkened telephone booth and called <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Washington</st1:state></st1:place>. Hoarsely, Fillmore apprised
Teddy of the situation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Irritated, Fillmore snarled, “A radical
hysterectomy...yes we got a goddamned second opinion...look I gotta go...I’ll
call you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Teddy snapped,
“I’ll be there tomorrow.. And I’m bringing <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Hastings</st1:city></st1:place>.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Over wrought by nervousness, Fillmore
nearly hyperventilated while making his next call.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Barely audible through his tears, he told Ariel’s mother, “She has ovarian cancer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> If it spread, </span>she has a month or two...” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Mrs. Mott’s unladylike, damning verbal abuse was so loud that
Fillmore held the receiver away from his ear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> She mentioned the
importance of hosting her Democrats for Cancer Research fundraiser before
lashing out, “I’ll be there at the end of next week to straighten everything
out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Late the next
afternoon Fillmore met with Dr. McGill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
was shown the results of Ariel’s blood work and the evidence that the cancer
had metastasized into her lymph nodes and now her liver.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Our worst fears have been realized. Other than keeping her comfortable,” McGill
said, “there is little else we can do.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Fillmore was at Ariel's side as </span>Teddy marched into her hospital room. He displayed a level of dormant, sweet compassion that his son never dreamed
existed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Ariel sweetheart,” he cooed. “We’re going
to take you home. You’d like that better, wouldn’t you?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Ariel peered up at his square head and
boxer’s build, felt safe and nodded. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Teddy raised his index finger skyward and said to Fillmore, "Believe you can and you're halfway there." He ran out and from the
corridor proclaimed, “We shall respond with action to lick this diabolical disease.”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Fillmore stared at the floor. His tyrant had become a lunatic. He shook his head.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Fillmore’s rapport
with his Golden Nugget upper management golfing buddies netted him an open-ended leave of
absence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Steadfastly at the patient’s
side, he combined a strict diet regimen with holistic medicine but Ariel still deteriorated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">O</span>n the fifth day, Fillmore's desperation brought a parade of quacks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Of the six, the only credible one was an acupuncturist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The procedure lessened her pain but it was no remedy. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Later, Fillmore became frustrated by his folly after an
herbal enema was administered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> T</span>he last “contestant” proposed boiling Ariel’s blood and she was ushered out immediately.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Teddy located an experimental drug in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Canada</st1:country-region></st1:place>
that was reported to have had success against cancer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Before
leaving to make travel arrangements he chirped, “They make it from ground apricot
pits, it’s called Laetrile. While the FDA sits on their ass, we’ll take
action.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Ariel was asleep for the night.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><br /></st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"> Hastings</st1:place></st1:city>
referred to her difficult day and suggested, “Fill, go to work for one
night. The change of scenery will do you good. I’ll never leave
her. She’ll be fine.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> * </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Fillmore'</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">s first break was with Richie Lopez.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> H</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">e vented his problems and paraphrased Teddy by calling her malady, a demon.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Lopez said, "Maybe you should bring in a priest."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Fillmore remained civil, “She’s not dead
yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Besides we’re not religious. We’re not even Catholic. She’s Presbyterian, I’m Episcopalian.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Richie looked around and leaned closer, “Father Malcolm is an
exorcist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If Lucifer has planted his
satanic seed, only Malcolm can drive out the maleficence!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Fillmore gushed, “I want to meet your Father
Malcolm.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">"I'll be right back, " Lopez said as he ran to a pay phone. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Fillmore was visualizing Ariel’s amusement as</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Teddy returned home from his travel preparations. But he was furious that Fillmore had abandoned his post. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Later that same night, a man</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> in a floor-length, brown, hooded robe with his face
shrouded by darkness, comically entered the Golden Nugget.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">My eye focused on the common rope he used as
a sash as Richie Lopez spoke with him.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> On Fillmore's next break, he was introduced to Father Malcolm</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">. The two men left the casino and went behind Stoney's Pawn Shop.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Fillmore
lit a joint and offered it to the “clergyman.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Malcolm pulled away his head covering and took two short pokes and a
deep drag.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">While taking turns smoking,
Fillmore detailed Ariel’s affliction.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Father
Malcolm’s deep-set eyes squinted as he took another meaningful hit and gasped,
“For three-hundred dollars cash...in advance, I can eliminate her accursed
possession.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Fillmore’s
scheming mind was racing, “Yeah, yeah fine three-hundred.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But let me ask you this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you a real priest?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> In
an even temper Malcolm responded, “You can have complete faith in me to perform
the ritual. I was ordained in 1972.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “No,
no what I meant was, in addition to your ‘service,’ can you legally perform a
marriage ceremony?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Malcolm
smiled, “Get me the couple, a license, ring and a witness...no
extra charge.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Toward the end of that same shift, Teddy stormed into
the Nugget.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Richie
Lopez got my attention, “Check it out, a Teddy Roosevelt impersonator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even if he <u>can</u> sing, that’s gotta be a
tough gig.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Before
we realized who he was, Teddy confronted Fillmore on a live game, “You deserted your post! We’re
leaving!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Is
Ariel okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Yes
she’s fine Filly. Let’s go.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “I
can’t walk off. I’m on working.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Teddy gestured at the craps table and spewed, “Here’s the <u>deal</u> Fillmore...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Floorman,
<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Antony</st1:place></st1:city> Francis
came to the rescue with exaggerated sarcasm, “Begging your pardon Mr.
President...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Fillmore
interrupted, “It's okay. He’s my father.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<st1:place style="text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span></st1:city></st1:place><st1:place style="text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Antony</span></st1:city></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> said, "Need a private moment? I can get someone..."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> He walked to the end of the pit as Fillmore said, "No thanks."</span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> “For God’s sake man, you could be anything you
want,” Teddy blared as the craps game continued.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It kills me to see you as a common
laborer...”</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> “You’re not just insulting me,” Fillmore interjected
as he paid some bets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He stood up
straight, motioned to the gawking onlookers and added, “You’re disturbing the action and minimizing my
friends.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Teddy was unmoved, “You are to end this inane
charade. Your <u>gamboling</u>
days are over!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When this ordeal is done,
you are to accompany me back to <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Washington</st1:place></st1:state>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will create a position at the firm
that best suits your...er...unique nature.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Fillmore paid more bets and hissed, “Don’t you
ever call Ariel an ordeal! Look, I appreciate everything you’ve done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hopefully, you’ll bring back a miracle from <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Canada</st1:place></st1:country-region>. But
right now, I’m not leaving. And you can <b>bet</b> I <u>never</u> come back to D.C.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
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<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*</div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">The next day, Teddy flew
into British Columbia and took a commuter flight to <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Kamloops</st1:place></st1:city>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He picked up the “prescription” and spent the evening at a hotel, in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Vancouver's Gastown district. </st1:place></st1:city></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Fillmore continued his vigil next to sleeping Ariel. In the
kitchen, <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hastings</st1:place></st1:city>
prepared for late arriving guests.</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> *</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> During that night Richie Lopez asked me, “You
goin' to Fillmore’s party after work?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> “I wasn’t invited.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> “It’ll be okay. Come with me.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Richie followed me home after our shift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He used my foyer as a dressing room and was in full Elvis regalia when I came down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t help but laugh seeing his white
sequined outfit complete with blue suede shoes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">At 2:30AM, </span>we stopped at a liquor store for beer. The clerk and the one customer were all smiles as Richie did some of his <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">schtick</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">North on <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Decatur
Boulevard</st1:address></st1:street>, we followed the directions to a street of older, well-spaced ranchers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A crowd out front and the loud music attracted us to #669.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the driveway’s cracked pavement, we took
a step up onto a small, rickety, wooden porch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
thought it was funny how the stereo’s booming bass rattled the house number as
we entered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Inside, familiar faces stopped what they were doing
to congregate around the “King.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Lopez acknowledged his regal reception and crowed,
“Thank you, thank you very much.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">On my own, I toured the museum-like ambiance of Ariel's studio. I took pleasure in her tasteful artwork that was dominated by large breasted women.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Out back, I saw the casino shift boss in the pool and the hot tub filled to capacity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Off the kitchen, at the door to the master bedroom, craps dealer Lester “Boo-Koo” <st1:place w:st="on">Jefferson</st1:place>
acted as a bouncer and screened prospective entrants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The door swung open long enough for me to see
Fillmore wailing away on his saxophone with his blues band buddies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Before</span> the door closed, I also glimpsed the
once delicate butterfly. Withered and sickly, Ariel sat up in bed,
in white satin pajamas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I popped open one of Richie’s Old Style beers and
was admiring Ariel’s oil painted self-portrait as the band exited the
bedroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Boo-Koo called out, “Ellie, Ellie Buckwalter.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Ellie stood out from the casual gathering in an elegant
fire engine red cocktail dress and matching pumps. She entered the inner
sanctum with a guitar case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was drawn
nearer to the closed door and struggled over the din to hear her beautiful
rendition of, “Amazing Grace,” ala Joan Baez.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Twenty minutes later, Boo-Koo announced,
“Where’s my main man Elvis?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br />I knew he was out front.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found him chatting with Father Malcolm and led them to the bedroom. They went in. Boo-Koo kept me out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">At the same time, "Rowdy" Christopher Dean's rusted-out pick-up rolled onto Fillmore’s front lawn. The truck was still moving as
his two drunken henchmen jumped out. At the doorway to the house, a couple was
necking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rowdy burst up the
one step and slammed the amorous man against the wall. The jolt popped-out the upper
nail in the house number’s nine, it flopped upside down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Boo-Koo told Fillmore about the party-crashers and left to intercept them. The bedroom door was left ajar for a few seconds. My eye panned past the elite circle of friends to Ariel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stared at the details of her bony, anemic
face. A sick-tray with a circular mirror bearing six neat lines of cocaine
straddled her torso. Suddenly, there was a disturbance behind me and before I
could react, an elbow “cold-cocked” my temple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Instinctively, I blocked the doorway as I heard
Rowdy exclaim, “Look at all that coke!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">A melee broke out until the three pariahs were outnumbered. The scuffle seemed over but Rowdy broke free of Boo-Koo’s grip and slipped
down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From his knees, he grabbed the bottom of Fillmore’s shirt and brandished a Bowie knife from his pant leg. Our sopping wet shift boss lurched forward and deftly
disarmed Rowdy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Fillmore remarked, "It's the Alamo, all over again."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Richie started singing
“Jailhouse Rock” as the evil threesome were led out. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">The
party was getting back up to speed as Fillmore scooped cocaine from a brandy
snifter with a baby food spoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He introduced Father Malcolm to Ariel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
didn’t know why he was invited but she knew it was queer that a “man of the
cloth” would help himself to four lines during Richie’s mini-concert. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">The
noise gently phased out as the room mysteriously blackened. A recording of
“Tubular Bells” came on and eerily echoed throughout the house.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">The music’s theme was developing as the bedroom light switch was flickered. Ariel sat up as her friends advanced on her
through the strobe-effect.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Som</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">e men began picking up the legs of the bed and dropping them as others rattled furniture and made
mock screams.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> The craziness stopped and Fillmore said, “Ariel, Father Malcolm is here to
exorcise the cancer from you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Ariel weakly cracked, “I wish I could puke-up pea soup or turn my head
all the way around.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">The
laughter offended Malcolm, "Decorum. Please."</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Fillmore
cried, “Forget the holy water, let’s all do a few more lines.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Ariel wasn’t strong enough to snort any
more cocaine.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Malcolm'</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">s solemn expression eased as he did another line.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Father Malcolm began chanting in Latin and praying in English. Soon, Fillmore asked him to stop as the ceremony's novelty wore thin. He was </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">removing the drug paraphernalia from the bed as he c</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">ued Boo-Koo to fade the lights to darkness. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">The “exorcism,” never spooked Ariel but this
half-minute of murky stillness did.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Agonizingly slow, the creaking door opened. A quiet couple stood still, silhouetted
in the doorjamb.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">The indiscernible man
was holding a lit jasmine scented candle and Ellie carried the Rohrer 714 throw
pillow with a small box perched on top. The light gradually returned as Fillmore
took the box.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> On one knee, witnessed by
the austere gallery, Fillmore showed Ariel the wedding ring and began his proposal, "You are always on my mind. And my thoughts of you are happy. Come to me, hold me, never leave me. I want to spend my life with you and walk besides you. All I want, is to be with you now, and forever."</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Ariel was unable to speak and everyone wept.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Fillmore continued and finished with, "Will you marry me?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Through her pained face, a faint, long-forgotten sparkle came Ariel's eye as she managed a smile and nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Father Malcolm said, "I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">A short shower of rice was followed by Ariel’s feeble bouquet toss,
which was dropped on the floor in front of the other girls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Ellie came out of the room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through bittersweet tears, she told the
remaining guests the news of the nuptials and asked us to leave.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Two upbeat days later, it was arranged that <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hastings</st1:place></st1:city>
would pick-up the Mott’s at the airport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, Ariel didn’t wake up that morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Fillmore, like a zombie, stood alone as
his “in-laws” deplaned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Ariel’s mother, u</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">naware of her
daughter’s death, strode past him.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Mr. Mott called her back. Shallow greetings were exchanged.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Cotton-mouthed, Fillmore shared the news.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Mrs.
Mott’s obscene tantrum was heard throughout the
terminal.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">On the way to the funeral home, Mrs. Mott’s aimed her eternal spring of verbal abuse at the back of Fillmore's head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Later, </span>Teddy’s
unexpected and unappreciated presence inside the mortuary intensified her scorn. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Before the Mott's saw Ariel's body, the two sides quarreled on whether to bury Ariel in her family’s <st1:state w:st="on">Virginia</st1:state>
plot or Teddy’s in <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Maryland</st1:place></st1:state>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> She arrogantly said, “This is none of your business, sir.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Teddy did't dignify her statement, stared at his son and growled, “Filly.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Fillmore said, “You’re both wrong. She’s staying here.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Mrs.
Mott snapped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“This <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">affair</i> doesn’t qualify as a common-law marriage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Y</span>oung man, you have no say here!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Teddy reiterated in a higher inflection, “Filly!”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Fillmore
raised his left hand and displayed his wedding band. Spontaneously, Mr. Mott
lunged at him but Teddy interceded.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “You made the sanctity of marriage into a
sham and mockery,” Mrs. Mott seethed. “You <b>will </b>seek an annulment.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Politely, Fillmore refused.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> T</span>he Mott’s privately conferred as Teddy snapped, “Typical bleeding heart liberals.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Mr. Mott sneered, “He's more demented than the Teddy Roosevelt character from ‘Arsenic and Old Lace.’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh8nYZuhncdzXszKauxwuSjXNPnqNLxTkrqCrWEP7Zd8l2YrvAcbEALV-l432yl-PyrRA5w3-OY7TzAueCAO7jNNlRONxJQAZr2MPYw-p6ISraSWHOm8vpjol3-oCH7FB__i1NREVU7X_0/s1600/z+-+a+teddy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="289" data-original-width="433" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh8nYZuhncdzXszKauxwuSjXNPnqNLxTkrqCrWEP7Zd8l2YrvAcbEALV-l432yl-PyrRA5w3-OY7TzAueCAO7jNNlRONxJQAZr2MPYw-p6ISraSWHOm8vpjol3-oCH7FB__i1NREVU7X_0/s200/z+-+a+teddy.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>ACTOR JOHN ALEXANDER (1897-1982) ENJOYED A LONG, ESTEEMED CAREER (1915-1962) ON STAGE, IN FILMS AND ON TV. HE'S BEST KNOWN FOR HIS 1944 ROLE IN, "ARSENIC AND OLD LACE," AS CARY GRANT'S OLDER, INSANE BROTHER, TEDDY ROOSEVELT BREWSTER. ALEXANDER ALSO APPEARED IN THE SAME ROLE ON BROADWAY. </b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">A loud partisan argument broke out and the funeral
director came out of his office to end their senseless political debate.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Disgusted, Mrs. Mott
rummaged through Ariel’s personal effects.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> She
was appalled at her daughter’s informal wardrobe and </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">barked at her husband, “My baby has nothing to wear.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> She needs a proper</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> dress to be buried in.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Fillmore tried to be helpful, “Her favorite
color was fire engine red.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Mrs. Mott cursed Fillmore and venomously
spat, “She is <b><u>NOT</u></b> going to be buried in red!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">In a reflective pause, she couldn't recall her daughter’s color preference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her mind clawed at the past and all she could
remember was Ariel’s party dress when she turned six.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Mrs. Mott proclaimed, “She’ll wear sky
blue!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> From the kitchen Teddy responded, “Let’s
compromise, his red; your blue and we’ll throw in white shoes.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Before he could expand on its patriotic
significance, he drew unanimous dirty looks and was told by
everyone, “Shut up!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Hours before the
funeral, Fillmore appeared at the mortuary carrying a brown paper bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> He </span>viewed Ariel’s body and asked the cosmetician to put her <i>bustier </i>on, under her dress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> The man said, “No one will see it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Yeah...but she,” his voice cracked, “would've liked it.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">"I have strict instructions from her mother..." </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">His reluctance disappeared when Fillmore </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">handed him a fifty-dollar bill, fire engine red nail polish and said</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">, "Don't forget, I'm her husband." </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> H</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">e lingered long enough to see his wishes carried through.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Teddy got out of the
limousine after the funeral and suggested, “Come back to <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Washington</st1:place></st1:state> with me...no
strings attached.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Fillmore
draped his arm over Teddy’s shoulder and said, “No thanks. I’ll be staying
close to Ariel.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> They
stepped onto the porch as Teddy said, "Who are they?" T</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">wo men in dark suits and sunglasses got out of a black sedan. They identified themselves as Metro detectives and served Fillmore a search warrant.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">An anonymous tip
from either Rowdy, a disgruntled neighbor or the Mott’s, yielded enough drugs
for a charge of: Possession with intent to distribute. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Teddy
had been unaware of the </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">party before the wedding. He also didn’t believe
Fillmore’s claim that it was the first time in six years that they had used
anything stronger than marijuana.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> W</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">hatever credibility Teddy may have ceded to his son over
time, had evaporated.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> He</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> seethed over the perception that his goodwill had been exploited to subsidize
drug dealers.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> So Teddy never considered </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">using his legal wherewithal and resources to quash the authority’s case.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Teddy
said to <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hastings</st1:place></st1:city>,
“I’ve played the fool for the last time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A night in the ‘pokey’ will do the boy a world of good.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span></st1:place></st1:city><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Hastings</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> said, “Sir, I strongly beg to differ.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Yes,
come to think of it, I’ve never been much of a disciplinarian, thirty days
ought to...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span></st1:place></st1:city><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Hastings</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> interrupted with an unprecedented exacting tact, “He hates you, sir.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Rubbish!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Believe
me, he doesn’t want to. Even if he isn’t harmed ‘inside,’ you’ll legitimize
his hatred. Please don't go through with this childish power ploy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Teddy blustered, “See here...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span></st1:place></st1:city><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Hastings</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> cut him off again, “Not thirty nights. Not
one night. Not even one more hour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> You're being spiteful. Realize that half of him is you! And the other half is the woman you cherish. Neither of you is best served by being pulled further apart. B</span>ail him out this one last time and be assured that mutual benefits will be reaped.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">The car was still driving back from the lock-up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At
home in the unlit living room, the three physically and mentally exhausted men
stared off in different directions until the phone rang. <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hastings</st1:place></st1:city> arose slowly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Fillmore
reacted to the old butler’s difficulty, discarded the Rohrer 714 pillow from his
lap and announced, “I’ll get it.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> He said,</span> “Uh-huh” twice and shrugged, “Dad, it’s a Dr. Fitchner. From
Mulwray House?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Teddy
said, “Yes.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He listened and softly
said, “Thank you and good night.” He hung up and groaned, “Your mother has
passed away.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Inside the chapel of
the Chevy Chase Mortuary, Fillmore stood far away from his father. Prior to the
service, he stared at a gawky man bouncing on the balls of his
feet toward the coffin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The</span> man’s bobbing head brought to mind the Charles Gounod tune, “Funeral March of a
Marionet.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fillmore played it in his mind as Teddy’s associates and upscale clients began filing in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The gangling man was offering kind words to
Teddy as a group gathered in front of Fillmore. They spoke loud enough for him to hear. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Teddy
bribed the coroner,” a short man said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“The cause of death will read: PNEUMONIA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it was really pneumonia brought on by
acute alcoholism.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Yeah,”
another man said, “since she ‘O.D.ed,’ she’s been in and out the loony bin a hundred times.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> A
third man jested, “You mean the ‘spa.’”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">The room became more cluttered but Fillmore heard a few more isolated words like; slut,
drunkard, pill-popper and psycho-bitch. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Teddy stood dignified and alone at the head of the casket. Fillmore saw his drained face and realized the
ceaseless burden he’d always been to him. Teddy had been enduring his own misery yet he dropped everything to support
and protect him.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Fillmore, blinded by the cataract-effect of his own tears lurched forward.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">A stranger to nearly everyone, Fillmore
stunned the mourners and Teddy too, by passing the line of sympathizers and disturbing a woman’s condolences.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Heartily, he hugged his father until Teddy began
to thaw. They paused and probed each other’s face.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">They re-embraced and openly wept.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><st1:city style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hastings</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">’
eyes watered as he witnessed their first degree of affection for one another in his twenty-one years of
employment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Teddy got Fillmore’s
drug charges reduced to a low-grade misdemeanor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> A</span> heavy fine was paid and he was put on probation. But his Sheriff’s Card (<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Las Vegas</st1:place></st1:city> casino work permit) was
revoked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">To occupy himself, Fillmore, armed with
notebooks and the “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wall Street Journal</i>,”
began hanging out in casinos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Fillmore didn’t gamble, he just liked being around the action<i> </i>while
chronicling the amenities of various sports books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Fillmore telephoned
Teddy w</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">hen his rent was due</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “I sincerely hope you aren’t asking me to finance another illegal fiasco,” Teddy kidded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “I do have a plan and I think you’ll like
it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “You’re
coming to work for me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I do have a solid business
proposal.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Fillmore
described his vision for a Vegas-style sports book bar in </span><st1:state style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Washington</st1:place></st1:state><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Teddy
liked the idea of cable TV showing many events but he was fascinated by the gimmick of an all-female staff.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “The waitresses and bartenders will all be knock-outs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> They'll dress</span> in super tight tee shirts and
black satin hot-pants.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “I’m
not sure about that. Sounds common...er...cheap.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Don't confuse this with a nudie bar or a whorehouse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> It'll be relatively wholesome and </span>cater to an
upper-crust clientele.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look, no matter
where guys are, they’ll gamble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Our angle is</span>, giving them a place to view their betting interest while
being served by beautiful girls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m
telling you, we’ll pack ‘em in.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “How
about a patriotic theme? Dress 'em like Uncle Sam.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Stay focused.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Look, </span>I’m calling the place
‘Ariel’s ROOTERS.’ And the two O’s in the name will be centered on every girl’s
chest."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “I
like it. Bully for you. But why Rooters?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “That’s
what Ariel called sports bettors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said
it once but I’ll never forget how cute it sounded.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> More
chitchat followed and Fillmore remembered, “You once made me an offer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d like to know if it still stands.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Teddy
detected his somber tone, “Son, what’s on your mind?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “If
I do come back east...when it’s all over, I’d like all of us, including
Ariel...to be together with mom.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Are
you seriously considering disinterring Ariel’s body?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s not for the squeamish. You must consider the Mott’s feelings.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “I
think they’ll be flexible. It’ll bring her closer to them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Teddy
quipped, “Flexible? You mean liberal.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> H</span>e added,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">“You know, for quite some time, you've been all I had. So putting this all together with you, would give me a lot of joy Filly...I mean
Fill...I mean partner!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “Thanks
dad. I'll mail you a rough sketch of the logo I drew.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>FILLMORE REGRETTED THAT ARIEL COULDN'T DESIGN HER OWN LOGO. EVENTUALLY THE JOB WAS CONTRACTED TO A PROFESSIONAL WHO MADE THEIR TRADEMARK FAMOUS.</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">“One
more thing,” Teddy grimly concluded. “Don’t </span><b style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">ever </b><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">for one second consider
exhuming </span><b style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">my</b><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> body.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">In the flat part of Washington, north of <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Pennsylvania</st1:place></st1:state> Avenue on <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">10th Street</st1:address></st1:street> near
Ford’s Theater, a new sign bearing the name “Ariel’s ROOTERS” had been hung.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">The two fire engine red O’s in the gigantic
block lettered ROOTERS were intentionally shaded to subliminally suggest large
firm breasts. The other letters were sky blue with the over-sized “T” spanning
the entire word.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">At the left edge of the
“T,” there was a red neon rendition of Ariel’s signature first name.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">The apostrophe and a spectacular shooting
star dotting the “i” were white.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Fillmore bickered with Teddy throughout the eighteen-month project.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hastings</st1:place></st1:city> was hired as a consultant after he suggested bringing Ariel's artwork in, to enhance the decor. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Hastings</span> also eased the daily strain by serving as a
buffer and arbitrator during personalities clashes. Such
objectivity and dedication merited him a generous minority share of the
enterprise. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">On June 11<sup>th,</sup> one month before
the grand opening that coincided with her birthday, “Ariel’s ROOTERS” had a
combination soft opening and press conference.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">In
his office, Fillmore tapped on his fluorescent green Frisbee to the
tune of Bizet’s “Toreador Song,” as he awaited his prompt to address the
media.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">He made that
selection for his grand entrance because of its majestic quality and peerless rhythm.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">He was certain the piece
would remain with the journalist’s long after the celebration.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Much
to Fillmore’s chagrin, when he burst through the door, the
triple forte ending to John Philip Souza’s, “Stars and Stripes Forever” was
playing.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Unable to voice his
displeasure, he was led by two stunning girls to the uplifted rostrum.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Fillmore fought through the glare, adjusted
the microphone and scanned the crowd. He found Teddy smirking and deduced
that the soundman had been bribed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The
fiery red neon reflecting off Teddy’s Prince-Nez glasses made Fillmore think of
Ariel’s angelic voice saying, “It’s always something.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Comforted by that notion, he softened.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">He and Teddy exchanged cordial smiles as this
concession plus countless more would result in a multi-million dollar international
franchise that simply became known as ROOTERS.</span><br />
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Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12392111410804449860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787822525441125324.post-36831442057960132322019-08-20T00:43:00.000-05:002019-08-20T00:43:00.172-05:00JEFF LOOKS DOWN AT LAS VEGAS<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i><b>My most interesting experiences in Las Vegas are of the hard boiled variety. That's why I say: Vegas a nice place to visit but you wouldn't want to live there. </b></i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></span>
<i><b><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Many ignorant people uproot them self because a Utopian vacation misled them to think that they can have a carefree, party lifestyle 24/7. To a lesser extent, others relocate as a quick fix for a sorry life or to run </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">away from trouble. When reality sets in, many become disenchanted, trapped and desperate. Therefore, m</span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">eaningful
friendships in </span></span><st1:city style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Las Vegas</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> were like shooting stars.</span></b></i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiofmkA3_2bCPtAHhwD72ORgLr1rcKyh9dmLLIpHdrkmA-ykaRxNUT3q5KfPm5ZHQ05R66lxKcEmAZKu5IHMb_sSLKIWr6SCJ_SFaQ7-QRVhRhDTbdljucLRohjHSsuuHJtVKN-eHfg_HfX/s1600/z+-+a+shoot.jpe" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="155" data-original-width="275" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiofmkA3_2bCPtAHhwD72ORgLr1rcKyh9dmLLIpHdrkmA-ykaRxNUT3q5KfPm5ZHQ05R66lxKcEmAZKu5IHMb_sSLKIWr6SCJ_SFaQ7-QRVhRhDTbdljucLRohjHSsuuHJtVKN-eHfg_HfX/s320/z+-+a+shoot.jpe" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A SHOOTING STAR IS BEAUTIFUL, QUICKLY BLOSSOMING RARITY THAT SOON FADES AND ABRUPTLY DIES.</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><b><i>My friend Jeff Holland typified my dour conclusions. Like many of the transients I gravitated to, </i></b></span><b style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px;"><i>difficult circumstances</i></b><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><b><i> lured him to the glamour of Vegas...only to get</i></b></span><b style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><i> chewed-up and spit out.</i></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><b><i>Now, as I piece together Jeff's drunken accounts with what I witnessed and later learned, this unfortunate, good person was victimized by what Vegas
teasingly promises, but infrequently delivers.</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The prolonged
cold snap in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Manchester</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">New Hampshire</st1:state></st1:place> ended one week into 1981.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite being 38°F and calm at
street level, it was 25° colder and blustery outside the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Huxley</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Building</st1:placetype></st1:place>’s
fourteenth floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">A solitary smudge against the vast gray
facade, window washer Jeff Holland added alcohol to his cleaning fluid to keep
it from freezing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Despite three years on the job and being experience</span>d with belts, ladders and an
occasional boatswain chair, </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px;">he was considered a novice by his grizzled coworkers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">His cohorts might have been right because Jeff lost his childhood fascination for tall buildings and was increasingly distracted. His new focus was becoming a fireman but he failed the city's test.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Jeff had worked with house rigs on fifty-story buildings but on this day, he chose to use a portable rig.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Mournfully, he looked down at the bustle of <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Hanover Street</st1:address></st1:street></span> <span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">and</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">wished to be among them; helping the community
rather than being an anonymous, voyeur from above.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Maybe Jeff was a</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">ffected</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> by the frigid conditions or that he was preoccupied by his shortcomings as he </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">warmed his hands deep in his thermal coverall’s pockets. Suddenly, a gale rattled the scaffolding.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> He was u</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">nable to brace himself and was knocked over because his hands
were “tied-up.” </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Jeff
rubbed his head, ignored the blood trickling from his scalp and tugged at his
reliable safety belt. Inspired by this brush with death, he stared up at the
cloudy heavens in appreciation of the perceived divine intervention.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff decided to call it a day. In
his haste, he prematurely unbuckled his harness from the
wall.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Instantly, he was shuddered
by a vicious gust that caused the scaffolding’s brake drum to slip.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The platform’s left side plunged fifteen
feet.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff fell. Miraculously, he was
able to cling to a cable. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Dangling
for his life, he heard distant bagpipes playing “Amazing Grace.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Absorbed by the music, he used his Navy
survival skills, brute strength and tenacity to pull himself back up. Magically,
the platform was restored to its normal horizontal position.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff
was suddenly naked as he looked upward towards the louder droning tune.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Through the dull overcast, he
visualized his own slow-motion funeral procession.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> open hearse, adorned with vivid pastel
flowers, stood out against the cemetery’s wintry, black and white composition.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">In
the distance, against a sea of perfectly spaced rows of plain, white
cruciform grave markers, an endless series of window washers militarily stood
at attention. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The brethren held their
equipment high and saluted their fallen comrade by forming black crosses with
their squeegees.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The
wailing pipers faded out as Jeff’s eyes lowered.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Entranced by the oblivious masses of the
business district below, he urinated.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Captivated and warmly secure, Jeff was pleased to watch his stream
disintegrate in the cutting breeze.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> *</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Startled
and heavily perspired, Jeff woke up from his nightmare to the crisp sound of,
“This is your captain speaking.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Disoriented,
Jeff scrambled towards the jet’s restroom.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The voice added, “We’ll be landing in thirty minutes. On behalf of
the flight crew, thanks for flying Delta Airlines."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff slammed the lavatory’s door, his shapely flight attendant took notice.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She had flirted with him but despite being
loosened up by several scotches, he was too flustered and bashful to respond.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff
was a handsome six-footer with a well-toned physique. He resembled a young
George Peppard and had layered blonde hair that was highlighted by new wisps of silver.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaVexmtuQNFlHY7moDQY_euXpoTpoHB4aiMnnt4he06_UVAkejmW-64fqv9P9tBOCbIm7ihfeCqnwRyb8oEmcyc2Kok_3uV6n4yTKnXucqEhPX78Ce2hEQw9QQ2h8vHV8rXBSBUadd6CRk/s1600/z+-+a+geo+pep.jpe" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="225" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaVexmtuQNFlHY7moDQY_euXpoTpoHB4aiMnnt4he06_UVAkejmW-64fqv9P9tBOCbIm7ihfeCqnwRyb8oEmcyc2Kok_3uV6n4yTKnXucqEhPX78Ce2hEQw9QQ2h8vHV8rXBSBUadd6CRk/s200/z+-+a+geo+pep.jpe" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>GEORGE PEPPARD (1928-1994) WAS AN ACTOR MOST KNOWN FOR HIS MOVIE ROLES IN, "BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S" AND THE "BLUE MAX" AS WELL AS TV's, "THE A-TEAM."</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff’s rural
naiveté, shyness and distinct </span><st1:state style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Maine</st1:place></st1:state><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
accent regularly attracted women but he avoided relationships.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> A</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">t twenty-six, he only
experienced intercourse with prostitutes while in the service.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Back
in his seat, he politely turned down his stewardess’ final invitation to show him
around town.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Instead he turned away and
peered into the night through the dirt-speckled window. Jeff wondered about
the therapeutic value of this abbreviated emergency vacation.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Fixed on the blackened desert abyss below, he tried to separate his surreal recurring dreams from the reality of
his near fatal fall.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff
snapped out of his trance as the captain announced, “We’ll be landing in
twenty minutes, at 10:25 Pacific Standard Time.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The jet banked into its final descent. Jeff
became mesmerized by a faint glow in the void.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">As if flying into the light, growing floods of neon mystically appeared. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">Jeff looked down at </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">Las Vegas </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">with religious reverence as the jet passed over </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">the glittery expanse.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Armed with
$900.00 to burn, Jeff had problems checking-in at the Tropicana.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> T</span>he front desk manager apologized for the mislaid reservations and upgraded his three nights with a high-roller
suite.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff
was unmoved by the room’s swanky Egyptian theme.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> H</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">e didn't unpack, left his borrowed suitcase just
inside the door and went downstairs. His heart was
pounding as he sat down at a blackjack table for his first exposure to casino
gambling.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The recuperating window washer swilled scotch there for six hours. He appeared sober as he cashed
out his winnings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Outside, with over
$1,500.00 in his pocket, he gave the bell captain a twenty to hail a taxi.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Take
me to a nudie-bar,” he told the cabby.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jeff was
transported to Club Vulcan on <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Industrial
Road</st1:address></st1:street>. He was admiring the exterior sign’s flaming ‘V,’ and
didn’t have to be Freud to be reminded of a spread-eagled woman. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Inside, he was ordering his second
drink when a nubile blond came to dance in front of him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Like a robot, she went through a series of</span> gyrations. Jeff </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px;">tucked the last of his three dollar bills into her G-string. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">To get more singles, he flashed his wad.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The girl cooed, “I’m Desireè, come with me for a private dance.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jeff was led through a locked door, to a corridor and into a cubicle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In addition to her
personalized performance, he paid $100.00 for “half and half.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> H</span>e was satisfied and he gave
her forty dollars extra before returning to the Trop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">At 6:00AM, Jeff found his way back to the same blackjack table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He kept drinking. While struggling to stay awake, he won another $350.00.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jeff cashed out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In a stupor, a wrong turn brought him to the
other side the casino.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Three
conventioneers whooping it up at a craps table called him over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They encouraged him to join in but Jeff declined.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">A
pot-bellied man in a fez put a red chip on the pass line and announced,
“C’mon kid. Don't be shy. We need some beginners luck. Shoot off this.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff hemmed and hawed until stepping up.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He peeled off fifty dollars and slurred,
“I’ll buy my own chips.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Clueless Jeff was enthralled by the new game.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He
netted $200.00 in ninety minutes after tipping the helpful dealers $162.00.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff refused the
delegates’ breakfast invitation and reached his room at 10:00AM.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Twenty-five stories up, Jeff stood out on
his terrace and sucked in the warm, clean air. Captivated by the overview of the
city and too hyped-up to sleep, Jeff experienced an epiphany and made a series of
local telephone calls. Revitalized, he rushed downstairs and stepped into
another cab. Jeff was again whisked to <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Industrial Road</st1:address></st1:street> but this trip didn’t take
him as far as Club Vulcan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In front of the Farnsworth and Son, Window Washing headquarters, Jeff squinted in the bright sunshine
while readying his credentials.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> He squirted</span> Binaca in his mouth and entered the glass-faced, semi-detached, two-story
headquarters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jeff strode through the atrium and approached
the receptionist. In a heavy <st1:place w:st="on">Brooklyn</st1:place> accent,
newly divorced Loretta Logan was filing her nails and cracking gum while directing
a call.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Taken by his good looks and coy
uncertainty, Loretta snapped to attention. Being fifteen years older and having
the desk obscure her petite, well-defined body, she made no immediate
impression on the anxious applicant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Up
close, Jeff didn’t notice the minor acne scarring on her shiny complexion.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">However, he did see remnants of a
black eye and a faint line above her right eyebrow where eight stitches hadn’t
fully healed. Yet when she spoke, her wild, eager eyes caused Jeff’s stomach to
flutter.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Despite being the only female under sixty on the
payroll, sexually frustrated Loretta received little attention on the job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was due to the reputation of her jealous
and truculent ex-husband.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Artie Logan and I were craps dealers at the Stardust
Casino. He had earned the nickname “Hostile Artie” because of his belligerent,
bullying style of soliciting tokes, (tips).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Through scare tactics and sarcasm, he induced players into toking while
simultaneously intimidating his fellow dealers to follow his lead. His threatening
persona was completed with a gravelly voice and was accentuated by snarling
leers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Artie, (53) had been </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px;">a decorated </span><st1:city style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York City</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px;"> fireman </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">from Breezy Point, Queens</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px;">. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">He had fallen in the line of duty and his
injuries forced him into an early retirement. Supported by a sizable pension,
Artie, having cheated death was afraid of nothing.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Hostile
Artie’s </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">barrel-chested body was a near perfect vee.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">His brutish good looks featured a pointy cleft
chin and curly auburn dyed hair.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Logan </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px;">was a motorcycle enthusiast and </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">golfed with the casino’s hierarchy.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">This clever networking gave him high-level “juice.” </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Therefore, Artie had a license to steal.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Artie's was an</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;"> untouchable so his a</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">ntics were rarely challenged. Any attempt to tame the beast, (by a lesser supervisor trying to make a name for himself), backfired.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Artie’s home life began to unravel when he regularly failed to achieve erections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Through a paid informer at Farnsworth and Son, he physically took his
frustrations out on his wife and any man to whom she was too friendly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">During his interview, Jeff didn't commit to a permanent move to Vegas. He left Bennett Farnsworth’s office without a promise of employment and advanced to the reception desk. Loretta in
anticipation of his return, unfastened another button on her blouse. Jeff arrived as Loretta posed, bent over a file cabinet, swaying her hips to a top-forty radio station.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She
was digging for a phantom file and asked, “How’d it go?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jeff
spoke to her back, “I dunno, Mr. Farnsworth said he’s expecting to get the
Hughes Corporation contract.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“It’s true. If we land that baby, they’ll
need plenty of help,” </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jeff said, </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">“I love Vegas but I have complications.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She plopped down on her swivel chair and sighed,
“What is it, wife, girlfriend?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jeff faltered as he gaped at her ample
cleavage, “No, no nothing like that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a b-big move and I'm ready for a
career change.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Loretta's ex had been a firemen, so it was
a good thing he didn’t mention the other career he was pursuing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Impetuously, she pressed down on her
intercom and stated, “Benn, I have a splittin' headache. I’m takin’ a early lunch.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She ushered Jeff out the door before he could
express his reservations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">At
her car everything became clear when Loretta fondled his buttocks and asked, “Where’s dat darlin' little accent from?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff
stammered, </span><i style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“B-Baa Haabaa.”</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She
laughed, “Where?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He
strained to minimize his regionalism and said, “I moved to </span><st1:state style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New Hampshire</st1:place></st1:state><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> three years ago. I’m from </span><st1:place style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on">Bar Harbor</st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">. I guess I never lost the accent.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Loretta
mused, “Livin’ up there and bein’ so athletic, yuh must be an expert skier."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Remember, I’m a window washer. I hate the
cold.” Jeff innocently added in terms of hockey and basketball, “I like indoor sports.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Loretta
took it as a sexual reference and beamed, “Really.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">To be cute she added, “Do yuh think I got a accent? I </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">thought I lost it</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
in the move from Red Hook to duh </span><st1:place style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on">Bronx</st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff
sensed that he was getting teased, “Baa Haabaa is in </span><st1:state style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Maine</st1:place></st1:state><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I’m a maniac.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Good,”
she countered. “We’ll see how much of a maniac yuh are.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Let’s go back to yuh hotel and orda room
service.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>* </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">In the Tropicana’s crowded elevator, Loretta read aloud from a menu while squeezing Jeff’s posterior.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Inside his luxurious suite, she was awed by golden replicas from
King Tut’s tomb.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She imagined him as a wealthy eccentric and that his blue-collar mentality was a
fetish.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff
strode past his valise as Loretta kicked off her pumps and ordered
lunch.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She spun in place on the <i>faux-</i>alabaster tiling before calling out from
the wet bar, “Whatcha drinkin'?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Scotch rocks.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She poured herself
some Bailey’s and brought the drinks into the extravagant master bedroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Loretta jumped back first onto the bed and
her feet rose straight up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff took note of her spread legs and to the dark patch at the vertex of her opaque pantyhose. He was reminded</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> of the “V” from Club
Vulcan and </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">fled to the sanctuary of
the terrace.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
the short time he was out there, Jeff found contentment in overseeing the ebb
and flow of ant-like hordes scurrying along the strip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unclothed, Loretta came up behind him and
kissed his neck while reaching around to undo his jeans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jeff
remained rigid while looking down at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Las
Vegas</st1:city></st1:place> as her sultry voice whispered “Luva, dis yuh
foist time?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He
gulped, “No ma’am.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Loretta undressed him and worked her way
down while kissing his torso.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jeff
prodded her to the left as not to spoil his view of the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was performing oral sex on him when lunch
arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff
ran back and forth, before wrapping a towel around his loins.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Loretta hid her nudity on the balcony and
laughed as Jeff opened the door with his erection poking the terrycloth.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">To hurry the proceedings along, Jeff assisted
in pulling the cart into the room.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> H</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">e bent to sign the check and the towel fell away. Jeff was mortified as he returned
the bill.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Poised, the stoic waiter extended
his right hand and loitered in the doorway.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff grabbed a twenty-five dollar chip off the glass-covered, imitation
onyx, lion-shaped coffee table and handed it over as a tip.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The
waiter dryly said, “Thank you. Enjoy.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Loretta
interpreted his generosity as more evidence of Jeff’s affluence.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Food was now the last thing on her mind.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She
used her index finger to beckon Jeff back outside and said, “Now...where was I?”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“I
believe you were giving me head.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Immersed in pleasure, Jeff surveyed the street below.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> At the </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">moment of climax, he decided to move to </span><st1:city style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Las Vegas</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Before adjourning to the bedroom, Loretta
called work, “Benn, something at lunch made me gag.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked at Jeff and they stifled
their laughter as she continued, “I need to lie down. I’ll take something for
it now and maybe I’ll <u>come</u>...”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She added a fake cough and continued, “...in tomorrow.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">On the terrace, distant bagpipe music could be discerned as Loretta from her knees, pressed Jeff against the railing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a final explosive spasm, his
body snapped the flimsy barrier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a
panic, he plummeted and woke up grasping for non-existent cables.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Disoriented, Jeff sat up and gasped from this variation of his recurring dream. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Loretta was confused and u</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">nsettled </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">by his erratic rise from his short nap.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff
dabbed at the moist filminess around his abdomen and said, “C’mon, let’s take a
shower.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She
rubbed the damp Bailey’s that Jeff had smeared all over her body and giggled, “Pour
some more in my belly-button and lick it out like a puppy.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He
said, “Okay.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Soon,
they advanced to the bathroom.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Later, in the casino, barefoot Loretta was wearing only her skirt and
blouse. Rejuvenated Jeff continued to endear himself to her as
they drank and played blackjack all day.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">Jeff had won another $400.00. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">On their way to the Tropicana's steakhouse, </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Loretta
refused his offer of half the proceeds.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">They
each finished a shrimp cocktail. Loretta dug into her Caesar Salad and
crock of onion soup. Jeff poked at his T-bone but drank his dinner instead.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Later, they window shopped at the casino’s
row of exclusive boutiques.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">At the jewelry store Jeff suggested,
“They're closing. C'mon inside. Let's find something you like.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She
said, “No.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">During
their playful bickering he said, “If you don’t let me buy you something...”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff lifted the front of her
skirt to expose her </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">vagina.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">kissed his mouth hard and cooed, “Yuh don’t scare me, I’ll do yuh right here.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">To mask her grandiose ulterior motives, she freed herself by stepping back and gasped, “I don’t want things...”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">“It was a partnership. You won it. You deserve it.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She
pecked his cheek and said, “No...really.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">“Then
I’ll pick out a friendly token...”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“No! Dis shithouse is a rip-off. If yuh really wanna do somethin’ for me, take me
back upstairs.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">They
fell asleep in each other’s arms after another impassioned session.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff’s
sleep was again sabotaged, this time by a commercial fishing themed
nightmare.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">It started with the black and
white image of a childhood friend being swept overboard in a storm.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Somber bagpipes played as an empty gray
coffin was filled with colorful fish.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Startled,
Jeff woke up. Loretta slept as he slipped out and returned to the
casino.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">His curiosity led him to
roulette and his beginners luck continued.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">At 6:30AM, Loretta awoke satisfied, refreshed and alone.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> S</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">he frantically
dressed and</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> eyed hundreds of dollars in chips and cash.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> She ignored the money as an impulse </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">flashed through her mind
of a comfortable, long-term relationship with a wealthy stud.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">She stormed past Jeff's unopened suitcase and
the untouched room service cart.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Loretta
was scampering down the corridor as she started buttoning her blouse.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jeff had tea-bags
under his glossy eyes, when Loretta found him stuffing nickels in a slot machine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was barely able to
keep his head up, when he presented her with a beautifully wrapped gift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Sweetie, how long yuh been here?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Jeff pulled the handle and shrugged,
“C’mon open it.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">His machine lined up three plums. A shrill buzzer accompanied dozens of nickels being spit into his metallic
hopper.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">In
an emotion-filled voice Loretta garbled, “How...when...where?”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He
said, “Pawn shops are open twenty-four hours.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She sat on his lap and clawed at the gift box’s ribbon as Jeff pondered aloud, “How much money
is eighty-four nickels?”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Loretta
could only manage an elongated, “J-e-f-f,” as she gaped at the large
heart-shaped pendant.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Read
the inscription.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Loretta
was taken aback; it had been a long time since she had received a
present.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">A
tear rolled down her cheek as she recited in a husky crackle, “Loretta, the
girl of my dreams.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">They
were locked in a passionate kiss as a crippled porter vacuuming the area
disturbed their mood. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff noticed that
the woman was dragging her right leg and gave her his plastic bucket of nickels.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">This small act solidified Loretta’s opinion of
his kindness and wealth.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> *</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">On the way to breakfast, Jeff shared his decision to move to Vegas.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She let her skirt ride up as she shimmied into the booth. Jeff locked on her pubic patch and scooted next to her.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">They were groping each other when Jeff ended Loretta's elation by saying, “My flight back to </span><st1:state style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New Hampshire</st1:place></st1:state><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> is at noon.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">"I thought we had three days?" </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff smiled, "The faster I leave, the quicker I come back." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The waitress said, "What can I get you nice folks?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff exclaimed, “I almost forgot. Where’s
the Poker Room?”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Energized, Jeff hustled away and got the
last seat in a “10 and 20 Texas Hold ‘Em” game.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Loretta
went up to the suite, called-out sick and showered.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She found Jeff slumped by fatigue with an impressive
pile of chips in front of him.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She was reminding him to budget his time as
his right hand wandered under her skirt.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff
probed her upper most, inner thigh and announced while pleasuring her, “One
more hand.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He
was dealt the nine and queen of spades.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">After a round of modest betting, Jeff was one of the five players who
“opened.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The
“flop” revealed a queen of hearts, seven of spades and two of clubs. An Asian man with a bigger chip stack than Jeff peered at two queens in the hole. He bet twenty
dollars and the other </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">three folded.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff encumbered
by sleep deprivation and inexperience tossed in twenty and yawned, “Call.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">On
the “turn,” the three of spades was dealt.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Expressionless, the Asian connoted a slight wince by Jeff.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He read weakness and studied the odds. He ruled out losing to a straight or a full house. His “trip
queens” were remotely exposed to a higher three of a kind or a flush could beat him.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">To intimidate Jeff, the poised veteran stared
him down and uttered, “Twenty more.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff never considered what his adversary might be
holding.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He was so locked into catching
another queen that he didn’t notice the flush draw.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He thought: </span><i style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I’m
on a roll.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s my last hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What the hell.</i><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff
tossed in twenty dollars and said, “Call.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">On
“the river,” the dealer turned over the ten of spades.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff blinked in disappointment and mouthed, “Shit.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The
man read his reaction and was certain Jeff didn't have a flush.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">After
a deliberate pause the man said, “Another twenty.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff
reflected upon his whirlwind experience.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He
blindly decided to go down fighting and said, “You’re bluffing.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I’ll see you and raise you twenty.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The savvy pro feasted on casual tourists and slid</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> forty dollars to the middle and said, “Call and raise.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff
snapped, “I call.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The
man revealed his two queens and the dealer said, “Three ladies.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Angered by the sight of his anticipated
queens, Jeff flipped in his cards face up and groaned, “Jesus H. Christ.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">His opponent stood and snarled, “You’re good.”</span><br />
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff was perplexed, “Where’s he going?”</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">The dealer pushed the sizable pot to him and
said, “A flush beats trips.”</span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">On the flight,
Jeff had his first meaningful sleep since his accident.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Back home in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Manchester</st1:place></st1:city>, he was blessed by pleasant
dreams. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Weeks later
at the Stardust, I dealt my only night with “Hostile” Artie Logan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Artie was going on a motorcycle trip to <st1:place w:st="on">Catalina Island</st1:place> the next morning. He needed an early start and made a one-shift switch with a dealer from my crew. From the start, Artie chirped about his weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Our boxman asked, “Where do you get the bridge?”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Artie
crowed, “Numb-nuts, it’s a fuckin’ island, yuh take a ferry.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">I said, “It sounds great, have fun.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">“It’s more of a business meetin’,” Artie
cited.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">“I’m friendly wit a coupla of
L.A. Kings hockey players; we might open a bar.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Between dice rolls, Artie name dropped, (and mispronounced) other potential celebrity partners.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> In an unclear kaleidoscope of numbers, h</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">e projected the value of his small percentage.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Artie stopped the dice to stress a final point, “That means, you
saps’ll die here with your fuckin’ dealer aprons on...”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Our
floor supervisor Devon Sweet interrupted, “Shut up and get a roll.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Sweet was an ambitious but misled man. He was motivated by the
concept that firing Artie Logan would put him on the fast track to upward
mobility.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> To </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">undermine Artie, Sweet's standard operating procedure was to stand over Artie to inhibit him from soliciting tips.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> This shift wouldn't be different. Still, on Sweet's watch, we got off to a great start...without Artie's strong-arm tactics</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">To bait </span><st1:city style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Logan, (the stickman) after another winner Sweet growled</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">,
“What do you have to say for yourself?”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Artie’s menacing glare gave way to a foxy
smile, “We shudda had ten on duh hard four.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Sweet wasn't sharp enough to rebut and was called to the other table he was responsible for. He kept looking over his shoulder at Artie but Logan didn't care. Instead, Logan felt compelled </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">to go into hyper drive, to get more bets (tokes) for the dealers.</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
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<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Artie was no beggar.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">He serviced his players while
mixing in a clever, yet unrefined sardonic wit.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">It was almost unbelievable but </span><st1:place style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;" w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Logan</st1:city></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">
had seven of his eight players tipping us.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Rather than accepting what he did as an
accomplishment, Artie felt challenged, to "educate" his lone ugly
duckling.</span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Artie stared at his only non-tipper’s cheap hairpiece and cracked, “Now we know why the wombat is an <i>undangered </i>species.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the middle of paying this chinless
milquetoast his place bet <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Logan</st1:city></st1:place>
added, “I got one more bet TOO-pay.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">The
player sensed that he was being razzed and hesitated in picking up his $35.00
payoff.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Artie, careful that Sweet wasn’t
looking, swooped down and snatched ten dollars.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">“Thank you sir,” Artie proclaimed. “We’ll
ride duh six <i>witcha</i>.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">The stunned nerd, having been robbed could
only manage, “Hey!”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">"Hostile" Artie made certain Sweet was preoccupied and said, “Sir, I ain’t here for my </span><i style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">healt</i><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Get wit duh program.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Artie's hard-case was hushed as t</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">he
hot roll continued. He decided to press all his $25.00 place bets to
$30.00.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">My eyes bulged out of my head, as Artie refused the action and lashed out, “Press like
a man.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> W</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">anna joik-off? Go behind
dem slots and leave me out of it.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Intimidated and without complaint, he reverted to standard presses. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The groundwork was laid. Soon Artie’s ugly duckling was our most generous player.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">Sweet came back and saw a fountain of gratuities pouring in without any prodding. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Powerless to stop our juggernaut, Sweet shook his head in dubious disbelief.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">At midnight, a withered senior couple
walked by our busy table.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The
husband was lagging behind as the woman bellowed, “Go sit. I wanna shoot dice.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Like
an exhausted pack mule, the old man lugged three plastic bags of souvenirs
to a slot machine stool.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">For the next forty minutes, he sat there studying the floor.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">His
bent-over, witch-like wife used a cane and wore thick glasses.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She had a bulbous protuberance on the edge of
her long crooked nose and her scary appearance was completed with wild, salt
and pepper hair. To squeeze into our busy table, this woman ordered the players about
in a shrill nasal voice.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Twenty minutes after settling into the action, she startled all of us by screaming,
“Harold!”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Hubbie snapped to attention as if awakened and called out, “Should I get the car
now?”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“No
you idiot.” She counted her chips and yelled, “I'm up one-fifty, got fifteen on five and nine and two
bucks on the hardways.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He
pretended to be interested, waited until she stopped yammering and only managed,
“But...”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Sit down and shut up,”
she commanded in her cantankerous voice. “Go back to sleep.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I’ll let you know when I’m ready.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">We
were entertained by her nagging theatrics. Even Dev Sweet smiled as the beaten-down man </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">resumed his pathetic position</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Moments later, a chubby
woman (45), slumped forward by bad posture bopped down the aisle, to the beat of a song in
her head. She had round-framed glasses, wore a tattered, </span><st1:city style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Woodstock</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
tee shirt and her baggy, faded jeans were cuffed.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">In a goofy gait, her frizzy gray streaked
black hair, unbridled big breasts and bigger beer-belly bounced as she
advanced on the balls of her feet.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">“Hostile” Artie Logan looked up and spewed,
“Look at duh fuckin’ gut on dat bitch.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Everyone turned to watch her co</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">me straight to the old woman at our table and say, “Hi Mom, where’s Dad?”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">The crone barked, “Har-rold!”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">To instigate her wrath, Dev Sweet swooped
down and said to her, “I can’t believe my dealer said that.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">On behalf of the Stardust, I am sincerely
sorry...”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Artie’s eyes blazed as the woman cut
Sweet off, “You leave him alone! Sorry, schmorry, he’s just speaking the
truth.” She turned to her daughter and whined, “Rin-nayyyy, see
how others perceive you?” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">She thanked Artie, tipped us $5.00, gathered her clan
and left.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Thwarted,
Sweet endured Artie’s evil-eye the last two hours.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">We scored that night and set
aside $45.00 each to make “lay-offs,” (illegal “tips” that table-for-table craps dealers give their supervisors for allowing them to
hustle tokes). Our custom was to meet our recipients across the street at the
Silver City Casino bar.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbcCH_WISxzIomIrIb5a9PKIJl7PgMbS2rhoWFO1lh4_ZdgnoLivpem95akX5dKno7bmkNcQp_Mlf_SnbifWZ__V0m0a5SM8ou72HEPp661BauD3IPwQJsnAm3KJHNk5o0Odgf6D-CWGjY/s1600/z+-+a+silv+city.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="753" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbcCH_WISxzIomIrIb5a9PKIJl7PgMbS2rhoWFO1lh4_ZdgnoLivpem95akX5dKno7bmkNcQp_Mlf_SnbifWZ__V0m0a5SM8ou72HEPp661BauD3IPwQJsnAm3KJHNk5o0Odgf6D-CWGjY/s320/z+-+a+silv+city.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>ACROSS LAS VEGAS BOULEVARD, THIS INTERNET PHOTO FROM 1981 SHOWS HOW CLOSE SILVER CITY AND THE STARDUST WERE.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Our crew made its first payoff off as Artie chased an Irish </span>whiskey<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> with a short beer. He was telling the bartender about his </span></span><st1:state style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">California</st1:place></st1:state><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> trip as </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Dev Sweet came in.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Sweet said, “Artie, I was there when you guys ‘locked-up’ a ton of money.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Sweet
was not on our list and Artie wasted no time by blasting, “Mr. High and fuckin’
Mighty wants some dough, eh.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Well yuh goddamned
</span><i style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">hippo-critical</i><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> bastard, yuh can drop
dead!</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Yuh know, yuh got a pair of brass
balls struttin’ around prim and proper tryin’ to stop us from makin' a buck and
then expect to be cut-in for a taste.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Believe me Dickhead, your shit </span><u style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">does</u><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> stink.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Sweet
rasped, “Calling a customer a fat bitch’ll look good on your write-up.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Dem
management guys don’t give a rat’s ass about yuh,” Artie declared.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Yuh jus' a gofer.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">G’head write me up but if yuh <i>tink</i> we’re
layin’ off dime one to yuh...”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“I
can fire you any time I want.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">They exchanged vulgarities before Artie exclaimed, “If it weren’t for you, we’d've
made twice as much...goddamned faggot.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Sweet, (a married man with a child), ignored the dig concerning his </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">unsubstantiated</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">sexual </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">orientation and retaliated;
“Can’t get it up, can you big feller?</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">So
you take it out on your ferocious wife’s face.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Like an animal, Artie lunged.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">It
was a struggle but the three of us restrained him.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He relaxed when someone said, “He’s just trying to bait you.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Unrelated to
Artie Logan, my entire regular crew was fired the next night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I would be unemployed for six weeks. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> *</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jeff Holland returned
from <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New Hampshire</st1:place></st1:state>
and settled into a window washing job “brokered” by Loretta.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>To her dismay, Jeff continued to binge as if he were still on vacation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, his beginner’s luck ran its
course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pissed away his meager savings and Loretta threw her “boy-toy” out when it became apparent that his
charming youthful exuberance was immaturity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Still, Loretta kept him on the side for
an occasional “thumping” until she realized his pick-up truck was the only
thing he owned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Jeff was cut loose for good after he asked for a loan</span>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">At the Frontier Casino’s pool, on a chilly February afternoon, h</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">otel guests scattered about in swimsuits </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px;">sunbathed </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px;">on unpadded chaise lounges. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Jeff along with two coworkers joined them on a break. They unzipped their coveralls and stripped down to gym shorts as he </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px;">related graphic details of Loretta’s sexual repertoire</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvPFjWjWOTSmPoMZ6MrwzVhRuypNC9DveJTmET1n4zfkx7gm8XcJlwH8k2vYF2TWSO3Lqy3Z10l4AOALMiz4WSjsj_rXr_XeHQEeQUubigKoN8mQzvU3y1od7njthItBRINS_iJcU5Gsmw/s1600/z+-+a+holiday-inn-winter-haven.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="440" data-original-width="550" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvPFjWjWOTSmPoMZ6MrwzVhRuypNC9DveJTmET1n4zfkx7gm8XcJlwH8k2vYF2TWSO3Lqy3Z10l4AOALMiz4WSjsj_rXr_XeHQEeQUubigKoN8mQzvU3y1od7njthItBRINS_iJcU5Gsmw/s200/z+-+a+holiday-inn-winter-haven.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>*INTERNET PHOTO* IN WINTER, IT WAS COMMON FOR VISITORS FROM FRIGID CLIMATES TO GATHER AT AN EMPTY CASINO POOL, TO SUNBATHE EVEN IF IT WASN'T SUNNY.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">At the same time, I was in the middle of my
daily quest for a new job.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">I had already
been rejected at the </span><st1:place style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;" w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Marina</st1:city></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">,
Holiday Center Strip, the Castaways and Sands.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">My next stop was the Frontier.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> There's a good chance I passed Jeff as I used a shortcut to the casino's side entrance</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">. I found
it odd that so many folks were luxuriating that way the 45° temperature.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I got snubbed at the Frontier. Again, they didn’t even let me fill out an application. I was returning
to my car as Jeff, back to work on the twenty-second floor, acknowledged the
futility of his new lifestyle.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He looked
down and thought he should be helping people.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Outside Mr.
Farnsworth’s door, Jeff whispered to Loretta, “Can I borrow $450.00?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to go to craps school.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">“No!” Loretta snapped.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">“I swear it’s not for gambling.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">“I don’t give a shit.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">I wouldn’t lend you fifty-cents and I
definitely ain’t givin' yuh that kinda money.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">He grabbed her upper arm and pouted,
“Listen.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">She wrested
her arm free and snarled; “Don’t you </span><b style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">ever</b><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> touch me again!”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">She ran to her desk. In the top drawer, lying
among bent paper clips and stray cigarette ashes, she withdrew the heart pendant.
Loretta dangled the elegant gift as if it were carnival bauble and shoved it
into his hand. “</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">“Hock dis, you friggin’ nightmare!”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Jeff started to apologize.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Loretta turned her back and entered the
sanctuary of her boss’ office.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I was unable
to find work for weeks until I was hired downtown, at the Vegas Club.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> While working at that toilet, I saw</span> Dick Paynlewski. We chatted during my break. I hadn't seen him in the two years since he was my boxman at the Holiday International. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dick said, "I'm supplementing my income as
a craps instructor at the Valley School of Gaming. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">I can’t pay you but if you’re ever around, you might find it interesting to help out.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">I came in to visit and one of Dick's students was Jeff Holland.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> He </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">was about to
graduate so Dick asked me give him a workout and smooth out any rough spots.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">From that meeting, a friendship
blossomed. I introduced</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> him to the casino manager who hired me and Jeff was put-on. When he got his first paycheck, we celebrated at the Ambassador Inn Casino.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Jeff had been pounding double scotchs and
playing blackjack when he howled to me across the small casino, “Steve, this is the first
time since I came back that I’m winning.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">I came over, saw that he had run
$80.00 into over $1,200.00 and said, “This is a perfect time to leave.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Jeff doubled his bet to the house maximum and</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> said, “Just one more..."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">I said, "A hundred dollars! You’re crazy.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The casino’s big bosses paced behind the dealer as Jeff crowed,
“The less you bet, the more you lose, when you win.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The hovering managers watched the next hand come out.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff toppled his empty drink when he won and slurred, “See! No guts, no glory.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I
said, “Okay, good.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Let’s go.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff wanted to
stay but after some coaxing, he turned away from the table. He seemed in control while sitting but </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">fell</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> as he stood up.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">A
security guard helped me get him to his feet and propped him to a pillar as I
cashed out his chips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff was</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">muttering obscenities as the guard and I guided him to his truck.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">My car was parked at his apartment so I was
forced to drive his manual transmission.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff was </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">incoherent</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> as he instructed me on my maiden voyage with a stick shift.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Along the way, he
confided how his near death experience led him to Vegas as we bucked and
bounced down </span><st1:street style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Flamingo Road</st1:address></st1:street><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He also went into great detail in describing
Loretta’s insatiable libido.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I
escorted the stumbling zombie to his apartment.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I kept him upright long enough to drop him on the sofa. I thought Jeff had passed out but he was playing possum.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Soon after I left</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">, he staggered back to his truck. Fate led him to </span><st1:place style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Silver</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">City</st1:placetype></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff
played blackjack there. By 4:15AM, he lost his previous winnings, original
bankroll and entire paycheck.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Penniless,
Jeff shuffled to the bar and was denied a free (50c) drink. At the same time, from across the street, Stardust dealers filtered
in.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> "Hostile" </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Artie Logan passed him and sat down
a few feet away.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Jeff pounded his fist on the bar, “At least gimme a goddamn beer.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">The bartender whispered, “Go home. Sleep it off or we’ll put you out.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">“I’m Jeff Holland. I just lost two grand in
this dive.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">You can’t throw me out.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Artie Logan recognized
the name from his spy at Loretta’s job.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">He muttered, “Dis little prick's gonna pay fuh bangin' my Loretta.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Artie said, “Hey buddy, maybe I can help
yuh. Follow me.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">In an alcove hidden
behind the “Big-Six” wheel, he wanted to be sure this was the right, Jeff
Holland.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The dealer was standing dead so Logan quietly said, “Dese morons tink
yuh </span><i style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">intoxerated</i><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Jeff was wasted but he still did a
double-take and said, “</span><i style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Intoxerated</i><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">?”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">“What I mean is, they ain’t gonna
soive yuh no more.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">C’mon outside, I got
an ice-chest full o'beer in my car.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Jeff looked through narrow slits and nodded.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Artie put his arm around Jeff’s
shoulder, “Yuh one o'dem high-rise winda washiz, right?”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">“No.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Surprised, Artie scrapped the idea to
rough him up.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Jeff hiccuped, “I’m a craps
dealer but I </span><b style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">used</b><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> to wash windows.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Artie sighed, “Oh. Maybe yuh know my, er, uh
neighbor?" </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Fuming he added, “Loretta
Logan?”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Jeff's eyes opened wide, “Know her?</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Let me tell you, she’s
a cool lady in the living room and a hot bitch in the bedroom.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">He growled through a false smile, “Let’s go pal and get that drink.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Jeff was lured to an alley behind nearby retail
stores and was cold-cocked. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">While he was
down, "Hostile" Artie buried his motorcycle boot’s steel tip twice into Jeff’s side until
he heard his name being called. Artie’s crewmates grabbed him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Jeff was left moaning in the fetal position. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Logan was led away as he looked back and bellowed, “But dat bastid </span><i style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">spodomized</i><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> my wife!”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Suddenly with a</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> surge of
energy, Artie broke away. H</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">e was about to kick Jeff's head but was corralled again. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Some time later, Jeff's quivering body was discovered by passersby and was rushed
to the hospital.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">He suffered from
cracked ribs, a split lip and other minor bruises. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">The police didn't question Jeff till he was sober. Still, he couldn’t remember Artie or any other relevant details. Even though he never
mentioned </span><st1:place style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;" w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Silver</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">City, the cops went into the casino but nobody remembered seeing him.</st1:placetype></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> The investigation was
dropped.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">The next day, Loretta wearing over-sized
dark glasses to camouflage her battered face, gave her boss notice.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">She didn’t prefer charges but filed a
restraining order prohibiting Artie from coming near her. Secretly, she moved
to the other side of town.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Las
Vegas</st1:place></st1:city> sucked Jeff in, chewed him up and spit him out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He disappeared and I never heard from him
again. Months later through channels, I found out that he was back washing
windows in New Hampshire and became had a volunteer fireman in nearby Bedford.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Jeff went on to fail the </span><st1:city style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Manchester</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> fireman test again but re-dedicated
himself as never before.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Jeff became passionate about studying.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Soon a veteran volunteer mentored him.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Plus, his
on-the-job training gave him deeper insights and more practical knowledge of
fire fighting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jeff
took his friend’s advice and passed the firemen’s exam in another
municipality.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">By the first frost, he had
fulfilled his dream and became a firefighter in neighboring </span><st1:city style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Nashua</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span><br />
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Thanks to Facebook, Jeff and I have been reunited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></i><br />
<i><b><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></b></i>
<i><b><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">He said back in 1982, Loretta informed him that it was Artie who assaulted him. Jeff didn't pursue the matter. Instead it strengthened him to stay out of casinos. He likes to tell people, </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">“I look down at Las Vegas and everything it stands for. Hell, it's </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><u>not</u></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> even a nice place to visit!” </span></b></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>Today, Jeff is happily married and has an adult son. In February
2014, he retired from the fire </b></span><b>department</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b> as Lieutenant Jeffrey C. Holland.</b></span></span></i></div>
Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12392111410804449860noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787822525441125324.post-74523630013911465582019-07-29T00:43:00.000-05:002019-07-29T07:22:51.180-05:00POLITE CRAPS DEALERS FINISH LAST<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; text-indent: 0in;"><b><i>I should've know better after being a mercenary, Las Vegas table for table craps dealer for two and a half years. But in my escapade below, my instinct for kindness took over. I bet when Leo Durocher reads it, he'll do back-flips in his grave. </i></b></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMytnLT2MEgdHr1BNPaiHShz18GM5o6puXtKHcwimNtWnadVL-vK03VT5iCR73-N06lM3vqam_IICPSLxBqM8OsXqSQOJygho4w4ntpYdPx_g5CuLada8M95GyNfAvZdMQBr6rCr6FgnVR/s1600/z+-+a+leo_durocher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="629" data-original-width="666" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMytnLT2MEgdHr1BNPaiHShz18GM5o6puXtKHcwimNtWnadVL-vK03VT5iCR73-N06lM3vqam_IICPSLxBqM8OsXqSQOJygho4w4ntpYdPx_g5CuLada8M95GyNfAvZdMQBr6rCr6FgnVR/s200/z+-+a+leo_durocher.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>LEO DUROCHER (1905-1991) WAS A HARD-NOSED MAJOR LEAGUE PLAYER, COACH AND MANAGER. HE IS FAMOUS FOR SAYING, "NICE GUYS FINISH LAST."</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; text-indent: 0in;"><b><i>Sometimes I wonder how my fate would have changed if I hadn't (stupidly) taken the high road.</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; text-indent: 0in;">The lowest point of in my forty year casino career was getting fired by the
Stardust Casino. I was further traumatized because I forgot I was a nobody. So for the next few weeks, I diligently sought employee only at the elite gambling halls. My skewed sense of worth resulted in a daily exercise in futility.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; text-indent: 0in;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="text-indent: 0in;">Repeated rejection caused m</span>y standards weakened. I tried lesser strip casinos but as my failures mounted so did my disillusionment. Soon laziness and depression overtook me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">A big part of my new daily routine was staring blankly at Channel 6’s grade-B film noir matinee while feeling sorry for my self.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I was in a trance as a poor movie's big climax was about to unfold. Suddenly,</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> the ring of my phone
startled me; it was my friend Ciro.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Dimi,
(his private nickname for me), it’s time to swallow your pride and face facts,”
he asserted.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“You should start looking
for work downtown.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I was distracted by the TV's police shootout and yawned, "</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I paid my dues, I ain't starting all over."</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">“Look,” he said, “do yourself a favor.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;"> T</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">hey just fired a whole crew at the Mint.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">Get off your ass</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">. The hiring office is one flight up.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;"> Get down there </span><u style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">now</u><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">!</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">"Nah,”
I lied, “I gotta hot lead at Circus, Circus. Plus, I'm trying Holiday Center Strip and the Silver
Slipper today.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">"Don't be a schmuck..."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I
hung up on him. I lingered long enough to scan the closing credits as reality set in.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">An
hour later, I marched up </span><st1:street style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Fremont
Street</st1:address></st1:street><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> wearing my audition clothes.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Shivering and uninspired by the prospect of
sinking to the depths of downtown, only my white dress shirt shielded me from
February’s blustery chill.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">At
the Mint’s main entrance, I waited to hold the door open for a man in a
dungaree jacket.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">As if blazing my trail,
I crossed the casino floor directly behind him.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">From twenty feet behind, I noticed he was wearing black dress pants and shiny
oxfords as we rode the escalator to the Mezzanine Level.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He proceeded to an opaque glass door labeled Casino Games Employment Center and disappeared inside... without waiting to hold the door for me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">In
the empty waiting room, he was meeting with the receptionist as I
entered.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He sat down and began his application.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The phone rang as I approached.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The woman behind the desk raised her index finger as she answered, “Mint Casino Employment Center...yes we
are hiring craps dealers...we close at four...you’re welcome.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">A
wave of euphoria hit me.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She
hung up and said, “How can I help you?”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I smiled, “I’d like to audition for a craps dealer job.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She
handed me a form and said, “We don’t give auditions. Complete this
app and Mr. Harvey will interview you momentarily.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Two more candidates came in as I was logging my work history. The </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">door marked “Lance Harvey” ope</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">ned and an enthusiastic man strode to
the reception desk.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I tried to eavesdrop but only heard her say, “Congratulations and welcome
aboard.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The dungaree jacket man got up and handed his application to the
receptionist.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She
checked the paperwork and said, “Still at the Nevada Club?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He said, "Yes."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">"Mr. Harvey will be with you shortly.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He was no competition to me. The Nevada Club was the worst bust-out job in town. I
was intent to complete the forms until I got startled by the shrill buzz of the inter-office
intercom.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">A
metallic voice squawked, “Miss Blake, please send in the next applicant.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I looked up from my last question as she handed him back his application
and said, “You may go in now.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">It’s a
good thing I read that last question because unlike most applications that
asked for certification that all your information was true, this one read: “Are
you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I
checked “NO” and mused, “What a way to lose a job.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Over-confident of my credentials, I chuckled
to myself, </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">“Pinkos in Vegas,” </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">as I presented my application.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The
receptionist looked it over and said, “Mr. Harvey will be right with you.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The
man I followed in was all smiles when he came out.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I
listened closely as he was told, “Congratulations. Go to the time office
for processing.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">A
minute later the intercom buzzed, I had to contain myself from exploding out of
my seat.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Miss
Blake,” the voice said, “all the Craps Dealer positions are filled.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The
cheerfulness ran out of Miss Blake’s face as she rose and curtly told me and the other two men in no
uncertain terms, “We’ll keep your APP's on file for three months. Thanks for
coming in.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The
bum’s rush...I was crushed.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">On my way
out, I was about to hold the door for the other two applicants. I caught myself and kept
going.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">On
my way down the escalator I muttered, “Those knuckleheads can open their own
goddamned door.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i><b>Yes, I was polite and missed out on working at the Mint. That fiasco led me to concentrate on better downtown joints. It took six weeks but eventually, after more failures, I finished last and scraped the bottom of the barrel and was hired at the Vegas Club.</b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i><b>This less than golden moment in my life was actually the start of my previous blog, "AGNES CARMICHAEL OF THE CARMICHAEL CALIFORNIA CARMICHAEL'S." To shorten what was already a mouthful, I separated this segment.</b></i></span><br />
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Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12392111410804449860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787822525441125324.post-91599167563170511912019-07-22T00:43:00.000-05:002019-07-24T06:41:40.736-05:00AGNES CARMICHAEL, OF THE CARMICHAEL CALIFORNIA CARMICHAEL'S<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: 0in;"><i><b>On </b></i><i><b>January 10, 1982, my four-man craps crew was fired from the
Stardust Casino. I was traumatized. My knee-jerk reaction was trying to catch-on with another elite club. Stung by repeated rejection, my persistence
and standards weakened. I tried less prestigious strip casinos but continued failing. I lost my edge. Soon laziness gave way to despair, until full-blown depression took over.</b></i></span><br />
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</span><br />
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<i style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On the verge of giving up hope, I spent a lot of valuable time watching <span style="font-size: 12pt;">grade-B film noir matinees. </span></span></b></i></div>
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<i style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></b></i></div>
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<i style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The week before Washington's birthday, I was in the middle of an unspectacular movie's climax. In the grayness of an otherwise white
kitchen, the cowering villain with gun drawn, hid in the shadows behind
an old Philco. Two detectives followed by a contingent of uniformed officers
clambered up the tenement’s unlit, narrow staircase. </span></span></b></i></div>
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<i style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></i></div>
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<i style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The
lead detective called out, “Okay Blackie, it's the police. Open up.”
The door of the apartment was kicked in as bullets filled the air. Suddenly, my phone startled me; it was my friend Ciro. </span></b></i></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-indent: 0in;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span><span style="text-indent: 0in;"><i><b>I was pissed off because I didn't know how my movie ended. But Ciro's call alerted me to a craps dealing job downtown, (which I didn't get). While there, I tried the better casinos without luck. My standards spiraled lower. When I sunk to the most abysmal depths, I was hired at the Vegas Club. </b></i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">My
friend and former roommate Ciro the Hero,(before he became Ciro the Zero), dealt two blocks away from me, at the Four Queens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM7DffVpWOLDJdbpszjAsUaCIKi2KOu5A6Y6jITfBNPRlqGKuL7hMBIcfQ6c-smEeBCSFyX5_J2nasV1gpfqu7Uq03NZE5DdXm50Jhut_aIgbSK8SZXILI7-WMY1QAGiiS2lOfiSNhENaJ/s1600/z+-+as+vegas+club.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="555" data-original-width="736" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM7DffVpWOLDJdbpszjAsUaCIKi2KOu5A6Y6jITfBNPRlqGKuL7hMBIcfQ6c-smEeBCSFyX5_J2nasV1gpfqu7Uq03NZE5DdXm50Jhut_aIgbSK8SZXILI7-WMY1QAGiiS2lOfiSNhENaJ/s320/z+-+as+vegas+club.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">THE FOUR QUEENS (LEFT) FACED THE FREMONT AND WAS DIAGONALLY ACROSS WAS BINION'S HORSESHOE. THE LAST CASINO ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE STREET, IS THE VEGAS CLUB, (THEIR VERTICAL SIGN, IS PEEKING OUT, LEFT OF THE HORSESHOE SIGN).</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Ciro and I met for drinks at the </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">Horseshoe </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">after my first shift.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Unlike the bawdy bright neon lights of Glitter Gulch, (downtown), the interiors of its gambling halls were mostly dark.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> "Shoe" was the darkest, most foreboding casino on Fremont Street. They accentuated their Victorian motif with low-key lighting and a </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">colorless, old-school approach. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I never wanted to work there, but because it had the ambiance of Rick’s <i>Caf</i></span><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">é</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> Americain</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> from “<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Casablanca,</st1:place></st1:city>” it was the universal meeting place for locals and casino workers. </span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCoxi9dlAbCdtnsFrQ0EV_sgKcGfEXczQgtCNRHMGz7ESzdNsEhxLVA0NArTKfLwfdcPeDhtqT2BHMY9qDiBAiHr0IKK5aoNOQtWa4vW4T9pnVYgC8tQ43HDHBDqk-YJkQ1-cu15BUkbWJ/s1600/z+-++a+bogart-as-rick-blaine-in-front-of-ricks-cafe-americain-from-casablanca-1942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="707" data-original-width="525" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCoxi9dlAbCdtnsFrQ0EV_sgKcGfEXczQgtCNRHMGz7ESzdNsEhxLVA0NArTKfLwfdcPeDhtqT2BHMY9qDiBAiHr0IKK5aoNOQtWa4vW4T9pnVYgC8tQ43HDHBDqk-YJkQ1-cu15BUkbWJ/s200/z+-++a+bogart-as-rick-blaine-in-front-of-ricks-cafe-americain-from-casablanca-1942.jpg" width="148" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b> CENTRALLY LOCATED ON FREMONT STREET, THE "SHOE" OFFERED LOW MINIMUM GAMBLING, INEXPENSIVE PARKING, FIFTY-CENT TOP-SHELF LIQUOR AND A WIDE ARRAY OF TWENTY-HOUR FOOD SPECIALS. BUT THEY WERE ALSO UNIQUE IN THAT A PLAYER COULD SET ASTRONOMICALLY HIGH LIMITS FOR THEM SELF. THEREFORE, FROM A SEAT AT THE FRONT BAR, YOU NEVER KNEW WHO MIGHT BE GAMBLING OR WHAT KIND OF SHADY DEALS WERE BEING </b><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>CONSUMMATED</b></span><b>.</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -40.5pt;">Ollie, the bartender picked Ciro out of the crowd and called out, "A girl with a Scottish accent was looking for you."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The congenial, bald barman mopped his sweaty head and in a refined Spanish accent encouraged two patrons to squeeze to one side. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ciro was served an icy bottle of Grolsch. I was impressed, (he hadn't ordered it), and was getting personal messages.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ollie said to me, "And you sir?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I stammered, "J-just a Bud."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Ciro asked the Spaniard, "Did she tell you her name?"</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The barman was scooping ice and said, “No.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He went to take a biker’s order and over his shoulder added, “She wasn’t in a casino uniform.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Are you sure she was Scottish?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ollie scratched his ear,
“Well no. Maybe she was English, or Irish, it’s all the same...”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Ciro handed Ollie a five to pay our one-dollar tab, “C’mon Dimi, (his private nickname for me), let’s go to
the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Fremont</st1:place></st1:city>; I
got some money on the street, maybe I can corner Pete Watson.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 4.5pt;"> *</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 4.5pt;">We crossed </span><st1:street style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 4.5pt;" w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Second Street</st1:address></st1:street><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 4.5pt;">
and I said, “I thought things were going well with your new girl.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 4.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 4.5pt;">Who’s this Scottish chick?”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“No, no,” Ciro casually said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“That's code. He needs four lids (pot),
the day after tomorrow, same time."</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I had no idea Ciro was so enterprising.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">At 4:30AM, we entered the nearly empty Fremont; it was Watson's night off.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Ciro pointed at the one open craps table and said, "Let's take a shot."</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The stickman pushed Ciro the dice and said, "Next shooter's next."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">He shot well and made several passes. He pressed his $1.50 eight to thirty bucks. I was happy "same-betting" my eight to nine dollars.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">On the other side of the table, a plump,
tipsy woman in her early thirties appeared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Unadorned by make-up, she</span> had several splotchy pimples
dotting her pale face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> H</span></span><span style="font-size: 16px;">er long frizzy brown hair was bound by </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">a thick white band </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">that </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">caused it to go straight up.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 4.5pt; tab-stops: 4.5pt 346.5pt; text-indent: -4.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">She took a wrinkled dollar bill from a small black clutch, set it on the table and through a controlled burp said, “A dollar on eleven.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 4.5pt; tab-stops: 4.5pt 346.5pt; text-indent: -4.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The dealer yawned, “Buck yo.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 4.5pt; tab-stops: 4.5pt 346.5pt; text-indent: -4.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“C’mon big boy,” she robustly said. “Throw me an eleven.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Ciro ignored her and threw a four.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The woman threw in another single, “Give me eleven.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 4.5pt; tab-stops: 4.5pt .5in 346.5pt; text-indent: -4.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ciro toyed with the dice and muttered, “I’ll give her eleven...eleven inches.” I was smiling as he
called across the table, “Honey, the point's nine but I’m aiming for the eight. Forget that eleven
bullshit.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 4.5pt; tab-stops: 4.5pt .5in 346.5pt; text-indent: -4.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;">Ciro</span> threw the dice and the stickman called out, “Yo eleven, good field and
come.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 4.5pt; tab-stops: 4.5pt .5in 346.5pt; text-indent: -4.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">She jumped up and down and howled, “Woo-hoo.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">We noticed that her broad smile
revealed a chipped front tooth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Even if she was a </span>genius that broken tooth made her look goofy. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 346.5pt; text-indent: -4.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ciro said, “<i>Marrone, </i>what a
train wreck but she’s got big tits.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 346.5pt; text-indent: -4.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">At the same time she announced, “Throw me another eleven and I’ll give
you a big kiss.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 346.5pt; text-indent: -4.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">He said, “That wacko is black-catting me. I should reduce my bets.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 346.5pt; text-indent: -4.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“I’m not,” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 346.5pt; text-indent: -4.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ciro kept waffling until finally saying, “Dealer! Off this roll.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">He shot without dignifying her.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The
stickman cried out, “Eight hard eight. Pay the eight."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">She clapped and said, "Goody. You hit your eight and the hard way."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Ciro spewed, "You dumb shit, I was off."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I said, "You're hot. Don't let her get in your head. She doesn't know which way's up."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Ciro said, "Working." </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">He threw the dice hard. If the back wall wasn't there, he would have hit her in the abdomen.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">One die caromed half way back to Ciro and the stickman said, "Seven-out, line away.”</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">We lost everything.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent2" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">"That ugly broad distracted me, " Ciro whined. "I should've taken down all my bets."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">She approached. My eye focused on her frilly lilac U-neck blouse and her stretch-mark ravaged cleavage.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">To emphasize her
trophy-like bust, she arched her back and said, “Nice roll handsome. We all made money.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ciro brushed by her
and said, “Yeah, yeah we gotta run.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">She ran ahead of us and playfully impeded Ciro.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">S</span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">he oscillated her torso to again display her bosom and said, “What’s
the rush?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I just wanna be friendly."</span><span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: .5in 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ciro abruptly stopped, “Get your
fat ass and fat tits out of my face!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: .5in 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">She angrily grabbed his upper arm as he
passed and blasted, “My father can make trouble for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s a big man in Carmichael, everyone in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sacramento</st1:place></st1:city> knows
him.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: .5in 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">"Well Dorothy,” Ciro said, “you
ain’t in <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Kansas</st1:place></st1:state> no more.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: .5in 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">“My father’s a big man here too,” she
bellowed. “His credit line at the Landmark alone is forty thousand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone in Vegas knows the name Cyrus
Carmichael.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I finish blackjack
school, he’s going to ‘juice’ me in anywhere I want.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: .5in 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;">Ciro</span> feigned sincerity, “Look doll, I
didn’t mean to offend you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: .5in 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">“That’s okay,” she responded, “let’s go for
a drink and get better acquainted.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: .5in 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">“Nah, I got a jealous girlfriend,” he
said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Besides, it gets late, early this time of year.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Ciro's girlfriend, Shirley Birnbaum was
married. Their purely
sexual relationship was mostly confined to her infant's Thursday afternoon nap, (a year later, this
arrangement soured when the kid formulated sentences).</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Shirley was the assistant cage manager at
the Landmark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To satisfy Ciro's curiosity, she
accessed </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">Cyrus Carmichael's </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">confidential information. He </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">was indeed a big player from </span><st1:place style="font-size: 12pt;" w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Carmichael</st1:city>,
<st1:state w:st="on">California</st1:state></st1:place><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I established myself as a “retread” at the Vegas
Club.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The monotony of “pushing”
twenty-five cent chips every day was futile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Plus, m</span>y fellow dealers were “break-ins.” So I was saddled with the added responsibility of correcting their constant errors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One supervisor, a boxman named Ralph Wayne was an inexperienced prick. He didn't understand the true nature of his job so rather than teaching or nurturing new dealers, he gained strength by abusing them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> This self-absorbed imbecile also was a womanizer and bragged about his conquests. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Behind his back, Ralph was nicknamed, "Wayne the Weave," because his cheap toupee </span>and pencil thin mustache made him
resemble Wayne Newton. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAbLMHDbdWFMT7SyrGzakcrWPyte6j1V5uAcyS8-7yXUUDz8XIXuKTCaZ8_jLW5i9m_WBNWaKWd1PwL1FBvdDWlkMJUVDp4IKWe7bxF6GgD6rOvS0vmx2ByCdOjtBxyVPOwmg1seJwG7fE/s1600/z+-+a+newtty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="390" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAbLMHDbdWFMT7SyrGzakcrWPyte6j1V5uAcyS8-7yXUUDz8XIXuKTCaZ8_jLW5i9m_WBNWaKWd1PwL1FBvdDWlkMJUVDp4IKWe7bxF6GgD6rOvS0vmx2ByCdOjtBxyVPOwmg1seJwG7fE/s200/z+-+a+newtty.jpg" width="159" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">WAYNE NEWTON (1942-PRESENT) WAS A JAZZ, POP SINGER AND LAS VEGAS SHOWROOM LEGEND. HOWEVER, HE WAS UNCOOL TO ROCK 'N ROLLERS SO ANY COMPARISON WAS A HIDDEN INSULT.</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">My crew was standing dead when Edmund Khalifa approached.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This
handsome, mocha-complexioned floorman from blackjack was taking up a collection
for a terminally ill pit boss from day shift.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">“There’s going to be a surprise birthday
party for Ben Dunne,” he said. “We’re asking the dealers to chip-in
three bucks and the supervisors five.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Ralph Wayne said, “Don’t be strong-arming us.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Edmund’s pleasant demeanor changed to shock when Wayne scoffed, “Beat it. You pushy goddamned camel jockey.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Edmund was of Turkish, Syrian heritage but was a Catholic born in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Dearborn</st1:city>
<st1:state w:st="on">Michigan</st1:state></st1:place>. The
racism offended him but he just walked away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Victorious Wayne gloated, “Hey, did I tell you losers? There’s this new keno writer here who loves to suck
cock.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">We were </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">captive audience and </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">forced to listen.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">He rattled off the names of five of his
cronies and crowed, “After two shots and a beer, she blew all of us on the roof of
the Horseshoe.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Fortunately it was time for my break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found some peace and quiet in our lounge. Halfway through David Letterman’s monologue, my serenity ended when a familiar face entered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked different but I recognized her as Ciro’s “train wreck” from the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Fremont</st1:place></st1:city>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We exchanged pleasantries and I pointed to
her name-tag, “<st1:place w:st="on">Carmichael?</st1:place> Is that
your real name?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“No,” she replied, “its Agnes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hate Agnes, everyone calls me Carmichael.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">She continued, “I’m
Agnes Carmichael, from Carmichael, <st1:state w:st="on">California</st1:state>...get
it, Carmichael, from <st1:place w:st="on">Carmichael</st1:place>.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I couldn’t figure out what was so
different about her until she turned towards the TV; she <b>was</b> wearing
make-up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Specifically, I saw the stark
contrast between her whitish throat and the caked-on brown foundation masking her
skin condition. Inadvertently, she created an unflattering, unnatural, razor sharp, black and
white edge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">This “look,” was comical to me but I
drolly said, “You must be a country girl.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">She accepted it as a compliment, twirled
her hair in curlicues and said, “No. <st1:place w:st="on">Carmichael</st1:place>’s a
pretty big town.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I said, “Really? You
have a clean, wholesome farm-girl aura.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on">Carmichael</st1:place>
stood up, plopped herself next to me and said, “I like you.” She glided
her </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">fingernails across my shoulder towards my bicep and cooed, “You
have manners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you seeing
anybody?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 4.5pt; tab-stops: 346.5pt; text-indent: -4.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Yeah,” I lied.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 4.5pt; tab-stops: 346.5pt; text-indent: -4.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">She lamented, “The good
ones are always taken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The guys here are animals and their language...ugh!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 4.5pt; tab-stops: 346.5pt; text-indent: -4.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I lied again, “Gotta go. My break's over.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 4.5pt; tab-stops: 346.5pt; text-indent: -4.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Carmichael said, “I’ll go down with you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 4.5pt; tab-stops: 346.5pt; text-indent: -4.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">She was in street clothes so I asked, “What department are you
in?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt; text-indent: -4.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“I’m a keno writer.” I realized this was Ralph’s “rooftop friend” as she sighed, “It’s a shit job. I make $4.15 an hour.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 4.5pt; tab-stops: .5in 346.5pt; text-indent: -4.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Why don’t you become a dealer?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 4.5pt; tab-stops: .5in 346.5pt; text-indent: -4.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">She gushed, “I’m almost
finished taking BJ at the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">Valley</st1:placetype>
<st1:placename w:st="on">Dealer</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">School</st1:placetype></st1:place>.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 4.5pt; tab-stops: .5in 346.5pt; text-indent: -4.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Cool.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 4.5pt; tab-stops: .5in 346.5pt; text-indent: -4.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">She kept blithering. I tuned her out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 4.5pt; tab-stops: .5in 346.5pt; text-indent: -4.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Just before going our separate ways she added, “My father paid for the school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s a big shot at the Landmark. I’m gonna
break-in there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Until I get on my feet, he
got me a new car and bought us a condo on <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Honolulu Street</st1:address></st1:street>.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 4.5pt; tab-stops: .5in 346.5pt; text-indent: -4.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Us?”
I interjected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 4.5pt; tab-stops: .5in 346.5pt; text-indent: -4.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Yuppers,
I have a twelve year old daughter, Harlene.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Vegas Club was torture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Occasionally, I’d come downtown early to make my rounds trying for a
better job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was such a regular at the Golden Nugget that I became a nuisance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
should have hired me...just so they wouldn’t have to see me so often. At the
Four Queens, even with Ciro’s influence, I never got an audition and the Mint’s employment office closed at four.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But as awful as my
situation was, Binion’s Horseshoe still intimidated me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Carmichael</span></st1:place><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">’s father never followed through on his
promise to juice her into the Landmark. In mid-April, forced to survive on
her own devices, <st1:place w:st="on">Carmichael</st1:place> had “sucked” her
way to the top of our lowly casino...and got an in-house transfer to deal BJ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Shortly after she started, Dick Paynlewski (43), my former boxman at the Holiday International came through the Vegas Club. He was chatting with the infamous, Simon “Coat-Rack” Rhett. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1kkp3uRviP_njQs88QnrfJh944WOiGHlyIKK2UiMc1ZYaA4FZunFjG07EtdBsulrBxz7GS85H89M4r1oawZORZFHB0pvriaKg2Q08pI6mErwt9Fq23NB_tJ6-t1dnTelegHtE7d8vvtDB/s1600/z+-+a+poly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="728" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1kkp3uRviP_njQs88QnrfJh944WOiGHlyIKK2UiMc1ZYaA4FZunFjG07EtdBsulrBxz7GS85H89M4r1oawZORZFHB0pvriaKg2Q08pI6mErwt9Fq23NB_tJ6-t1dnTelegHtE7d8vvtDB/s200/z+-+a+poly.jpg" width="90" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>RHETT, GENTEEL AND FULL OF SOUTHERN CHARM, MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE GREAT GRANDDAD OF MODERN CASINO HUSTLERS. HE WORE HIS SIGNATURE STATEMENT, GREEN, POLYESTER LEISURE SUIT EVERY DAY. "COAT-RACK" EARNED HIS MONIKER ON WARM DAYS BY USING A COLLAPSIBLE WIRE HANGER TO DANGLE HIS SUIT JACKET FROM ONE OF HIS SHIRT'S BUTTONHOLES.</b> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This septuagenarian flea was known for selling table game “systems” to ignorant gamblers. He</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">was also a,
“past-poster,” short change artist and “rail thief.” If old Simon wasn't bilking
casinos, confusing naive cab drivers or stealing unsuspecting gamblers’ chips,
he operated as a walking pawnshop.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">A fixture downtown, he loaned money to
desperate gamblers while taking tangible goods as collateral.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> H</span>e’d further profit by hawking the unclaimed
items to casino workers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I watched Coat-Rack say good-bye to
Paynlewski. The old man with his jacket bobbing absurdly in front of him, cruised
by me on his way out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I scanned the
casino and found Dick at <st1:place w:st="on">Carmichael</st1:place>’s BJ table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Later, with a double scotch in hand,
Paynlewski came over and spent a break with me. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">He ranted about losing forty
dollars at the Nevada Club and said, “I hate foreigners.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">That damn Chink bitch never even smiled.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I don’t know why they let that scum in our
country.” He hiccuped, “They aren’t even Christians.”</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In the two years since I had seen him, Dic</span><span style="font-size: 16px;">k hadn't</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> changed.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I said, </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“Hey Dick, don't forget, I’m not
Christian.”</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">With drunken profundity he replied, “Don’t
worry. You’re okay.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="tab-stops: 4.5pt 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the middle of his familiar, “Americans should have
American jobs” lecture I interrupted, “What else?”</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 4.5pt 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">“Oh. Remember I wanted to legally change my
name?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I scoffed. “You went through with it? To what, <b>Joe</b>
Paynlewski?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“No
ass-hole! You are now speaking with Richard Thomas Payne.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> It's a strong </span>name and now I don't hear Pollack jokes all day.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I said, “Should I call you Richard? Or are you still a Dick?"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">He said, "Fuck you. Yeah, I'm still a Dick."</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">I said, "Then your name is now</span>, Dick-Pain?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">“You’re nuts,” he grumbled. “Only you think that way.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Awkwardly, he segued,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hey Steve, do you know the BJ dealer,
Carmichael?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">“First tell me, what you hocked with
Coat-Rack?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">“No, no I'm buyin'. He's got a bunch of eight-tracks at his new place,” he hurriedly said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Now, what about <st1:place w:st="on">Carmichael</st1:place>?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I was tempted but I never editorialize,
“Seems like a nice girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s was hired last week.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">“Carmichael dealt to me. She's really friendly and funny too. Guess what she told me?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without waiting for a
response, Dick spouted, “She said, ‘after work, I'm having a party in
my mouth, wanna come?’”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I pretended to be shocked and said, "No way."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">“I really
think she’s serious. And get this, she also said, ‘don’t worry about
my chipped tooth...I know what I’m doing.’”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I couldn't help it but I laughed as he continued,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Later, we’re meeting at the ‘Shoe’ for drinks.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I smiled, “She sounds like a keeper.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Carmichael
and Dick became a couple.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> On the face of it, they were w</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">ell suited
for each other. He was a mature and </span>supportive<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> person who despite her obvious personality flaws provided the unconditional acceptance that she
never knew.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">For Dick, <st1:place w:st="on">Carmichael</st1:place>
was his first prolonged relationship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She added affection as well as a sense of calmness and stability to his helter-skelter lifestyle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">I</span>nstead of bringing out the best in each other, their co-dependency on drinking
and gambling reinforced their insecurities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Dick remained morose because his
cyclical foibles were still painful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> And </span></span><st1:place style="font-size: 12pt;" w:st="on">Carmichael</st1:place><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, in her eternal search to be appreciated,
continued to orally cheapen herself.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">At the Vegas Club later
that week, I had a chaotic, bad night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I was trudging back from my second break and an unimpressive “break-in” from the other table confided in me, “I just got
hired at the Horseshoe.”</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I huffed, “Really?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">He whispered, “I hate it here. I went over on my first break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spoke to
a floorman named Irwin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took an
audition and passed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just went back to
fill out the paperwork...I start tomorrow night.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dumbstruck, I said, “It’s an
automatic termination if they caught you leaving the building?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“I leave all the time. Besides, who gives a shit about this
fuckin’ toilet!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go behind the elevators to
the emergency exit, no one’ll see you leave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Once you’re in the alley, walk between the Golden Goose and Churchill
Downs; it’s a half block down.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I never wanted to work in that claustrophobic "sweatshop" but I was miserable. On
my next break, I scurried through the inky night and tip-toed around the alley's sludge-filled pot-holes to get there.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Impatiently, I pushed between two busy
tables and asked an </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">ugly, lanky </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">floorman</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> with gigantic ears and a long nose</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">, “Is Irwin around?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This
glossy-eyed man retorted, “If you saw Irwin, would you recognize him?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“No, but I understand he handles the auditions.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“How much experience do you have?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was aware that they just hired a weak
dealer with six months experience so I proclaimed, “Three and half years!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He shrugged, “I’m Irwin...come
back in another three and a half years.”</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Angry and frustrated, I retraced my steps up the wet, blackened alley between the Slot Parlor and the Race Book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ahead of me, at the Vegas Club's emergency exit, I saw the silhouette of a couple in a violent argument.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I peered around a fence and saw Dick Payne
screaming at Carmichael, “You’re a whore!” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">She cried, </span>“I’m not. You’re the only man I slept with
in years.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“I
heard you sucked four cocks yesterday!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“No, you’re fucked up in the
head...’cause...that ain’t sex,” she spewed. “Besides it was only two guys.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Dick grabbed her face as if palming a basketball and pushed her down onto the nasty, glistening pavement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“I was just being friendly.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">H</span>e straddled her torso,
thrust his right index finger an inch from her flinching nose and roared, “When
someone loves you, blowing <b>one</b> other guy, just once, makes you a whore.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on">Submissive Carmichael</st1:place>
laid in the gutter sobbing as Dick eased his posture and stormed off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seconds after she re-entered the casino, I followed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Two
weeks later, <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Las
Vegas</st1:place></st1:city> had its first 100ºF day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was followed by three windswept rainy days
in the sixties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">On that first hot day, Ciro phoned me, “Dimi, on Wednesday a bunch of us are going to a natural hot spring on some Indian Reservation. You'll know a lotta of them. You should come.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Our road trip took us
north, towards the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Utah</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">State</st1:placetype></st1:place> line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Ciro</span> passed the spa’s turnoff, so he could
stock up on untaxed cigarettes at the Reservation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">T</span>he living
conditions for the Native Americans were deplorable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Located in a low depression on the desert
floor, the community consisted of little more than fifty decaying mobile homes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We were driving slowly on the gravelly
main road and saw an unattended naked baby crawling around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Across the way, bored women stared us down from a shaded alcove between shacks made from galvanized scrap metal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Two stumbling drunks tussling over a liquor bottle crossed in front of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were both New Yorkers but we had never
imagined such poverty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Ciro passed</span> the Reservation Store without stopping.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The spa’s parking lot was almost deserted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Their season hadn’t really started yet and it was only in the low
eighties, overcast and breezy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ciro groaned, “This better fuckin' not suck; that Reservation was depressing enough.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Inside, we immediately came across Dick
Payne and Carmichael. Typically arguing, he was in slacks, a short sleeve dress shirt and Oxfords as if he was going to work. She was barefoot, in a crimson, one-piece bathing suit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I introduced Ciro to her (she didn’t
remember him) and <st1:place w:st="on">Carmichael</st1:place> said, “This is
Dick-Payne...and he’s a pain in my ass too.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dick rebutted, “And I call you
Agg...because you’re always agg-ravating me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">We looked at Dick like he was crazy because the "Agnes" reference went over our head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Carmicheal was saying, "At least Mr. GQ left his clip-on tie in my glove compartment," as I lost interest and looked past her.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">A handful of scattered guests could be seen on the grounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To our
left, surrounded by chaise lounges and umbrella tables, was the
deep end of the Olympic-sized pool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Detached, beyond its shallow end was a tomahawk-shaped kiddie-pool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the far left, there were three misty
natural <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">hot springs</st1:place></st1:city>.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">To the right was a stone-faced administration building that also housed a lunch
counter, gift shop and bar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Behind it, there was a pavilion that covered six aisles of triple tier
lockers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Between each row was
a narrow wooden bench bolted to the cement slab.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beyond the pavilion were twin stone-faced restrooms with showers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Later, Ciro and I went into the bar for a
beer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We found Dick passed out on
his stool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In front of him was a full
double scotch, a half-eaten hamburger and some onion-rings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suddenly, Dick woke up, crashed between us
and ran out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The bare-chested buck behind the bar shook his head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We each had a beer and were leaving as Dick, completely sober
returned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ciro said,
“You okay?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">In confidence Dick blushed, “You
can’t trust a fart after forty.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We walked out, went to the lockers and gathered our things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on">Carmichael</st1:place>
came by and said, “What a great place.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">She plowed on about the virtues
of the mineral spring as she set her little black purse on the bench.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pirouetted and unzipped her
swimsuit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I respected her modesty and
slid my eye downward only to be confronted by her massive cellulite
ridges.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My eye bounced back up in time
to see her pull off her left shoulder strap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Still yammering, she turned towards us and took down the other strap, to
fully expose her saggy boobs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ciro's eyes were riveted to her chest as he said, “A lady would wait till
she has some privacy...”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">She retaliated, “If you
were a gentleman, you’d have turned away.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Ciro stepped forward </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">and suckled
her breasts...I darted to the pool.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">On
our way out Ciro beamed, “In the car, I’ll tell you what she said
about Dick.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> In a whisper he added</span>, “That girl’s got talent. Plus she puts these exploding Pop Rocks candies
in her mouth...I’m tellin’ ya, she gives the best head.” We were passing the
bar and Ciro suggested, “Let’s get a beer for the road.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The taproom was empty except Dick’s wallet
and car keys were still on the bar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>While we drank across the oval bar from Dick’s seat, <st1:place w:st="on">Carmichael</st1:place>
came in and stood between us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">She pinched Ciro’s nose and
said, “If you buy me a beer, I’ll be your best friend.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">She sucked it down and
asked for another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><st1:place w:st="on">Carmichael</st1:place>
was giggling as she set a hand into each of our laps. She was mindlessly
babbling on as she simultaneously kneaded our crotches. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dick came in. <st1:place w:st="on">Carmichael</st1:place>
with her hands hidden by the bar continued the massage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dick furrowed his brow and groaned, “You
better not be giving Ciro a hand job.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Oh no,” she barked without missing a
stroke, “I wouldn’t dream of it.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Knowingly, Dick turned away and said,
“When you’re done, I’ll be in the car.”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Dick left and Carmichael said to the bartender, "I wasn't lying. You're my witness. I wasn't giving him a hand job, I was giving them both a hand job." </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Our hour-long drive back to town was
highlighted by Ciro telling me what </span><st1:place style="font-size: 12pt;" w:st="on">Carmichael</st1:place><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
said about Dick.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I was hysterical when he finished by saying,
“Dick farts in his sleep. He farts during sex and once shit the bed when
he came.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Much to
the chagrin of Ralph Wayne, <st1:place w:st="on">Carmichael</st1:place> lost
interest in him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had viciously lashed
out at Edmund Khalifa in front of her and complained to terminal Ben Dunne
about the forced birthday contributions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Wayne's <i>faux pas</i> ruined the dying man’s surprise and resulted in
<st1:place w:st="on">Carmichael</st1:place> becoming sympathetic towards family
man, Khalifa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One thing led to
another and after several “friendly” trysts with him, they were leaving work to
do it again.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">On line to punch-out, Khalifa discreetly
gave her buttocks an amorous squeeze as he whispered, “This time, come back to my place, I
want to make love to you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">She nodded and gave him a deep, passionate
kiss. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The spectators behind them obnoxiously ooh’d and ahh’d.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
morning sun had cleared the horizon as <st1:place w:st="on">Carmichael</st1:place>
and Khalifa stood on the landing of his brother’s secret second floor efficiency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Whittlesea Taxi that would drive her back
to her car was on its way. They waited outside because he didn’t want to waste
time, in the hope of getting home before his wife woke up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">T</span>hey were snuggling but <st1:place w:st="on">Carmichael</st1:place>
was disappointed that he wasn’t driving her back downtown. He was insensitive and didn't care why she refused his
offer to pay the carfare. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">While in his embrace, she considered that Dick was a sweet gentleman and under no circumstance would ever do this. She also knew, her world had just been rocked
like it had never been rocked before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">She felt a warm resurgence between her legs. She grabbed his flaccid penis through his suit
pants and took down his fly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on">Carmichael</st1:place> recalled the wonderful taste of Asti Spumante as she remembered Khalifa’s
toast, “I could spend the rest of my life with a girl like you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">She read too deeply into his hackneyed
statement as her enthusiasm for the massage resulted in a growing erection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Eddie, let’s go back inside," she purred.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> "</span>Put it in my butt again."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“See,” he cracked, “you did like it.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">In the bright sunshine with his pants at his
ankles, <st1:place w:st="on">Carmichael</st1:place> went down on her
knees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Khalifa unconvincingly said,
“Stop,” as he rammed her head back and forth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">At the same time, the taxi turned onto the street. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">To maximize the bliss, he waited till the cab was at a complete stop to wail, “What are you crazy?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>C’mon, get up.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">After a tender kiss and tight embrace, the
smitten <st1:place w:st="on">Carmichael</st1:place> said, “You’re wonderful,”
and came down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
digital clock on the roof of the Mint read 7:37 as <st1:place w:st="on">Carmichael</st1:place>
pulled out of the Horseshoe’s lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
was happy to be home in time to cook Harlene’s breakfast and drive
her to school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The radio blared as she enjoyed the early morning road all to herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">A smile came to <st1:place w:st="on">Carmichael</st1:place>’s
lips as she uneasily squirmed from the strange sensation in her rectum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Heading south, making all the lights on <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Paradise Road</st1:address></st1:street>, she
sang along to Gilbert O’Sullivan’s, “Alone Again, Naturally.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She innocently entered the intersection at <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Charleston Boulevard</st1:address></st1:street> when a speeding drunk ran the red light. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on"><br /></st1:place></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on"><br /></st1:place></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on"><br /></st1:place></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on"> *</st1:place></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on"><br /></st1:place></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on"><br /></st1:place></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on"><br /></st1:place></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on">Carmichael remained in ICU for seventy-two hours</st1:place> and clung to life with the help of a respirator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><st1:place w:st="on">Carmichael</st1:place>’s
daughter, left phone messages for her rich and powerful grandfather. Cyrus
Carmichael didn’t return the calls, come to <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Las Vegas</st1:place></st1:city> or telephone the
hospital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, three over-sized
bouquets (one each day) adorned her room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">During the third day, Dick was reached. Twenty minutes later, he was at the nurse’s station
bickering with the staff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> D</span>espite Harlene’s okay, Dick wasn’t family and couldn't go in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> He </span>wouldn’t take no for an answer and was
grudgingly permitted in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on">Dick hugged Harlene as he was informed that Carmichael</st1:place> had begun breathing independently but was still in coma. The nurse told him that she had suffered severe head trauma and that her spleen and a kidney had already been
removed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dick fought off tears as he heard of her broken hip and internal bleeding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was openly sobbing as he eyed the feeder tube coming out of her. He rubbed her back, kissed her face and unceasingly
whispered words of encouragement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Harlene left with her friend’s parents at
10:00PM.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the private room paid in
<i>absentia </i>by <st1:place w:st="on">Carmichael</st1:place>’s father, Dick began a diligent vigil. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dick emptied and washed her bedpan while
rehearsing a marriage proposal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was
contorting his body to clean her bottom as she stirred.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Dick</span> gave her one last wipe and she painfully
moaned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dick leaped to his feet to summon the nurse
when <st1:place w:st="on">Carmichael</st1:place> mumbled, “Eddie, put it in my
butt again.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dick couldn’t believe his
ears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stunned, he crossed to the other
side of the bed to hear her better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Quivering, he bleated, “What?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was no reaction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He leaned over and in a soothing voice added,
“This is Eddie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm here. What do you
want?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Barely audible, <st1:place w:st="on">Carmichael</st1:place> uttered, “You were right, I did like it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Put it in my butt again.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dick punched the wall. Feverishly pacing,
he suddenly pounced on <st1:place w:st="on">Carmichael</st1:place> and grabbed
her by the throat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luckily, his stomach
seized up on him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hurriedly, Dick jumped
back and managed to avoid the ultimate embarrassment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> He was still angry when he got off the toilet and</span> slammed one of her dad’s bouquets against the wall. Dick stormed out of the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dick darted through traffic and headed downtown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At 2:00AM, he haphazardly parked on <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Ogden Street</st1:address></st1:street> and
marched the half block to the Vegas Club.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Dick had a hunch that Eddie was a coworker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Inside the casino, he concealed his ire
and randomly began asking the staff, “Is Eddie working tonight?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dick’s instinct was right but his task was made more difficult
because nobody there called Edmund Khalifa...Eddie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The eleventh person Dick asked was a
bespectacled roulette dealer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“There’s no Eddie’s on this shift,” he
thought out loud, “unless you mean Edmund. That’s him. The floorman at the last BJ table.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dick didn’t acknowledge the help and
seethed in hatred as wandered towards his prey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In looking at the Arabic Khalifa, the idea of a “Heathen” reprehensibly
defiling the woman he loved tore at him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dick didn’t confront his rival.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, he ran out and began searching every
downtown casino.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hours passed.
Completely exhausted, Payne staggered into the <st1:place w:st="on">Golden Gate</st1:place>
for the third time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">He found a hustler friend of Simon Rhett
and asked, “Have you seen Coat-Rack?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The flea said, “No. H</span><span style="font-size: 16px;">e’s</span><span style="font-size: 16px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">probably home. He only comes out at night.”</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Disoriented Dick asked, “Night?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What time is it?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The low-life pulled out an antique, silver
pocket watch and said, “That’s funny, I got this off Simon five years ago.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He donned eyeglasses with one frame missing
and added, “It’s coming up on noon.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“He still on Bonanza Road?” Dick demanded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Coat-Rack's friend extended his right hand while
scratching the stubble on his chin and said, “No. He moved. Let me see...”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dick croaked, “Scumbag,” and slapped a
five-dollar bill into his palm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Yessiree,” the man said, “he’s staying in a
garage behind a little cheese-box house on <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Cincinnati Street</st1:address></st1:street>...number thirty-five.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dick power-walked to his car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He ripped a parking ticket off his
windshield, dropped it in the street and sped off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">A half-mile later, Coat-Rack was found in the shade, outside his shabby abode. His leisure-suit jacket was dangling from a branch
as he sat on a stump and sipped apricot brandy from a pint bottle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Simon offered his hand and said, "You must be hot to trot for them eight tracks..."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Dick didn't shake hands and lifted the
old-man by grabbing his arm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">He prodded him inside and snapped, “Gotta a gun for sale?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Whoa there big fella. First, y'all gotta
tell me why you look like such shit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> S</span>econd, I need to know is; if I had such an item...and I ain’t sayin’ I
do, what might y'all be needin' it fer?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dick was unprepared and stalled
by saying, “You know...it’s kind of personal.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He kept hemming and hawing until he spat, “Protection. It's for protection.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Coat-Rack led the way past his catchall of
oddball items. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">In his makeshift bedroom, he probed Dick’s bloodshot brown eyes, “Swear y'all ain’t lookin' to kill nobody.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dick, without eye contact gulped, “I
swear!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Now swear you won't hurt yourself."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Dick nodded impatiently.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">"Cause y'all's a lunkhead. I've seen yah do some foolish things."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">"Simon. The gun!"</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Coat-Rack pulled a .25 out of a bureau
drawer and preached about keeping the good name of Simon Rhett out of any
police reports.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“If the shit hits the fan,” Coat-Rack drawled, “y'all found this in a dumpster.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dick tried to snatch
the weapon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Furthermore,” the old-timer cautioned,
“they’ll throw the book at you if yah fuck up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This piece might be hot; you got no license
and there ain’t no paperwork.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Hell, I don’t even know if y'all know how to use this damned thing.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He swigged his brandy and said, “Got sixty
bucks?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dick quickly handed over three twenties
and took the gun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He seemed puzzled by
its diminutive size.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Sorry, I’m fresh out of cannons.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“But...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Okay by me if you don’t want it,”
Rhett shrugged. “No skin off my teeth.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dick tried to hurry out.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Coat-Rack stopped him by shouting, “Whoa big fella! Looky here, calm you self down. Y'all look busier than a one-legged man in an ass kicking contest. Before you embarrass yah frazzle-brained self...” Dick back-pedaled towards the door as Coat-Rack added, “You <b>do</b> realize that baby ain’t loaded and I got
no ammo.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Dick bought a box of shells.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In his bedroom, operating on adrenaline and hate, he loaded three bullets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In the bathroom mirror, he stared himself down and childishly practiced
drawing the weapon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He left for the hospital with the “Saturday-Night Special” concealed in his pants
pocket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Zombie-like,
Dick plodded up the dim corridor, only to be greeted like a rock star.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ladies at the nurse’s station
congratulated him on the “TLC” that miraculously pulled Agnes
from her coma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">In the shadowy room, together with a fourth
gigantic bouquet, was Harlene, her friend and a semi-lucid Carmichael.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In her immobilized state, she sipped cranberry juice from a glass straw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Dick said, "Harlene, please give me and your mom some privacy."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">On their way out the adolescents chuckled as Dick put his hand in
his pocket and confidently gripped the gun. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on">Carmichael</st1:place>
gasped, “I’m so, so sorry.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dick trembled as he withdrew his hand from his pocket...without the .25.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“I strayed, please forgive me," she confessed as tears streamed down her cheeks. "I did <b>it</b>
with another man."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Dick was crying as <st1:place w:st="on">Carmichael</st1:place> stated, “I know what you did for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They said I could have died.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dick leaned over and kissed her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A rush of wooziness hit her as she weakly
grabbed at his crotch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">On verge of fainting, she felt the gun barrel and moaned, “Wow. You <u>are</u> really happy to see me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">A nurse barged in, “Visiting hours are
over. Time to leave.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> T</span>he nurse looked into
Dick’s reddened eyes, “Looks like this one can use some rest
too.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on">Carmichael,</st1:place> straining to be heard croaked, “My own fuckin’ father never showed up or
even called me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None of my Vegas Club ‘friends’ did
either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dick, I’m never going to be
‘friendly’ ever again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dick’s heart was pounding but before he
could spit out his marriage proposal, the nurse pulled the curtain and ordered,
“Okay Superman. You're times up. Out!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">In his ill-lit bedroom, Dick tried to remain awake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Consumed by revenge, he wanted to wait till
Khalifa was on duty, to blow away that “sodomizing Arab bastard.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">To combat this tiredness, Dick washed his
face and stood out on his tiny terrace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The fresh air and some stretching made him feel better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Inside, w</span>ithout turning on the light, he rinsed his face again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> While fighting off dizziness, f</span>ramed by his black shower curtain, Dick focused
on the mirror and melodramatically said clichés from old movies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The third phrase was, “Edmund, this town ain’t
big enough for the two of us.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He spun the gun on his finger and dropped it. A shot discharged. The reverberating sound in the small space hurt his ears. Until his own louder screams of pain from shooting his foot filled the room.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
In the
distance, “agg-onized” Dick writhed on the bathroom floor as sirens got closer. He faded in and out of consciousness as he saw his blackened
blood ooze against the white hexagon tiles.
Soon, the thunderous vibration of many heavy footsteps charging up the
outside staircase startled him. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 346.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The last thing Dick remembered before
succumbing to shock and passing out was the pounding on his front door and the words, “Metro Police, open up."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<b><i>Like the movie I mentioned in the prologue, I have no idea what happened to Dick and Carmichael. After I left town, Ciro my only link to them said they vanished. Now, three decades later, Ciro the Hero has become Ciro the Zero. So like our relationship, their whereabouts are a dead issue. </i></b> </span></div>
Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12392111410804449860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787822525441125324.post-24635270892642687302019-07-01T00:43:00.000-05:002019-07-01T08:45:33.024-05:00MY LAW FIRM OF: IMPERIALE, IANUCCI AND IZZO.<i><b>Easily overlooked in my five years of working in Las Vegas were the adventures, misadventures and life lessons I experienced, during leisure time.</b></i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
* <br />
<br />
<br />
In early 1979, I befriended three coworkers at my first casino job, (Slots-A-Fun). Interestingly, they were all blackjack dealers, Italian-Americans, (Imperiale, Ianucci and Izzo), New Englanders, (Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island), and most importantly, fat. Okay, very fat.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_FmyW_Ph7-nysC20adG4wNd0eVYb32KBb56ONVWyIcPF4tRyl89BP0hJFQSBhpvKn1Yw4_-674j-kxbbYLvBvM6BUHhnE28KtkpmkZMldJ-kTid5t3zrWPDcVmPVvS_HfG_wRRzOJoB9B/s1600/scan0005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" qsa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_FmyW_Ph7-nysC20adG4wNd0eVYb32KBb56ONVWyIcPF4tRyl89BP0hJFQSBhpvKn1Yw4_-674j-kxbbYLvBvM6BUHhnE28KtkpmkZMldJ-kTid5t3zrWPDcVmPVvS_HfG_wRRzOJoB9B/s200/scan0005.jpg" width="138" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>SOMEHOW WITH ALL THE HIGH-PROFILE RENOVATIONS TO LAS VEGAS, THE FLEA-BITTEN TOILET NEXT TO CIRCUS CIRCUS CALLED SLOTS-A-FUN STILL EXISTS, (WITHOUT LIVE TABLE GAMES).</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
At 185 pounds, I was a Lilliputian compared to my friends. Ianucci and Izzo were about my height but weighed 260+. Imperiale, a college football player, was an out of shape 6 foot 5, 310-pounder.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheXF_nadVZSws4LqtJSbTizacD_tKc7c628gG3b_oSDjc861ExKuGRtd6qkyT82rr_ZCXMfBr06Zz4w4Hbp6isRVu-BxrcxGP3mZhMBmAiLD17CL-X6kVzFsvzOO6-28y6bRvfJ7veOfev/s1600/z+-+a+trio+fats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1031" data-original-width="1300" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheXF_nadVZSws4LqtJSbTizacD_tKc7c628gG3b_oSDjc861ExKuGRtd6qkyT82rr_ZCXMfBr06Zz4w4Hbp6isRVu-BxrcxGP3mZhMBmAiLD17CL-X6kVzFsvzOO6-28y6bRvfJ7veOfev/s200/z+-+a+trio+fats.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>WE WERE ALL UNATTACHED. IMPERIALE AND IZZO HAD THE GIFT OF GAB AND THOUGHT THEY WERE GOD'S GIFT TO WOMEN. I T WAS A GOOD SPOT FOR ME IF WE EVER MET A GROUP OF GIRLS BECAUSE I'D ATTRACT THE CUTEST ONE. TOO BAD, THAT NEVER HAPPENED.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
On Thursday nights, we went out on the town. Our access to excess was limited because at Slots-A-Fun, we grossed $170.00/week. Our paltry pittance spent on entertainment had to done carefully rationed. We gravitated to downtown Vegas, specifically the El Cortez Casino.<br />
<br />
The "Tez," was away from the other "Glitter Gulch" clubs. It catered to locals and won our hearts with a twenty-five cent craps game, free liquor and a $3.95 steak dinner, (it should be noted that we bought two dinners each and doggie-bags were <b>NEVER</b> necessary).<br />
<br />
Other casinos had similar amenities. The El Cortez's allure to knuckleheads like us was, it had a rustic charm that translated to, a real feeling of the wild west. To prove it, the first week I was in town, a drunken old-timer in a wheelchair was denied a spot at a crowded 25c craps table. He got pissed, pulled a gun and got off three shots. Luckily, the lowlife didn't hurt anyone. Management recognized that three bullet holes, (in a slot machine, wall and ceiling), was a marketing boon and didn't repair the damage, (their ploy certainly attracted us).<br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442678029073899698" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIWPPhfeVirDx2zNniaZSVjajGljNwjUdK4WCT2y76sgEwdbBtnrnUJTi4Sz_gKGVlWFoGsxqGe9u3B5zepERcx4bH2hlgKgGu-rFwfd8vOh-PQduRuIjhyPl-FrJIQHh1HDhSwdQtmxk/s400/z+-+tez.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 124px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 82px;" /><strong></strong><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><strong>40 YEARS LATER, THE "TEZ" IS STILL SO UGLY THAT ITS GLAMOUR SHOTS MUST BE TAKEN AT NIGHT.</strong> </strong></div>
<br />
To keep our amusement fresh, on three occasions, we went to the <em>jai-alai</em> fronton, in the MGM Casino. Jai alai is a racquetball-like game that originated in the Basque region of Spain. Players use a long hook-like basket, (<em>cesta),</em> to catch and throw a ball, (<em>pelota),</em> off a wall. Each player has odds based on their ability and spectators place bets...like at the racetrack.<br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442679111052295890" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3nvQGopUgt-t9YDFmSKAiscsOh-VY5qD0MGCkgTVpW2f4HY8f33V1EVUNtiUNCKXanMPhRq_yto05se4tIOXKs2yL4jYeSn8_BVMX5Jp8Y8X6EJXBIFbmvTiUCQYK5nkW0AzLpceqU7Q/s400/z+-+Jai.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 117px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 82px;" /><strong></strong><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><strong>THE SAFEST BET IN THE WORLD IS THAT JAI-ALAI IS RIGGED. NOTHING IS MORE FRUSTRATING THAN SEEING THE ACROBATIC GUY YOU BET ON, SCALE THE WALL, FLING A "KILL-SHOT" FROM A MILE AWAY AND THEN WITH THE GAME ON THE LINE, DROP ONE THAT FREDDY MULLER'S 93-YEAR OLD GREAT-GRANDMOTHER FROM CANARSIE COULD HAVE RETURNED...WITH HER GOOD EYE SHUT.</strong></strong></div>
<br />
<br />
Admission to jai-alai was $2.00 But the <strong><em>REVIEW JOURNAL</em></strong> had a dollar-off coupon for Thursdays.<br />
<br />
The last time we went Izzo, (our unofficial leader) said, "We don't need no freakin' coupons no more. I gotta connection, I'm gettin' us in free!"<br />
<br />
At the turnstile, Izzo said, "We're with Tompkins."<br />
<br />
The ticket taker welcomed us in with a big smile, "Yes sir and good luck gentlemen."<br />
<br />
That night was the only time I ever won anything "big." I gave my friends a deuce to bet while I went to the bathroom. When we were re-united, I was handed a ticket for the 2-5 exacta but I wanted the 5-2.<br />
<br />
I whined, "Idiots! My law firm of Imperiale, Ianucci and Izzo will never be trusted with my family fortune again."<br />
<br />
It was too wordy, so I switched it to the Law Firm of, <strong>DEWEY, CHEATEM AND HOWE.</strong> They liked my, <strong>"THREE STOOGES,"</strong> reference and after that "wrong" ticket won me $56.00, the nickname stuck.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGfCrJWcy1_rHrLa38tuL2nz074HWnLqOQcHq_w2zurk-P8Gbl2qpaOY-ZIExjWcC-OYIEpe6xEtXIbSaRQaEIox3GrPLeiRb7fMyDKFB4ROi5GYobUeMeGgJHAkZxG_fl3ygrHh3dLGyI/s1600/z+-+cheatem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" qsa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGfCrJWcy1_rHrLa38tuL2nz074HWnLqOQcHq_w2zurk-P8Gbl2qpaOY-ZIExjWcC-OYIEpe6xEtXIbSaRQaEIox3GrPLeiRb7fMyDKFB4ROi5GYobUeMeGgJHAkZxG_fl3ygrHh3dLGyI/s1600/z+-+cheatem.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>WE HAD NEVER MADE A THREE STOOGES REFERENCE BEFORE BUT AMONG MEN SO MANY OF THE ICONIC ROUTINES; LIKE DEWEY, CHEATEM AND HOWE ARE UNIVERSAL.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I returned from cashing in my ticket with a round of beers. We were already toasted and started loudly carrying on. Soon, two armed (but benign looking) security guards asked us to tone it down.<br />
<br />
We complied and still had a quieter, raucous time. During the next game, we reverted to our loud, immature and profane ways. A wealthy looking little guy wearing Bermuda shorts, a white Izod shirt and a gigantic, gaudy golden medallion around his neck approached . Behind him was a posse of three <em>zoftig, </em>dead-serious security guards and a plainclothes supervisor talking into a walkie-talkie. I guessed we were going to be read the Riot Act.<br />
<br />
We shut-up and took our feet off the movie theater-like seats in front of us. Like four choirboys ready to spazz-out into laughter, we sat-up, ready for a second warning. But the little guy in the shorts did all the talking.<br />
<br />
We were already giddy so fighting off our snickers was almost impossible as he stuttered, "J-j-j-just, w-w-w-where, d-d-d-do, y-y-y-you, g-g-g-get off."<br />
<br />
By the time he got that far into his statement, my eyes were glued to the carpet to hide my hilarity.<br />
<br />
Finally, <u>Mr. Tompkins</u> burst through and announced, "Just where do you get off using my n-n-name to get in here !?!!!?"<br />
<br />
We were ejected and under the threat of being arrested, permanently barred from returning.<br />
That meant we had to become more creative for our next entertainment idea. And the solution was a less traditional form of gambling.<br />
<br />
One unseasonably warm, early-April afternoon, we decided to go horseback riding. Somewhere in the middle of the nowhere, south of McCarron Airport was a stable. Before signing-up, my three rotund buddies attacked the vending machines.<br />
<br />
We played pool in the barroom, had some beers and took a shot on their nickel slot machines. The cowboy dude at the window was indifferent to us even after Imperiale offered him a Three Musketeers candy bar. He made it seem like a chore to ask one of the three girls in the office to serve as our trail guide. They said it was too hot for the horses.<br />
<br />
Izzo pointed his Slim-Jim at the attendant and said in his mock-Bostonian accent, "Lookit, we came all the way from freakin' Providence..."<br />
<br />
A deep tanned, hyper-skinny girl (20), in long, black pig-tails stood-up and snarled, "I'll go."<br />
<br />
She was wearing tattered jeans and an open, buckskin vest over a white tee-shirt.<br />
<br />
The girl didn't introduce herself. Her rugged, high-cheeked face was plain and dominated by a big hooked nose. She turned to lead us outside. Her vest shifted as she looked back at us. Her shirt's thin material revealed the sharp, erect nipple of her left, pancake-like breast.<br />
<br />
Ianucci and I shared grins then he crowed, "Her brights are on!"<br />
<br />
My law firm of Dewey, Cheatem and Howe began the competitive, clannish ritual of metaphorically banging their chests as if to signify that Olive was their "goyl."<br />
<br />
The guide brought four saddled horses and one bareback pinto into the paddock.<br />
<br />
"We're going for a walk," she said. "These mares don't like running in this heat."<br />
<br />
She helped me saddle-up first and my horse let out a piercing neigh.<br />
<br />
I said, "Mine is bragging because he lucked into the skinny guy."<br />
<br />
The guide said, "<b>HE'S</b> a mare. That means, he's a she."<br />
<br />
I said, "Oh. What's <strong>HER</strong> name?"<br />
<br />
"Bessie!"<br />
<br />
I said, "Good. And yours?"<br />
<br />
She groaned, "Sunbeam."<br />
<br />
I said, "I meant your name, not the horse."<br />
<br />
The guide said, "Sunbeam <i>is</i> my name."<br />
<br />
Moon-eyed Izzo aggressively stepped forward, "Sunbeam? Are you an Indian?"<br />
<br />
"No! I'm a Native American."<br />
<br />
He smiled, "Sure you ain't from the O'Houlihan tribe?"<br />
<br />
Sunbeam huffed, "I'm, part Choctaw, part Hopi...if that's what you mean?"<br />
<br />
Izzo tossed what was left of his beef jerky on the ground and said, "Even if you're not a thoroughbred, you're very pretty when you're angry."<br />
<br />
She gave him a dirty look and muttered, "Pig."<br />
<br />
Izzo said, "Heh? You say sumthin'?"<br />
<br />
She ignored him and turned to Imperiale, "Mr. <strong>BIG</strong>, you're riding Gussie."<br />
<br />
Izzo walked back to face her, "Hey missy. After work, whatcha yiz do way out here fuh fun?"<br />
<br />
Sunbeam looked past him and said to Ianucci, "You got Bella."<br />
<br />
Izzo lifted his shirt and crowed, "Wanna rub my sexy belly?"<br />
<br />
She spit onto a manure pile and scattered some flies.<br />
<br />
He said, "I know. Ya savin' me for last. I betcha ya got sumthin' special for me."<br />
<br />
Our muted guide stopped to lift the last horse's left, front hoof. She shook her head and led it back into the stable. Seconds later, she came back with a different, much larger horse. Behind her back, Izzo pantomimed grabbing Sunbeam's rear-end. He then gaped at her as she helped him mount-up.<br />
<br />
Izzo was secure in the saddle as he stared down at her meager chest and said, "What's my cute little horsey's name...Cupcakes?"<br />
<br />
Sunbeam put her hand across her bosom and said, "<strong>His</strong> name is Budweiser! And like most <strong>WISE</strong>-guys, <b>he</b> spooks easy."<br />
<br />
Sunbeam let out a primal scream, ran up behind her pinto, and like in the movies, bounded up onto the horse's back. I was impressed.<br />
<br />
Our journey on the desert trail was ugly, boring and slow. The encrusted, cement-like, brown terrain was dominated by litter and horse crap. The only joy I got was the harmless jokes the other three made at the expense of the ranch and Sunbeam.<br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442689121614279858" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVCVJClcMaVRuo6gDaIHdZmTvEInzhYAk330EMNdwxGb1x0YNkOxeJtWlNwvP6g6RJppgyz_C5Lk7nC9I1-9jZL0SnK-E8-BiSEwrjKThu7s6Mmqo9-1Ug9TnZqKhOqhH8GeUXTxJTfws/s400/z+-+horse.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 112px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 150px;" /><strong></strong><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><strong><i>*INTERNET PHOTO* </i>THE PART OF THE DESERT WE WERE IN WAS NOT THE WILD, PRISTINE LANDSCAPE I EXPECTED. INSTEAD, WE WERE SURROUNDED BY BROKEN GLASS, ABANDONED MAJOR APPLIANCES AND HOUSEHOLD TRASH.</strong></strong></div>
<br />
<br />
Izzo said, "C'mon honey, you ain't no real Indian...I mean Native American."<br />
<br />
She didn't respond.<br />
<br />
Imperiale said, "I bet she's from Akron and her name is Sally Smith, Mary Jones or Shirley Quackenbush."<br />
<br />
I was the only one not laughing so Sunbeam rode along side me.<br />
<br />
In a short time, the glaring sun took its toll.<br />
<br />
Izzo stared out at the vast wasteland and moaned, "Where can we go for a drink?"<br />
<br />
Sunbeam said, "The horses will be okay until we get back."<br />
<br />
He said, "I was talking about us. Us humans."<br />
<br />
She whipped out a small crescent-shaped leather pouch from her back pocket, squirted water in her mouth and said, "Not too smart coming to the desert unprepared?"<br />
<br />
Izzo said, "You're as funny as an IRS audit."<br />
<br />
Imperiale said, "Is that why you guys don't like coming out here?"<br />
<br />
She said, "We usually only come out in the morning this time of year."<br />
<br />
Ianucci said, "We aren't halfway through spring. What do you do in the summer? Ride at night?"<br />
<br />
"You city boys wouldn't understand."<br />
<br />
Izzo said, "Yous ain't the kind of earners I'd want in my crew. What kind of business is this? A non-profit organization."<br />
<br />
Sunbeam said to me, "Yeah, you guys sound very organized."<br />
<br />
I played dumb, "What do you mean?"<br />
<br />
"You jokers remind me of my <i>dago</i> father."<br />
<br />
Loud enough for all to hear I said, "Dago? What's a dago?"<br />
<br />
She said, "You know, a wop, a guinea, a..."<br />
<br />
I said, "Heh?"<br />
<br />
She said, "Are you sure you're an Italian?"<br />
<br />
I said, "Positive, I'm not Italian at all."<br />
<br />
"Oh," she said. "You're all so annoying. I thought you jack-offs were Mafia goombas."<br />
<br />
I called back, "Hey Imperiale, Ianucci, Izzo...Sunbeam here, doesn't like you olive-skinned Mediterraneans. She thinks you're Mafioso !"<br />
<br />
Izzo coaxed Budweiser forward and rasped, "We been nuthin' but nice to you <strong>SUNBEAM</strong> and all we got back is attitude. Now turn your red neck, and Native American ass around and take us back."<br />
<br />
Suddenly there was a sharp hissy, clicking sound as a rattler arose from between two rocks. The snake startled Budweiser. The huge horse reared-up like a bronco. Izzo screamed like a twelve-year old girl. Budweiser, like a firecracker exploded in his butt, took off. Izzo slipped sideways off the speeding horse and hung on with his torso parallel to the ground.<br />
<br />
Imperiale said, "Aren't you gonna help?"<br />
<br />
Sunbeam said, "<strong>Sure! </strong>But I'll wait till that lard-ass Italian stallion hits the ground."<br />
<br />
Like a fine Arab charger, Budweiser galloped for a half-mile before stopping. Somehow, Izzo didn't fall off. Sunbeam walked us to him. He was swaying and clinging to the saddle's horn like his life depended on it. The poor bastard looked stoned, was as pale as a sheet and I expected him to pass-out or wretch. Sunbeam waited until Izzo was focused on her before offering a sip of water.<br />
<br />
Izzo croaked, "I'm one hurtin' buckaroo," as he made a feeble attempt to snatch her leather water pouch. To make it easier for him, she grabbed his reins to stabilize Budweiser. She led us back.<br />
<br />
Soon the stables were in sight. Izzo felt stronger and cursed like a longshoreman the rest of the way. He was unkind to Budweiser, particularly ignorant to the snake and saved the worst obscenities for the ranch. At no time did he direct negativity towards Sunbeam.<br />
<br />
Nobody spoke as we got off our horses until Imperiale, Ianucci and I politely thanked Sunbeam. Izzo took Sunbeam aside and gave her a ten dollar tip.<br />
<br />
She thanked him and said, "No hard feelings?"<br />
<br />
"Of course not. I'm sorry if I insulted your heritage."<br />
<br />
Sunbeam smiled, "No. Don't apologize. You were actually right. I'm what you would call Heinz-57. But there's no Native American blood in me. It's just a good act for you eastern tourists."<br />
<br />
Izzo scratched his inner ear with his pinkie and said, "Any dago red flowing through your veins?"<br />
<br />
She smiled awkwardly, "Yeah, my dead-beat dad..."<br />
<br />
"It don't matter," Izzo said. "And to prove how bad I feel, let me take you out tonight."<br />
<br />
"Nah," said Sunbeam. She gave back his money and frowned, "go treat your buddies to ice cream."<br />
<br />
Izzo said, "Don't be that way. Lookit, we're not tourists...we're dealers at Slots-A-Fun..."<br />
<br />
Sunbeam silently turned her back on him and disappeared inside.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><b>The names of all the horses were changed to protect the innocent. Except Budweiser, his name was too cool and too perfect.</b></i>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12392111410804449860noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787822525441125324.post-32371832708642403512019-06-24T00:43:00.000-05:002019-06-24T08:00:15.181-05:00OLD...MEN IN WHITE<i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Who wins a game between the best defense and the best offense? Everyone has their theories. But who wins the battle of good versus evil, in the landscape of a gaming hall. </b></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><i><b>Today's article features the classic clash of casino titans; a Hall-of-Fame worthy darling of dealers or an </b></i></span><i style="font-size: 16px;"><b>angry, </b></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i><b>demanding asshole player, hell bent on making everyone miserable</b></i></span><i style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>.</b></i></span></div>
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<i style="font-size: 12pt;"><i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;"><b>For an expert, the solution should be obvious. Laymen can succeed too by finding hidden clues in the story. So t</b></i><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">ally up those hints and in the end, see if you picked the winner.</span></b></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In 1980, Dina</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> drove
behind </span><st1:city style="font-size: 12pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Las Vegas</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-size: 12pt;">’
Stardust Casino and parked her late-model Mustang haphazardly across from the employee
entrance. Alone, in the quiet, semi-darkness of 3:55AM, she had less than ten minutes before show time.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;"> Lit only by diffused office lights, she checked her make-up in the rear view before rifling
through her bag. From inside a box of Marlboros, she removed the two twenty-dollar bills that she had taken from her boyfriend Jake’s bureau drawer. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Dina stuffed the cash into her blouse pocket and got the urge for a cigarette.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She fought off the impulse because she knew it
would piss-off Jake that she was smoking again. To occupy her hands, she sprayed
Binaca in her already sparkling mouth and began filing her perfect fingernails.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Her mind wandered as she pictured her twofold
plan springing into action.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The
first part was to surprise her comical yet high-strung Jake. She
wanted to take him out, (with his own money), to celebrate their rocky,
one-year anniversary of living together. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Second
was her attire.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">For this occasion she bought a white man-tailored dress shirt, a short, white, black and gray plaid
skirt, white knee socks and saddle shoes.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Underneath, she was bare.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> Jake's emotions were still raw since he caught her straying a second time. To apologize, D</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;">ina sought </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">redemption through sex and i</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;">ntended to prove her devotion by pandering to his fantasies</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;">. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Dina’s
anticipation mounted. She set aside her Emory board and recalled how she
smoothed over her first transgression.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Her
eyes closed as she stroked her breast.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Dina scraped a fingernail across her areola as she toyed with and
pinched her nipple.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">A gentle smile came
to her face as she envisioned the semi-public liaison that she had orchestrated.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Her arousal intensified as she remembered the
thrill of that fantastic sex act, up against a wall, obscured by an </span><i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">armoire,</i><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> in
the corner of a furniture store. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Unbeknownst
to her, it had been a rough night for her man.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">While Dina’s hand drifted under her skirt, an incensed quartet of dice dealers burst through the door and into the back-of-the-house corridors that led to the time
office.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Ahead of them, I was meandering through that maze
of hallways, enjoying the up-tempo Liszt concerto being piped in as Jake's crew blew by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> He was </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">drowning-out the music as he waved his arms and cursed their eleven-dollar tip
night.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> They turned into the next hall and stopped as Jake bellowed, “That fucking geriatric piece of shit. Somebody
should choke the life out of that rat bastard, the way he suffocated us.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> I came up behind them as one of his mates squeaked, “Yeah, put him out of his misery.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> They were complaining about Donny Steinmetz. In my first six months at the Stardust, I only
knew his reputation as one of the dealer’s most hated craps regulars.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Steinmetz (70) was always dressed from head to toe in white. Uninteresting, conservative and a
small money player, the nature of his tight relationship
with the casino’s hierarchy is unclear.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> It
was bad enough that this bespectacled statue would position
himself next to the third base dealer for hours but he’d expect full service,
while puffing great plumes of nasty cigar smoke.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">For all this special consideration, he<i> never</i>
toked, (tipped).</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Far worse</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">, if he suspected a
dealer was soliciting tokes, even on the other side of the table, he would demand they’d be fired.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Jake
Gerritsen was saddled with Steinmetz all night which stifled any chance of earning decent money. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Halfway through the shift, blinded by
frustration, Jake cryptically asked another player to place a bet for the
dealers.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The player didn’t pick-up on his indirect inference...but Steinmetz did.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Luckily for Jake, after a short verbal
confrontation with the old man, the floor supervisor quelled the potentially volatile
situation.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> I saw </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jake wave to Dina through the glass door of the time office.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Her
unexpected presence and eager smile erased Jake’s tension. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Chet the timekeeper rapped on the window and
motioned Jake into the office.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> He
was still grinning at Dina when Chet called out, “Gerritsen.” </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Jake Gerritsen said good-night to his buddies and went inside.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">At a desk cluttered by a sea of white papers, the timekeeper pointed to
a single rosy sheet, a termination slip.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Jake
controlled himself as he read the standard pertinent information until he
roared, “Change of fuckin’ personnel!”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Chet sighed, “Sorry.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;"> In
disbelief, Jake looked skyward and concentrated his gaze on the fluorescent ceiling bulb. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Jake pictured a ghostly,
all-white image and shouted, “Steinmetz!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> H</span>e slammed the rickety office door, burst by
me and screamed, “I’ll kill that bi-focal mother-fucker!” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I watched Jake get into the Mustang. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Gerritsen’s
tantrum exploded on his “innocent” girlfriend. She tried to comfort him by
professing her allegiance. I left when I was satisfied that he wasn’t going to
hit her.
</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> During
a pause in his rant, Dina suggestively said, “Take me dancing."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> “Dancing?”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> She
gyrated her unbridled breasts, “Yeah, let’s go to the Plush Pony for
drinks and...you know....”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Dina
was disappointed by his vacant stare...he didn’t even notice her garb.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Jake alternated wringing his hands and punching his fist into his palm.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Lost in vengeance, he didn’t notice
that Dina’s legs were spread as she drove or that her skirt had hiked-up past
her thighs.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> He
ended a long silence and hissed, “Let’s just go to the Elbow Room and get
wasted.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> She
moaned, “Okay.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The
Elbow Room was far less </span><i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">avant-garde</i><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> than
the Plush Pony. The dive’s generic theme was epitomized by Murph, (55). the stout, ex-marine bartender.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He
was chatting with the only other people there, at the farthest booth. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jake was impatient and was getting angrier
until Murph finally sauntered over.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Jake
squinted to make out Murph’s tattoos.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Buried by a carpet of gray hair, he had a faded globe, chain and anchor on one forearm and a hula dancer on the other.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Dina didn’t notice because she transfixed on
Murph’s abundance of chest hair flowing over the vee-neck and through the pores
of his white tee-shirt.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Gerritsen slugged down his double shot in one mammoth swallow, slapped
his hand on the bar and called out, “Service!”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Murph
came their way but didn’t stop.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He continued
to the end of the bar to fiddle with the flickering TV.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jake
was in no mood to be slighted and started whining about losing his job.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">In an attempt to get his mind focused on
something positive, Dina turned her back to the others and undid her blouse.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> In
the mirror, Murph saw Jake groping Dina and growled, “Get a room before I hose
you down.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Dina unevenly buttoned-up as Jake snarled, “Another
wild turkey on the rocks...make it a triple.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> She shushed Jake, “Calm down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ll be okay.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Dina rubbed his back and whispered in his ear
until Jake’s refill came.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A second after
it was set down, he carelessly snatched at it. The
drink slipped out of his hand, spilled in his lap and the glass smashed on the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Murph said, “You’re eighty-sixed buddy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Get out, sleep it off and take your trollop
with you.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> “You can’t kick me out...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> The barkeep came around to sweep up the glass shards
and insisted that they leave. Jake refused. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Murph advanced to the telephone as Jake flailed his
arms and repeatedly said, “Fuck you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Murph hung up and said, “The cops’ll be here in a minute.” Jake’s
grousing continued as Murph used his thumb to point to the door, “Kid,
do yourself a favor...”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Jake
cut him off, “I’m goin’ asshole. But I ain’t drunk and I’m never coming back to
this shithouse.”</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Outside,
Gerritsen was still hot as a Metro Police cruiser jumped the curb and skidded
to a stop.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Patrolman
Allen Pomeroy was quickly satisfied that Gerritsen was leaving peaceably. He
also didn’t think Jake was drunk or a threat to anyone even when Gerritsen
thrashed about while itemizing the details of his bad day.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Dina
sighed, looked at the young officer and rolled her eyes.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The officer appreciated her tight body, outfit and
near exposure. She </span><span style="font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">interpreted</span><span style="font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;"> his glance as </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">sympathetic regard.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Whil</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">e Jake continued raving, the cop gestured at her blouse and pointed to a button on his uniform shirt. She blushed and turned away to realign her buttons. </span><span style="font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> She was looking at Pomeroy with a pouty smile of interest as a second
police car stealthily entered the lot from behind Jake. On foot, a rookie patrolman approached.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jake, stinking of bourbon was still shouting as he pantomimed choking Dina.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The </span><span style="font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">ignorant</span><span style="font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">second policeman reacted to the aggressive behavior and grasped Gerritsen’s shoulder.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jake reflexively turned to strike his would-be
assailant.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The rookie twisted the would-be perpetrator's arm
behind his back.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jake resisted and his
arm was broken.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;">The next night, I was chatting with a dealer on my new crew, “Courtesy”
Bob Lee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> He
told me how Jake Gerritsen got fired and added, “In case Donny Steinmetz comes
in again tonight, you and me’ll work third base.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Bob explained his strategy and added</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">, “Just follow my lead and with a little finesse, we’ll
have the old crow off our game in a jiffy.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Benito
Soldi (50), another crew member joined us. “Benny” was the same age as Bob and was
also of small stature.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">An Italian
National from </span><st1:city style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Rome</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">,
Benny spoke excellent English with a heavy accent.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Unlike Bob, Soldi was handsome.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He resembled actor Louis Jourdan and
possessed a sophisticated European manner.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEgPgi_sM7LfWLScQCd7Hsq_ej-ogYZ4z_A-4C8bIyolsdpVqdulhH1iBCibv0bv-VFkhRSrH3Ey7AKXluwqxZsvHxbyLkuU0KSjdy0O9KYgv2JeQRer20rPZSuNaSB8J1uGPjPIzVi_LU/s1600/z+-+a+jourdan-lou.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1311" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEgPgi_sM7LfWLScQCd7Hsq_ej-ogYZ4z_A-4C8bIyolsdpVqdulhH1iBCibv0bv-VFkhRSrH3Ey7AKXluwqxZsvHxbyLkuU0KSjdy0O9KYgv2JeQRer20rPZSuNaSB8J1uGPjPIzVi_LU/s200/z+-+a+jourdan-lou.jpg" width="163" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>LOUIS JOURDAN (1921-2015) WAS A DEBONAIR, FRENCH-BORN ACTOR. BEST KNOWN FOR HIS ROLES IN 1947's "THE PARADINE CASE," 1958's "GIGI" AND 1983's "OCTOPUSSY," HIS FILM CAREER SPANNED FROM THE 1930's TO 1990's .</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Bob and Benny were much alike but didn’t get along.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">They were both mercenary towards getting tokes but the means to their
ends differed.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Benito was forcibly
direct with players, offered little service and rarely used his personality artfully.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">His key asset was being
“connected” with our predominately Italian-American upper management.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Within reason, Soldi did whatever he pleased.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Benny
called me aside and calmly asked, “Whatsa you nut?”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> I
answered, “I’m sorry. What?”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> He
didn’t like repeating himself.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He
spouted off in Italian and made hand gestures to express his impatience.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I was baffled.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Benny
strained his voice to a higher octave and sounded like Chico Marx, “Utza matta
for you?”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He carefully pronounced
each syllable, “What...izza...you ...nut?”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> I
wasn’t trying to be obtuse, I was twenty-three and the “nut” reference went
over my head. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> I
said, “I don’t understand.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Italian vulgarities flowed until </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">he said, “Don’t fock with Dino,” (for some unknown reason, he frequently
referred to himself as Dino).</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“How mucha
money...do you need...to paya you bills each munt?”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Oh," I conceded and began an internal audit of my expenditures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I was single and living in a luxury apartment with a married couple,
paying $130.00 a month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t
responsible for any utilities and only paid for my long distance calls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had no credit cards, my used car was paid
for and I didn’t carry any insurance. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;"> I thought it was a good idea to inflate my expenses and blurted out,
“$200.00 a month.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> To
emphasize his torment, Benny used the common Italian gesture of gathering all
five fingertips upward as he wailed, “</span><i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Momma Miá</i><i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">!</i><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He collected his thoughts
and groaned, “Kid, umma payin’ for two divorces, </span><i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">capisce</i><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I pay the fockin’
mortgage on a house I doan live in. I gotta paya child support and all kindsa
incidentals.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Plus, I gotta my own rent,
car payments, insurance and other shit.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Dino even sends a hundred thousand lire, to his sick mother in </span><st1:place style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Napoli</i></st1:place><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">. I need
over $1,500.00 every munt before I putta one </span><i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">centesimi</i><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> in my own
pocket!”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He leered at me and said, “You
gotta go out stronger for tokes, or me ana you got problems!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;">Later,
Courtesy Bob pointed out Steinmetz in front of the casino cashier talking to Aldo
“Pug” Pugliese, our shift boss.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Bob said,
“I heard that hot-head Jake Gerritsen would kill him if he ever got the
chance.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> In an outfit that included white orthopedic shoes, white slacks and a white Izod shirt, Steinmetz came our way. He looked like a harmless, walking marshmallow with black horn-rimmed glasses.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Yet, as he pulled up next to Bob, I felt a
lump in my throat.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">For the next three
minutes, Bob tormented the old coot exactly how he said he would.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">But now Bob was going on break and it was my
turn to continue unnerving the curmudgeon.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I knew what Benito expected of me but I was too inexperienced and far
too inhibited to do what Bob did.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Therefore,
Benny continually burned a evil-eye my way as we did “</span><i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">pro-bono</i><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">” work for the next forty minutes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Aside from the intimidation factor and his nauseating cigar smoke, watching Steinmetz’ mannerisms were entertaining.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He just stood there like an emotionless,
smoky sentinel, only breaking the stillness to set new chips down for bets or
gather up winnings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;"> On this occasion, his Asian wife joined
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mrs. Steinmetz mirrored Donny’s
disciplined stance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stood behind him
and spoke in whispers, but only when spoken to. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Steinmetz
broke his rigid regiment to take a squeezable blue, rubber coin purse from
his pocket.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I watched his deformed, arthritic right index finger probe through a sea of pennies.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> With a </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">subdued exclamation of victory, he
pulled out his quarry...a dime.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Still</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, he
wasn’t </span></span>satisfied<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> because he repeated the search until he produced a
nickel.</span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Donny never a missed a bet as his liver-spotted hand fidgeted with these two coins causing them to flip from
heads to tails in the wooden grooves of the table’s semi-tubular chip
rail.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> A cocktail waitress magically appeared with two stubby eight ounce bottles of Schweppes Ginger
Ale, (the waitresses were also forced to kowtow to his whimsy). </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> At
the Stardust, soft drinks were served in glasses but not to Steinmetz.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> He must have been a</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">fraid of germs because he examined each
bottle.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> T</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">he twist-off cap intrigued him most; maybe he was being sure it hadn’t been tampered with. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> In a few seconds, h</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">e seemed satisfied and without speaking, extended his right arm towards the slouched
server.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She sprang to attention, handed
him two straws and resumed waiting.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Donny
ran his finger up and down the paper sheath. If Steinmetz had a jeweler’s loop,
he would have inspected it as if it were a precious stone.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> In
the middle of the second straw, he stopped and removed his glasses.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Using his thumbnail, he concentrated on
scraping an imperfection off the paper. While this ritual continued, our
floor supervisor offered a stool to Mrs. Steinmetz. She didn’t acknowledge the
kindness and stared into her husband’s back.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Steinmetz,
looked over his glasses at my supervisor, shook his head and mouthed, “No
thanks."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The waitress' body language signaled her dissatisfaction as Steinmetz twisted
the cap off and handed a soda and straw to his spouse.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> I thought I was going to puke when she</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> bowed forward and whispered her
thanks.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Donny opened his and took one
sip. He removed the fifteen cents from the rail and put the “tip” on the girl’s
tray. No one could ever accuse Steinmetz of spoiling the natives.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Like
shooing a fly, he waved his hand to release his vigilant servant and grunted,
“Thanks.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Expressionless she said, “Thank you too.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Bob relieved me. After my twenty-minute break Steinmetz was still there.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">From my stickman position, I saw Bob, ever so
hyper, yet with complete earnestness badger the old man with a ceaseless
barrage of senseless chatter.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Each
statement he made lent itself to a response and none ever came.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Even under the pressure of being looked in
the eye, Steinmetz’ muted resolve never faltered.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> When
Steinmetz became the shooter, Bob continued his plan...with an added
feature.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Each time Donny tossed the
dice, Bob would lean forward to straighten a bet that didn’t need to be
neatened.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">How irksome it was, for
Steinmetz to strain to look around Bob to see the results of his own roll.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Steinmetz
soon “sevened-out” (lost), but Bob kept jabbering away about the weather,
sports and the stock market but the old-timer never budged.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> “Steve,”
Bob said to me, “offer the dice Mrs. S.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Mr.
Steinmetz snapped, “No!”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Bob,
sensing a chink in the armor didn’t let up.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">While the man to Donny’s left shot the dice, Bob would again block
Steinmetz’ view and kept up his annoying, one-sided conversation.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">When
his mundane ammunition ran low, Bob directed similar triteness to
Donny’s wife.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> “Are you going to the Flower Show at the Convention Center?”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> More
bashful than defiant, she didn’t answer.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Fortunately, the next shooter lost fast. The entire table got frustrated at the same time and left</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Even Steinmetz and his human shadow sought a luckier table.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Bob joked, “An hour and ten minutes, to get rid of that cancer, I’m losing
my touch.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;">Steinmetz was
drifting away when I saw him cross paths with another man dressed in all
white.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Benito Soldi noticed too and broke the unwritten
decorum rule by calling, “Here Jimmy, here!”</span><br />
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy8-b83EMGQWZR_Ho31HPxzGSOooP1pdtSZ9HpUWMOB5n3WRum8z971RhNOScapRiO-Ymm-oR7-kSIeskCuduPsbqDcD4bZ6wvVTAQBZcANy_e-CsMUDgKRAbKubrcZq-hHKv_BTFjl0Ci/s1600/z+-+a+stardust+lithograph.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="783" data-original-width="570" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy8-b83EMGQWZR_Ho31HPxzGSOooP1pdtSZ9HpUWMOB5n3WRum8z971RhNOScapRiO-Ymm-oR7-kSIeskCuduPsbqDcD4bZ6wvVTAQBZcANy_e-CsMUDgKRAbKubrcZq-hHKv_BTFjl0Ci/s200/z+-+a+stardust+lithograph.jpg" width="145" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>THE STARDUST WAS ON THE FABULOUS LAS VEGAS STRIP. IT MAY HAVE CATERED TO LOWER-ROLLERS THAN THE BLUE BLOOD CASINOS LIKE CAESAR'S PALACE AND THE MGM BUT OUR CRAPS PIT, (LIKE THEIR'S) WAS TREATED LIKE A CATHEDRAL. SO SHOUTING OUT TO "HAWK" PLAYERS ONTO YOUR TABLE WAS STRICTLY <i>VERBOTEN</i>.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Eighty-three year old Jimmy Figaro hobbled towards us.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> For long time, this "whale" made several trips a year to the Stardust, (and usually lost hundreds of thousands of dollars each time). </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">A few steps behind him, a blonde bombshell
wearing a powder blue nurse’s uniform followed.</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The "nurse" reminded me of a Vaudeville actress from a “doctor sketch.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She was a buxom six-footer sporting an
exposed cleavage that popped out from her short, skin-tight uniform.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> This costume was augmented with</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> white stiletto heels, nude
hose and a centered nurse’s cap with a thin powder blue line along its
crest.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Despite her slow gait to
accommodate Figaro, she had a jaunty bop in her step, (as if a song was playing in her head), as she swung a sleek black attaché case to and fro.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqg5-ZfQYf0Wwnfv9npFC1cy5AD-szN43i1bQrPHXKhW-J6QSbvxlsYd4DOM6ellPntyQBa8zlj_8ltIyEOQWyhM3H1V_PVfiEE5vjw19plJ-5gK9bG4a5kbsDupvXXRwwsvgN1HoMNn8h/s1600/z+-+a+nurse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="331" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqg5-ZfQYf0Wwnfv9npFC1cy5AD-szN43i1bQrPHXKhW-J6QSbvxlsYd4DOM6ellPntyQBa8zlj_8ltIyEOQWyhM3H1V_PVfiEE5vjw19plJ-5gK9bG4a5kbsDupvXXRwwsvgN1HoMNn8h/s200/z+-+a+nurse.jpg" width="156" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>SHE TURNED A LOT OF HEADS BUT BENNY'S FOCUSED ON HIS TARGET, JIMMY FIGARO.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jimmy Figaro noticed Soldi and came to our table.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">They spoke Italian and laughed as pit
boss Chick Halversen ran over to greet him. Chick was so excited, I expected him to kiss Jimmy's hand.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> “Jimmy, what’s up with the girl?” the pit boss asked.</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> “Gotta her lasta week. Umma gettin’ more crippled every day.”</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> “Can
I get you something?”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> “Yeah get Pug,” Figaro said.
“I wanna pay off somma my markers.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Chick got on the phone as Benito, between dice rolls, chatted with Jimmy.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> S</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">hift boss Aldo “Pug” Pugliese soon arrived and joined in, to make it a private, three-way conversation in Italian.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> “Hey
Jimmy,” Pugliese said in English, “for tomorrow I got you tickets for Wayne
Newton, at Caesar’s.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Figaro
nodded, “</span><i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Mille grazie</i><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Pug
said, “What can I do for you?”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Jimmy
glanced over his shoulder, put an index finger to his lips, “How
about a smoke?”</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> “Sure.”
Pugliese said, “Can you
handle Lucky’s?”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Before
the cigarette could be lit, the nurse grabbed it, broke it in half and threw it
on the floor.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Pug grinned, “Is she a real nurse?”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> “Yeah
she’s a fockin’ bitch too.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Pug
lecherously leered at her, “She don’t look so tough.”</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The
nurse and Pug smiled at each other as Jimmy said, “Looka, I wanna pay
off somma my marker.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> He
signaled for his briefcase. She set it on top of the craps rail and opened it. </span><span style="font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">Our game was stopped. The case looked empty but inside a pocket, </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Jimmy pulled out three packets of ten thousand dollars and flung them onto our table.</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> While
the money was being counted, Pug whispered to Jimmy, “She looks double sharp. What's her name?</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I’d like to show her around.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> “I
dunno, I forget. Rita, Rosie, somma such shit.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Jimmy
exchanged winks with Pug and told the nurse to take a break with him.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Pug said, "I'll call you tomorrow to find out what time you want the limo."</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The couple disappeared as the last of the
thirty thousand dollars was counted.</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Chick
Halversen informed Figaro as the thud of the money being stuffed into the
drop-box repeated itself many times, “Thirty down, thirty to go.”</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Jimmy took off his glasses and tore up his markers as Benito said, “Take a shot at our
table.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Figaro
pulled out a handful of black chips and</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> bet one hundred each on the six and eight.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> For
twenty minutes every time he’d hit that six or eight, he’d clearly announce,
“You giva me da black, you keepa da change for da blow-job.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> In
addition to being amused, we made over $200.00 in tips from him.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">His system was simple, hit his six or eight
and win $116.00. He’d keep the hundred without changing the bet, and give us the
excess $16.00.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> If
they both lost, he’d progress to $200.00 each, still giving the change to the
dealers.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">But if things got worse, he’d
press the next bet to five hundred each.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">At this point, he’d become serious and not toke.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">If his luck still didn’t produce a winner,
he’d go to a thousand each and if the “shit hit the fan,” he’d “max-out” at two
thousand each.</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> On
this occasion, he never went beyond two hundred and left when a messenger told
him his baccarat game was starting back up.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Benito
told us about their conversation; “Jimmy said, six months ago, Pug was walking
him through the casino.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">A special slot
machine’s jackpot was a replica, 1933 Mini-Mark sports car, worth forty
thousand."</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKasSD5Ic6lMyDfjp-BlO-s00JR7JOeia4FzjSsRio2K3ITX_mdqPUCUU_Hq0sJh20O_IYk9wEbw1tYbuV517Ux7RVrneHC6EdpnP7yFE9jRvswrKdTavTzW1msu3p0A-NesUIpUSteCAr/s1600/z+-+amin+marc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="382" data-original-width="648" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKasSD5Ic6lMyDfjp-BlO-s00JR7JOeia4FzjSsRio2K3ITX_mdqPUCUU_Hq0sJh20O_IYk9wEbw1tYbuV517Ux7RVrneHC6EdpnP7yFE9jRvswrKdTavTzW1msu3p0A-NesUIpUSteCAr/s320/z+-+amin+marc.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>INTERNET PHOTO. IT RESEMBLES THE ONE ON DISPLAY.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Benny continued, "So, Jimmy saw it and said,
‘Hey Pug, datsa a nice car you gotta dere.’</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Pug said, ‘You want that car, it’s yours.’</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">So I ask him how it ran and Jimmy laughed, ‘Forty grand? It’sa
piece a shit, I traded it in for a $17,000 T-Bird.’”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Later, Jake Gerritsen
walked through the casino. </span><span style="text-indent: 0in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0in;">Passersby stared in disbelief because h</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0in;">is entire right arm was i</span><span style="text-indent: 0in;">mmobilized in</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0in;"> a grotesque extension cast.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0in;">The severity of the spiral-fracture of his ulna gave doctors no choice but to use a
special support-bar to hold his arm up, almost over his head and
out at a 45</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0in;">°</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0in;">angle.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Jake stood next to Bob and droned on about his </span><span style="text-indent: 48px;">physical pain and mental anguish. He added </span><span style="text-indent: 48px;">intimate details about </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">Dina, </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">cursed Steinmetz, his injury and the complications that were leading
to a third surgery.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He grumbled, “When I needed that whore the most, she left me for
a goddam</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">ned cop.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Jake became animated and lashed his free arm to explain his mounting case of police brutality.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> At the same time, Jimmy Figaro’s nurse jiggled by in route to the baccarat pit.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">All interest in Jake stopped as she fussed over her clothes with her once centered cap
off to one side.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Benito
chimed, “Jake shudda known, American girls gotta no loyalty and dey gotta no class.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">You losa you job,” he snapped his finger,
“dey leave you.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Now look atta dat
classless nurse, I betcha she justa focked Pug on his desk.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Gerritsen
felt ignored and said, “See you...”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Distracted
by the nurse, none of us reacted as he shuffled towards the bar. J</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">ake
was close with the bartender and would front a $5.00 tip to drown his
sorrows in free booze.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Benito
continued, “Its likka da udda night, I was ina da Brewery, (a high profile discotheque).</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Dis girl came over and said, ‘I wanna
fock you.’</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">See what I mean, U. S. girls ain’t gotta no class.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Innocently
I responded, “So what did you do?”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> “Whadda think omma crazy?</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Dino took her back to her hotel and focked
her.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;">Two nights
later, we were standing dead when Figaro came to our table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He shot the dice alone, played his usual
system and had no success. A few minutes later, Jimmy had lost $1.000.00 each on six and eight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> At
that point a couple in their mid-fifties, over-dressed for the Stardust,
opened-up the opposite side of my table.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Bedecked in dazzling diamonds, the lady wore an elegant backless evening
gown.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Polished, tanned and trim, the tuxedo-clad gentleman requested a marker for twenty-five hundred.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Jimmy
Figaro was “snake-bit.” Instead of rolling for himself, he waited for their paperwork to be done, just to let someone else shoot the dice.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The
woman shot first and rolled a nine. Jimmy bet two-thousand each on six and eight. The husband placed a three hundred dollar
come bet and she did the same with seventy-five.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Her next toss was a four.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">There were no decisions but now the couple
needed a nine or a four.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The
come bet odds were being set as Jimmy, with four grand in play, muttered impatiently in Italian.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The next roll was another four and the
composed shooter suddenly roared as she and her husband had a return of two
hundred twenty-five and nine hundred dollars respectively.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Warming
up to the fun, she tossed the dice and shouted, “Nine or four, baby.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> In
her excitement, the dice slipped from her hand and one die traveled half
the length of the table.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Bob
the stickman called, “Four again four.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The
jubilant couple received the same payoffs.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Spectators
gathered to watch the budding action as the woman barked, “C’mon sticky, I'm hot, gimme
the dice.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Annoyed
Jimmy cried, “Hey lady, hitta da back wall.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> She
shook the dice hard and exclaimed, “This is for you, cutie.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The
dice properly caromed of the rubber wall.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">It was a four...and a three.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Bob
was nearly inaudible as he croaked, “Seven-out.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Jimmy Figaro lost four thousand dollars as s</span><span style="font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">omber Benito locked-up his chips.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The craps pit was no cathedral as Jimmy loudly broke the silence, “You motherless cunt!”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Tuxedo man was incredulous and insisted, “Sir, you owe my wife an
apology.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Jimmy
Figaro countered, “Fock you too!”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> O</span><span style="font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">ur floorman f</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">earing an attack,</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> h</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">ollered for the pit boss and r</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">ushed to get between the advancing husband and the feeble old man</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Chick
Halversen offered no apology to the gentleman.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> W</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">hite froth formed at the corners of the husband's mouth as he demanded satisfaction.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The pit
boss said nothing as the man spewed ultimatums and bandied the word
lawsuit.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Halversen
smiled, “Why don’t you shut up or we’ll make it tough on you.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> A cordon of security circled the area until Chick
signaled them forward.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">A plainclothes supervisor talked the man down. A minute
later, the angry couple was brusquely escorted from the premises.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;">Months later, depressed Jake Gerritsen returned to the Stardust.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was already high a</span><span style="font-size: 16px;">nd on his way to another night of free drinks, when he stopped at the craps pit</span><span style="font-size: 16px;"> to</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;"> vent to anyone who would listen. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Still
debilitated and encumbered by the crazy cast, he ranted to nobody in particular, “My arm got
infected and they had to re-break it.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Between
the dice rolls on my game Jake said, “Just when I thought this nightmare was going to end...” He interrupted himself,
“If I ever see that prick Steinmetz, I swear, I’ll break his back!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> In a lucid moment, Jake realized nobody was listening and ambled to the bar, for more free liquor.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> An hour later, Jimmy
Figaro wearing white dress shoes, white pants and a white vinyl windbreaker, slowly came out of the baccarat pit using a walker. Surprisingly, he had </span><span style="font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">tubes up his nose and was connected to </span><span style="font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">a dangling plasma IV bottle</span><span style="font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;"> being wheeled for him by a different gorgeous blonde nurse</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Figaro played craps on Benito Soldi’s end.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">While he shot the dice, Benny spoke in Italian and kept
him laughing.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Through a hacking cough Jimmy
called out to Chick, “How about a smoke.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The
pit boss tapped the bottom of his pack and said, “Camels okay?”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Simultaneously we all stared at the nurse.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She shrugged
as if she didn’t care.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Seconds
later she whimpered to Chick, “H-h-he hasn’t much time.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Jimmy did well for us and his nurse's dire statement got lost in the
excitement.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Later
at 3:00AM, Figaro got up from the baccarat table. Pug's eyes were glued on the nurse as he volunteered to escort them to Jimmy’s suite.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> At
the same time, drunken Jake Gerritsen slid off his bar stool in search of the
men’s room.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Blinded by alcohol, Jake spotted Jimmy and Pug as the nurse lagged ten feet back pushing the IV drip. </span><span style="font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">Jake picked up his uneven pace. He </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">disregarded the walker, the dangling
plasma bottle and tubes, and thought the man in white was Donny Steinmetz. He had to be completely delusional if he mistook the nurse for Mrs. Steinmetz because unsympathetic to any handicaps, he passed the
nurse as vengeance pulsated through his body.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> He passed the nurse and cocked his good arm high above his head.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Mortified, the daydreaming nurse screamed causing
Pug and Figaro to turn around. Jake never realized it was a case of mistaken identity.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Pug warded off the surging
fist and pushed the handicapped drunkard down.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He punched Gerritsen’s face several times.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Pug was choking Jake when the security team swooped in.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Jimmy Figaro had been jostled but didn't fall. Pug was delighted that Jimmy was unharmed and Jimmy was thrilled to be a part of the scuffle. He was further pleased to learn that
while in the casino's custody, Jake “accidentally” fell down a flight of concrete
stairs...twice.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Having
re-re-broken his arm, Jake was handcuffed to a railing in a casino holding cell and threatened by the director of security</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">, “Sonny, you're permanently barred from the Stardust. If you ever walk in again, you won’t be able to walk out.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Jake didn’t respond appropriately. His arm was mercilessly pulled, pushed and
prodded until he relented with a screaming cry of understanding.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Gerritsen
was driven to the hospital after he signed a release, deeming the Stardust
“safe and harmless” in perpetuity, for any and all injuries, either physical or emotional in nature.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;">The next
night, our craps table was out of control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We had an uncustomary ten players crammed onto each side and should have
made a ton of tips, but Donny Steinmetz was there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Benito Soldi saw Jimmy Figaro inching along in the aisle and called out, “Here Jimmy, here.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> It
wouldn’t do us any good. Even if he was healthy, there was no way to squeeze
another body in.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Soldi,
playing on the compassion of the entire staff suggested to our floor supervisor,
“Tell Chick to let Jimmy play here, between Steve and the boxman.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The
pit boss came over, weighed-out this outlandish contradiction of casino policy
and said, “Okay, but don’t stop the game.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Like
a kid ringing the firehouse bell, Jimmy was overjoyed to play from inside the pit.</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Consistent
with his method, every time a six or eight rolled, in a noticeably less robust
voice, he'd call out, “You giva me da black, you keepa da change for da blow
job.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> To express our appreciation, we used his generosity as a catalyst to encourage other
players to tip.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Incensed Steinmetz
confronted Chick, “The dealers run your pit. And that vile man should
be removed from his ‘illegal’ spot because he’s disrupting the game.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The
pit boss was polite yet firm, “It’s okay, the game never slowed down.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Without mentioning that Figaro was dying
Chick cracked, “</span><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I</b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> let him play there!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Afterwards,
Steinmetz tracked down Pug and insisted he fire Benito for hustling tokes.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He also wanted Chick to be reprimanded for
speaking disrespectfully to him and letting the game deteriorate to the depths
of a “Bohemian Brothel.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> “What
can I say Don?” rationalized Pugliese.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He
put his arm around Steinmetz’ shoulder and said, “You’ve been coming here
forever </span><u style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">and</u><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> you’ve always been treated like a king.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">As Steinmetz began to speak, Pug cut him off,
“I won’t lose any sleep if you don’t play here any more.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> That
night was the last time either of these men in white ever graced the Stardust
with their presence.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;">Seven months
after being incapacitated, Jake Gerritsen left the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Clark</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">County</st1:placetype>
<st1:placename w:st="on">Municipal</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Building</st1:placetype></st1:place>,
at 3:55PM.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was still pursuing
grievances against the rookie officer that mangled him as well as the entire Metro Police Department.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Interestingly, the
Stardust wasn’t mentioned in his gripes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Encumbered
by a fresh cast, Jake trudged past the police station.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Lost in hateful thought, he crossed in front of a
parked car inhabited by his ex, Mrs. Allen Pomeroy.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Dina
was wearing only her husband's over sized, red ‘Maui-Wowie’ tee shirt, as she waited to surprise
him getting off-shift.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Even with
Jake’s crazy cast, she didn’t notice him because her eyes were shut as she
masturbated, absorbed in the delight of her Hawaiian honeymoon.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Seconds away from a self-induced orgasm, she
focused on how she and officer Pomeroy made love at dusk, in the surf, in full view
of their hotel’s observation deck.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Now,
she was hoping a wild escapade in the car would prove her love and
devotion.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">That such an act would help
reconcile a marriage, already marred by adultery.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><i>Were you able to figure out the winner? It should have been easy because casinos are such money-grubbers. So all you had to do was follow the bigger cash trail. </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><i><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;"> Forty years later, in memorial, hats off to Jimmy Figaro. He was far from the biggest tipper I was fortunate enough to serve, but he was </b><b>definitely</b><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;"> the most entertaining.</b></i></span><br />
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><i><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></b></i></span>
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><i><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt;"> As for Donny Steinmetz, who cares...</b></i></span></div>
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Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12392111410804449860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787822525441125324.post-57365596815536526432019-06-10T00:43:00.000-05:002019-06-10T07:39:41.376-05:00COMBAT HARRY<b><i>One of my craps floor supervisors at the Stardust Casino was Carl "The Mole" Blessing<span style="font-family: inherit;">. Due to inner demons and a warped sense of right and wrong, he hurt a lot of people. Fifteen years ago, </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I wrote a short story about him called, </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">"BLESSING IN DISGUISE."</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></i></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>Today's blog is taken from excerpts in it. To make that story and this piece possible, much of Blessing's dubious distinction was made clear to me during a </i></b></span><b style="font-family: inherit;"><i>venting rant </i></b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>by his </i></b></span><b style="font-family: inherit;"><i>former mistress</i></b><b style="font-family: inherit;"><i>.</i></b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>Alas, this article is not about Blessing. Instead it's the tale of a (not so innocent) friend of mine who ran afoul him.</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>I dealt craps on swing shift (nights) at the Stardust Casino. During my first year, Carl Blessing, a wounded Vietnam army veteran had established himself as a hardcore company<span style="font-family: inherit;"> man on day shift. He was such a valued hatchet man and spy that when he terribly offended a customer, rather than getting fired, he was demoted and sent limping to my shift.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Unrelated to</span> Blessing getting reassigned<span style="font-family: inherit;">, a dealer on my crew was
fired. His one-day replacement from the extra-board was Harry Curcic; it was
his first day on the job.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHb838W9jKAd7tu1eyHretOuk-DUcl15exSpEVpkoRCUfcL7nrSGd0QUoCXw1cd_N2gLu7EcMiUPRoC40yZFJlG2eVyaaG0cQdqGlofjCr9-CKgQZJi9iiUrfuMrPt70utVEEhhPLNrUc/s1600/z+-+a+dyk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="700" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHb838W9jKAd7tu1eyHretOuk-DUcl15exSpEVpkoRCUfcL7nrSGd0QUoCXw1cd_N2gLu7EcMiUPRoC40yZFJlG2eVyaaG0cQdqGlofjCr9-CKgQZJi9iiUrfuMrPt70utVEEhhPLNrUc/s200/z+-+a+dyk.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>HARRY CURCIC RESEMBLED BASEBALL'S LEN DYKSTRA. I SOON LEARNED THAT THEY ALSO HAD SIMILAR HOT-HEADED </b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>TENDENCIES</b></span><b>.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">Harry (28) </span><span style="text-indent: 48px;">from Astoria (Queens) New York came-off as</span><span style="text-indent: 48px;"> upbeat and uninhibited</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">He got our approval with his first question, “Where’s the toke box?”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Harry further </span>ingratiated<span style="font-family: inherit;"> himself with us by being aggressive for tokes, (tips).</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">The Stardust was a table-for-table casino so craps crews split their gratuities four ways. His energy was endearing but like all new hires, our fear of </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">management “plants” created an
indeterminate “wait-and-see” period.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My gut told me that Harry
was okay. He probably just wanted to fit in and maximize our earning potential. But he lacked </span>finesse<span style="font-family: inherit;"> and failed to take into account the fragile nature of table-for-table job security.</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> One of our seasoned</span><span style="text-indent: 48px;"> dealers</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> pulled him up, (encouraged him to tone down). Unfortunately, </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Harry was </span></span><span style="text-indent: 48px;">highly competitive, </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">full of </span></span><span style="text-indent: 48px;">braggadocio and </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">didn't take well to constructive criticism. </span><br />
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He snarled in his heavy New York</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> accent,
“I ain’t afraid of nuthin’!”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">This attitude led Harry Curcic to be labeled a “loose-cannon.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> On one of his breaks, t</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">his description became perversely accurate as he compared the “minefield” of hustling tokes to his battle experience in </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Vietnam</st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">Harry a former marine corporal then displayed his wallet full of laminated, gory, close-up photos of Vietcong he had
killed.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfitjsTU-PRXXqQDJRavoRFi_I7Bh4nfpihpaHGgRCQuSvx5m1oCzgxth0qY__CopbtK7J_Y7TRIrIvYcTm_wljm9SzE3CS1jJU2pi18TdF5Bfr50KzY_R1hpIBYq5NOySx2kOnshNrh6c/s1600/z+-+a+photo+holder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="791" data-original-width="1000" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfitjsTU-PRXXqQDJRavoRFi_I7Bh4nfpihpaHGgRCQuSvx5m1oCzgxth0qY__CopbtK7J_Y7TRIrIvYcTm_wljm9SzE3CS1jJU2pi18TdF5Bfr50KzY_R1hpIBYq5NOySx2kOnshNrh6c/s200/z+-+a+photo+holder.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>IT WASN'T SURPRISING, HE HAD NO PHOTOS OF HIS WIFE JANET, SON NELSON OR ANY PETS.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">His aggressive personality and reckless solicitation of
tokes was bad enough but glorifying his role in the unpopular war caused many to ostracize him and led to his uncomplimentary nickname, Combat
Harry.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> *</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">Harry worked with us just that one night. A week later, he was promoted from the extra-board and became a fixture on
another crew.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">Harry
and I were on the same break one night. I remembered my first couple of weeks and how uncomfortable I was before I became one of the boys. I decided to reach out to Harry. I started by telling him about lead floorman, (relief pit boss) Werner "Ronnie" Trohlmann.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">I said, "He's a sick pup and shudda been in the </span><span style="text-indent: 48px;">friggin' Gestapo. </span><span style="text-indent: 48px;">Trohlmann gets off by weeding out undesirables, complainers, incompetents, thieves and toke hustlers. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">He loves making us miserable and will fire anyone who crosses the line."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">Harry scoffed, "Line? What line?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">"It doesn't matter, whenever he gets a wild hair up his ass," </span><span style="text-indent: 48px;">I said. "</span><span style="text-indent: 48px;">Just shut up and deal when he's around."</span><br />
<span style="text-indent: 48px;"><br /></span><span style="text-indent: 48px;">He rolled his eyes, "Whatever..."</span><br />
<span style="text-indent: 48px;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-indent: 48px;">"The other problem child we have i</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">s Carl Blessing, We call that rat-faced prick, 'the Mole.' He had the same slot as Trohlmann on day shift. He fucked up so they sent him to swing and demoted him to floor. Now were stuck with informers, in stereo."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">Harry sighed, "Okay. Great."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">I said, "Actually, it's pretty entertaining. Blessing is trying to push Trohlmann out of his spot. Maybe they'll both destroy each other?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">"Fuck 'em both, " Harry said.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">"Wait," I said, "you have something in common with the Mole. You both saw active combat in Nam."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> *</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Later the same night, I told Harry some of Carl Blessings war stories that had filtered down from day shift.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">He said, "Convenient how he always <u>just</u> missed the action."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I continued.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Harry interrupted, "Privates <b>DON'T</b> drive colonels around in jeeps. And MP's turning them away from a VC occupied village..." Harry shook his head and grinned, "I wonder if the army awarded him with the 'K-Turn of Valor.' Sounds like your friend lives in a fantasy world or he's just a bullshit artist."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I laughed and was satisfied, Harry was no spy. Buoyed by our shared New York upbringing, a friendship developed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> *</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Harry and I were
fans of three perennial losers, New York's Mets, Jets and hockey's Islanders.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">In regard to the upcoming NHL playoffs, it was ironic to be in the midst of the only dynasty our sports teams
would ever enjoy and be stuck in the cultural void of </span><st1:city style="font-family: inherit;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Las Vegas</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: inherit;">. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="text-indent: 48px;">Harry suggested, "</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">On
game nights, we can watch Islander games before work at Skinny Dugan’s,” </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAIC4osXv-jy-9zxoQ7EfAYBNW-F4eoWS2bfcW-9Sxuj7TftCMW4oKkCdLNZ_cVvdNm4VfAJesnVPC38_KVLyKx5xtGluFEwhRKaKzyzdjOelNayjTHfENJzxGSNYaWmAIwyElhpb09UVc/s1600/z+-+a+skinny-dugan.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="518" data-original-width="740" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAIC4osXv-jy-9zxoQ7EfAYBNW-F4eoWS2bfcW-9Sxuj7TftCMW4oKkCdLNZ_cVvdNm4VfAJesnVPC38_KVLyKx5xtGluFEwhRKaKzyzdjOelNayjTHfENJzxGSNYaWmAIwyElhpb09UVc/s200/z+-+a+skinny-dugan.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>***CURRENT INTERNET PHOTO*** SKINNY DUGAN'S BAR HAS COME A LONG WAY. IN THE EARLY 1980's, IT WAS A DARK AND SEEDY MONTREAL CANADIANS-THEMED DIVE.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">Cable TV was a rarity back then so I wondered, “How do you know
they’ll put our Islanders on?” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Harry said, “I got juice, I know the owner.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">My son Nelson plays squirt hockey in </span><st1:city style="font-family: inherit;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Henderson</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: inherit;"> with his twins. After their kid game, the dads get to lace ‘em up and scrimmage for forty
minutes.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> One of the "Frogs" has extra equipment you can borrow. So if yo</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">u got ice skates, you can play?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I was excited and said, "Yeah," even though I had only played roller and street hockey.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Harry added with a strange laugh, "Remember, this shit is just for fun. There's <i><b>no</b></i> checking and <b><i>no</i></b> slap shots."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I showed up at the rink and saw the end of the kiddie game's organized chaos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">Harry found me while I was putting on my skates and said, “You can use my helmet but the Canuck with the extra
equipment didn’t show up.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">He handed me his son's little stick, under-sized shin guards, a pair of
gardening gloves and said, "I hope you got your own cup, Nelson didn't want to lend-out his."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">I was doomed from the start.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPWaH0jlpQKvrd2dJ7ZRw4syOfxG4ngNg5KzHzYRTokdUicKMhaq94D7I2W60TB7usok_0Ac_mjvb5M8eLcIkSgu8PCA9PjnNMnjfMRUtwGh2WgqiGTujiLD9GUATbhLLqNC6WK2bN-_WX/s1600/z+-+a+hockey+in+slot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="969" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPWaH0jlpQKvrd2dJ7ZRw4syOfxG4ngNg5KzHzYRTokdUicKMhaq94D7I2W60TB7usok_0Ac_mjvb5M8eLcIkSgu8PCA9PjnNMnjfMRUtwGh2WgqiGTujiLD9GUATbhLLqNC6WK2bN-_WX/s320/z+-+a+hockey+in+slot.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>THE SNIPER CRUISING INTO THE SLOT WITH THE LITTLE STICK IS ME. THIS ADVENTURE WOULD BE A QUANTUM LEAP UP FROM ROLLER HOCKEY. SO DON'T BE FOOLED BY THE PHOTO, (I'M STANDING STILL), I COULD BARELY SKATE, LET ALONE COORDINATE MYSELF TO SHOOT A PUCK.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">Thirteen players, (including me) showed up. That meant there would be one rotating reserve. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">I</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">t was obvious from the opening whistle that I couldn’t keep
up with these gifted, (mostly Canadian) men.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">I took
two shifts and quit after my shoulder slipped out of joint when I tried to get up from a fall. My mishap left them with no substitute. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">Nelson approached me. This nine-year old reminded me of the</span><span style="text-indent: 48px;"> street-urchins in the 1937 movie, </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">"The Dead End Kids." </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQEgnNxyA2m5XU_RKzrvU74pXIGfhL4ntUDajxqmtPzmWovwrs0tBgg2t7pBzFbjEsAGPlGoQPFCVtROnPA599qp5gptGiN-MYQh7irlDOQE5X2mJOyfi9g_OVF3SalbrkdytGeXHFDgnJ/s1600/z+-+a+dead+end+kids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="282" data-original-width="400" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQEgnNxyA2m5XU_RKzrvU74pXIGfhL4ntUDajxqmtPzmWovwrs0tBgg2t7pBzFbjEsAGPlGoQPFCVtROnPA599qp5gptGiN-MYQh7irlDOQE5X2mJOyfi9g_OVF3SalbrkdytGeXHFDgnJ/s200/z+-+a+dead+end+kids.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>HARRY HAD BRAGGED ABOUT HIS EARLY ADOLESCENT </b><b>"YUGOSLAV MAFIA" </b><b>FRIENDS AND HOW HIS GANG ALL MANAGED TO STAY OUT OF JAIL. MEETING NELSON MADE ME CERTAIN THAT THIS LITTLE BASTARD WOULDN'T BE AS LUCKY.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">In a </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">low-class New York accent Harry's diminutive scion said, “Why ain't ya out dere?" </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">I smiled, ignored him and hoped the pipsqueak would go away.</span><br />
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He continued, "A lot of dem guys are ovuh fifty. Dey smoke cigarettes and dey get tie-id.</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">Dey need a break. So git out dere!”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">I wasn't going to validate </span><span style="text-indent: 48px;">this fledgling criminal</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">To Nelson's utter disapproval, I <b><i>skirted</i> </b>the issue, “I had enough.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">Full of contempt the third-grader blared, “Whaddaya a fuckin’ pussy?”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> *</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I stuck around to thank Harry and return his gear. In the parking lot, I found Harry embroiled in a
fierce argument over his rough play with the owner of Skinny Dugan's.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Witnessed by m</span></span>any people including women and children, the man <span style="font-family: inherit;">rebutted Harry's harsh profanity by cursing in French. There was some pushing and shoving. On the verge of fisticuffs, they were </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">separated. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Harry was still seething as I followed him to his car.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">In a moment of calm, I brought
up my incident with Nelson.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Harry </span>t<span style="font-family: inherit;">hrew the equipment into his back seat, </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">slammed the door and snarled, “Maybe you are a fuckin’ pussy?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">A week later, before work, Harry and
I took advantage of the three-hour time zone difference, to watch the first two periods of an Islander playoff game at Skinny Dugan's.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Much of the time, I watched alone at table-5, (the Bernie “Boom-Boom”
Geoffrion table), as Harry argued with his “frog friends.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t see it but this wasn’t harmless
raillery, they hated him.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMKiN5MWIIBmKSLMEt_zPse3K_IuV0Jann7_5dz5RZ2N3xVgm3SlX4hp4w6W56SwMOo0Dswtj8rWJZ9k50yvFgTLQV2F8ed8pJT6hxl9CBTtdbrjG0s77hMC6Tbmkz56udWyCCAPAQMo30/s1600/z+-+a+geoff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="326" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMKiN5MWIIBmKSLMEt_zPse3K_IuV0Jann7_5dz5RZ2N3xVgm3SlX4hp4w6W56SwMOo0Dswtj8rWJZ9k50yvFgTLQV2F8ed8pJT6hxl9CBTtdbrjG0s77hMC6Tbmkz56udWyCCAPAQMo30/s200/z+-+a+geoff.jpg" width="144" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>"BOOM-BOOM" GEOFFRION (1931-2006), PLAYED IN THE NHL FROM 1950-1968. HE'S A HALL-OF-FAMER, THE 1952 ROOKIE OF THE YEAR, 6-TIME STANLEY CUP CHAMPION AND IS CREDITED FOR INVENTING THE SLAP SHOT. </b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">Outside the bar Harry said, "They're thinkin' about changing the name to the Forum."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">I avoided the fact that I didn't enjoy myself and was uncomfortable there.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">I didn't want my virility insulted again so I twisted the truth, "Harry that was great but coming here is completely out of my way."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">Surprisingly, he agreed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> *</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">At work, Carl Blessing as if to outdo Ronnie Trohlmann, firmly left his footprint on swing shift by firing three dealers, (two for hustling tokes and one for incompetency due to drug use). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">So Harry had poor timing when he needled Blessing, "It's all in the training; that's why the army had tons more casualties than the marines."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">Blessing didn't dignify the insult and ignored him.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">Harry was wired differently. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">He couldn't resist the temptation and served up another salvo, "You guys just couldn't hang tough like marines..."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">Blessing broke his silence, "Stand down and face fire!"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">"Damn Carl. It's just a joke, from one grunt to another..."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">"Buddy boy, you better watch your P's and Q's..."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">Harry mockingly saluted Blessing and chirped, "Well private, I was a corporal, so I out rank you."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">Blessing walked away. He seemed to turn the other cheek but he was tortured by profound insecurities and wasn't going to tolerate</span><span style="text-indent: 48px;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 48px;">sarcasm or any h</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">umor at his expense.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> On the same day, Harry asked the head of the Stardust sports book to show the next Islander game on the giant screen.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">Apparently hockey isn’t profitable, so the games aren’t put on in the big room.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">The sports book manager adjusted his thinking after Harry greased his palm with a twenty-dollar bill. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> “It might be claustrophobic," the manger admitted, "but I can wheel a TV into the Meteor Showroom and set up chairs for you.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">This tiny, obscure lounge was away from the gaming tables, on the opposite side of the Stardust.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">Harry told me the good news, but I balked, </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">“We aren’t allowed in that part of the building.”</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Says who?”</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">Unable to spout any specific policy I blurted, “We just can’t...and I won’t.”</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">“I just had orientation and they never said anything about it.”</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Sorry, not interested.”</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Nelson was right, you are a pussy.”</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Call me whatever you want, I’m not risking my job.”</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">“Look, you said it yourself, nobody at work is allowed there, right.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">If we wear civvies, we’ll blend in.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">Besides it’ll be day shift and no one knows us anyway.”</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">Shamed, three days later, I was sitting on a folding chair watching the game on the Meteor </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">Lounge’s dance floor.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> The manager did a good job advertising this game because all forty chairs were filled, there were several standees and the cocktail waitresses serving free drinks did a brisk business. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">Boisterous Harry ordered three beers during the course of the first period and another two during the second.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">I maintained a low profile and didn’t even get a Pepsi.</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">During the second intermission, we searched for a restroom.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">At the arcade, Harry called my attention to a crowd watching somebody play Pac-Man.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">My bladder was about to explode, I kept going.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpGIcosi2JAYKXJ4nnST-o0KNEr1uybqW-1Hwec-cLK6zqUxTtnDjG7m1A9kDxjZumydq-OloljlDfrICLLo8Ath70A_1_RjsY3__v8Lrv8lUJli1VoIg4AxJlgQHy_ZsIAzHTZW2KAVhg/s1600/z+-+a+pac.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="233" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpGIcosi2JAYKXJ4nnST-o0KNEr1uybqW-1Hwec-cLK6zqUxTtnDjG7m1A9kDxjZumydq-OloljlDfrICLLo8Ath70A_1_RjsY3__v8Lrv8lUJli1VoIg4AxJlgQHy_ZsIAzHTZW2KAVhg/s200/z+-+a+pac.jpg" width="155" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>PAC-MAN WAS THE HOTTEST ARCADE GAME . THE BASIC STRATEGY WAS TO TRAVEL THROUGH THE MAZE, GET POINTS BY CONSUMING PELLETS WHILE AVOIDING GETTING EATEN BY GHOSTS.</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">When I retraced my steps, smiling Harry signaled me nearer, “Look, that guy's on the eighth level, he’s going for the pineapple.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">In shock, I pulled him out and said, "That <i><b>guy</b></i>, is Carl Blessing."</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">There was no way we could've known but Carl's wife kicked him out of their house, served him with a restraining order and </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">"r</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">obbed” his money stash. He was </span><span style="text-indent: 48px;">living at the Klondike Motel for a week</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> and came into the Stardust earlier and angrier each day</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">Harry wanted to congratulation Carl. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">I said, "Don't! You're messed up."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">"Steve," Harry hiccuped, "I hate repeating myself but you are a fuckin' pussy. Nelson was right, you're a fat-ass <b>FUCKIN'</b>' pussy."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">I couldn't sway him away from this bad decision. </span><span style="text-indent: 48px;">Harry, reeking of beer clawed through the spectators. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">I left the building and reevaluated his value as a friend. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">Harry forged ahead and complimented the unsuspecting Blessing’s video-game prowess before pointing at the screen and playfully jabbing him, "If the VC really ambushed you or you were in a fire fight, you'd run like hell and <i><b>never</b></i> get caught by these ghosts. Shit, you'd have the highest score ever on this baby." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">Carl got distracted and his long successful run ended.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">Harry didn’t know it but Carl had already been plotting to get rid of him.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">He was afraid that Harry's actual </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Vietnam</st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> experience could unearth his history of lies. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1k7GMPrSUd-QhRAx5haLVb-e9S9X1thIKunv0TQQc0JlT5u3OqaVLFr84ysAY59ZQ63ZkP9JWc_1XCo7wFRPEEiTNMdKvNdRYBLZZkBP2GwRTtRPuxBTtGnthyphenhyphencfXyanDL8EMr63bVb3/s1600/z+-+a+stretcher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="373" data-original-width="840" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1k7GMPrSUd-QhRAx5haLVb-e9S9X1thIKunv0TQQc0JlT5u3OqaVLFr84ysAY59ZQ63ZkP9JWc_1XCo7wFRPEEiTNMdKvNdRYBLZZkBP2GwRTtRPuxBTtGnthyphenhyphencfXyanDL8EMr63bVb3/s200/z+-+a+stretcher.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>IN HIS FIRST AND ONLY ACTION, CARL BLESSING'S BIG SECRET WAS A SELF-INFLICTED "MILLION-DOLLAR" WOUND.</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;">This unexpected meeting made Combat Harry’s dismissal easy. Cited only for drinking on the job, (Blessing couldn't be in that part of the building either), Harry wasn’t permitted to clock-in that night.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"> *</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><i>A month later, Carl Blessing was returned to day shift and his demotion was rescinded. I never saw Harry again.</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><i><b style="font-family: inherit;">Carl's mistress Vera-Lynne was a sexy cocktail waitress at the Stardust. To honor her bother, (missing in action in Vietnam), she wore a POW-MIA bracelet bearing his name. She was attracted to Carl's military "bravery" and felt a kinship to this less than plain looking man.</b></i></span><br />
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><i><b style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></b></i></span>
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><i><b style="font-family: inherit;">When I bumped into Vera-Lynne, in a drunken rage she told me that she dumped Carl after his wife </b><b>confronted</b><b style="font-family: inherit;"> them. Mrs. Blessing called Carl a coward and detailed the mosaic of broken thoughts he said aloud during recurring nightmares. In reality, she knew little of the magnitude of his failings. Carl panicked because he thought she knew everything. So to Vera-Lynne's shock, he confessed his battlefield sins to the two women.</b></i></span></div>
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Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12392111410804449860noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787822525441125324.post-42748347306858889242019-05-27T00:43:00.000-05:002019-06-02T07:34:48.503-05:00STARDUST EMPLOYEE, EIGHT-OH-EIGHT<i><b>Today's blog is overwhelmingly true. So don't expect the usual 15% slathering of embellishment. Instead, it's a remarkable story of an unremarkable casino worker who...depending on the reader's imagination...got his just rewards in a spectacular, sensationalized action movie-worthy manner.</b></i><br />
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BOB. In my generation, the name was both common and plain. When I was a craps dealer at Hotel Fremont, (September 1979-March 1980), every third guy was a BOB.<br />
<br />
One particular BOB, BOB Honiker a box man (the immediate supervisor who sits between the dealers and regulates a craps game) stood out in the crowd as a complete zero. So much so that calling this BOB, common or plain would have been a compliment.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdq39BUYRSGMkphu6s39LqdlZgdbUHpxnHSvPcMjnAODgZrtphB2zV38AQ0lVUwlYfJY3_yNprJW-UxSQOmWJoFcEcR9w5vqpjdn1RuT0OFw8DDw65EcRmnJzjoE7n-HW2HqTUWqJhfGA/s1600/z+-+a+fremont.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="202" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdq39BUYRSGMkphu6s39LqdlZgdbUHpxnHSvPcMjnAODgZrtphB2zV38AQ0lVUwlYfJY3_yNprJW-UxSQOmWJoFcEcR9w5vqpjdn1RuT0OFw8DDw65EcRmnJzjoE7n-HW2HqTUWqJhfGA/s1600/z+-+a+fremont.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>DECEMBER - 1979. YES THE FREMONT HAD SHRIMP-COLORED DEALER SHIRTS BUT AFTER WORKING FOR PEANUTS AT LESSER CASINOS, A PINK UNIFORM WASN'T GOING TO SWAY ME AWAY FROM A SOLID INCOME BUMP.</strong></td></tr>
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<br />
BOB Honiker (40) was a festering pimple on the ass of mankind. His lack of looks, personality and intelligence contributed to him being a friendless bachelor.<br />
<br />
What made BOB prominent among ordinary losers? He was a hater too. On the bright side, BOB was such a milquetoast, he rarely had the confidence to speak up while putting down his "inferiors."<br />
<br />
I doubt BOB was a member of a white supremacist group but I'm positive that this Aryan's short, skinny and bald body was <strong>NOT</strong> the prototype of the master race.<br />
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The little hair that this nebbish had, (reddish blond with flecks of gray) was left long, (comb-over-style). to mask his barren top. His black, horn-rimmed glasses were out-of-style and he had crooked, yellow, baby-sized teeth. BOB's goofy appearance was highlighted by a grayish, chipped, front tooth.<br />
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He was also cheap.<br />
<br />
Any suggestion about fixing his teeth or getting braces was countered with, "It's too expensive,"(ironically, he was covered by the Fremont's dental insurance. So the only things stopping him were...laziness or he was so vain that deep down, he was satisfied with his look).<br />
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At work, BOB alternated between a slate-colored, western-cut sports jacket and a puke-green leisure suit. He augmented his ensembles with a string tie and two-tone (brown-on-brown) cowboy boots. Those boots looked like a hybrid of artificial plastic and imported pleather but he swore they were genuine rattlesnake, (behind his back, the Fremont staff called them genuine shit-kickers).<br />
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BOB's glasses fooled some people into thinking he was an intellectual but he was incompetent as a craps supervisor and equally dopey off duty.<br />
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BOB's countrified accent and (poorly timed) rural witticisms made him came off like a Southerner but he was from Pocatello Idaho. In the rare instance that he caught a dealer error, he was likely to crack; <em><b>this here boy has more moves than a can of worms</b></em> or; <b><em>son,</em> <em>you look busier than a one-legged man at an ass kicking contest.</em></b><br />
<b><em><br /></em></b>
I never saw BOB deal craps but there is a clever remark saved for weasels like him: <b><i>Those who can't deal, sit box.</i></b><br />
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The Fremont was a better than average downtown casino. Which meant in the overall Las Vegas scheme of things...it was a toilet.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469037753550992434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj159W4XOzUoLCs7frOOquffgxIrensDSuTadQupSDjX8Ja-7upuQwKggYqfE4D101JOOJcFeaNkWhSw2Nb4Oyb7nqE6YM2Qse9pIO9Dk_DLreIVsvfNO77rAgc9fOekeVnFhL-RWfRgibL/s320/fremont_street_las_vegas_NV+(3).jpg" style="display: block; height: 202px; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 320px;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><strong>IN 1979, THE FREMONT, (MINNIE PEARL ON THE MARQUEE), BINION'S HORSESHOE AND GOLDEN NUGGET WERE THE ONLY THREE DOWNTOWN CLUBS THAT A CRAPS DEALER COULD GROSS $275.00 A WEEK.</strong></td></tr>
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Most Fremont employees knew it was a dump and dreamed of working in upscale strip casinos. But BOB made it known that he was happy to stay there, (the Fremont and Stardust were owned by the same corporation. The major league Stardust funneled all its new hires through the Fremont as if it was their minor league affiliate).<br />
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Downtown casinos attracted raucous, redneck customers, so occasionally BOB was in his element. My coworkers and I got annoyed when BOB aligned himself with classless drunks especially when he joined them in ethnic slurs or insulting/teasing gays, senior citizens, the handicapped or hobos (he loved targeting bag ladies. He must've had a lovely relationship with his mother).<br />
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Some of the staff tried to "jackpot" BOB, (set him up to be disciplined or fired). The strongest I ever got was calling him BOB Chanukah, (the Jewish festival of lights), but he wasn't bright enough to see the similar sound of Honiker and the holiday.<br />
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A dealer on my crew who verbally jousted with BOB was JB. Moralistic BOB frequently referred to himself as a "good Christian" so he had no qualms about criticizing JB for stepping out on his wife. These knuckleheads were at each other's throat after JB went into intricate pornographic details of his escapades with a customer, the night before.<br />
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The next day, BOB called JB a sinner after he bragged about his second lusty, all-night session with her. JB said that this school teacher from a small town in western Canada was a sex machine and that she had tuckered him out. Maybe she invented the phrase; <b><em>what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas</em>.</b><br />
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Several times,JB lamented, "I hope she doesn't show up after work."<br />
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An hour before we got off, she appeared. The woman was a Plain Jane (35). She was wearing a short, summery cotton dress and greeted him with a big smile. He rolled his eyes.<br />
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Jane spun in place and said, "Like it? It's new."<br />
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My eye fixed on her rising hem. Then to her ample cleavage and her pointy nipples poking through the thin, white fabric.<br />
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JB refused her latest proposition. She got upset.<br />
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Terry, another dealer was going on break and JB said, "Take him."<br />
<br />
In the aisle, to make JB jealous, she grabbed his butt. Terry had a buddy in valet parking and didn't hesitate to lead her towards the garage.<br />
<br />
In some poor schnook's car, she "took care of him." To pay for their hospitality and facilities, she also took care of Terry's friend and another car jockey. Terry returned to the craps pit and spread the word of Plain Jane's willingness to display her talents.<br />
<br />
BOB was still our box man when Jane, looking quite disheveled, returned to our craps game. In a sexy combination of moaning and whining, she let JB (and everyone else) know how badly she wanted him. He ignored her as the action of our craps game heated up. Soon the dice were hotter than Jane as the table became flooded with golden, twenty-five cent chips and white dollar . To help BOB, a second box man (an old-timer named Kelly) was brought over to split this voluminous but petty responsibility.<br />
<br />
Jane sat on a slot machine stool behind JB's players. He tried to look disinterested in a third night of debauchery. To lure him in, she waited until the customers separated and spread her legs to fully expose herself to him. JB, the ultimate parasite didn't divert his eyes and kept sneaking peeks.<br />
<br />
The valet parking escapades spread to "Tony the Pirate" our pit boss. Under the guise of overseeing our wild game, he stood between the two box men, to check-out Jane.<br />
<br />
Jane opened her legs for JB.<br />
<br />
Tony got an eyeful and called out, "Hey honey, I hear you suck!"<br />
<br />
She stood up from the stool and blasted, "What did you say?"<br />
<br />
Our pit boss adjusted the sleeve of his cranberry, pin-striped suit and said in a lower tone, "I hear you're <b><em>stuck</em>,</b> you lost all your money. Wanna meal ticket?"<br />
<br />
The game didn't slow down as Jane pried her way between players and shouted, "I heard what you said...and I do suck, I'll suck all you..."<br />
<br />
Tony patted the shoulder of Kelly (70) and jibed, "How about my father?"<br />
<br />
She said, "Yeah! I'd do him"<br />
<br />
The old timer pleaded, "No Tony, please no..."<br />
<br />
Our boss pointed at BOB, "How about my son?"<br />
<br />
Just as she said, "Yup," BOB was getting off duty.<br />
<br />
Outside the pit, she hooked her arm through his and led him back to valet parking.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*<br />
<br />
<br />
I guess as a good Christian, BOB didn't see the hypocrisy in using Jane.<br />
<br />
The following day and for the next few months, he frequently reminded us, "I took that Canuck home. She could suck the porcelain off a urinal...hell, if she wasn't a damned Catholic, I'da married the bitch."<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Around that time (March 1980), Tony took me aside to solicit a bribe, "Hey kid, wanna get transferred to the Stardust?"<br />
<br />
In addition to the prestige of working on the strip, this promotion would triple my tip income.<br />
<br />
I said, "Definitely!"<br />
<br />
Tony added his signature statement, "My 1969, maroon Riviera is parked next to the time office. I'll crack my window open, just enough to slide in an envelope. We'll see <b><i>how</i> <em>much</em> </b>you want to go."<br />
<br />
At the hotel's front desk I got an envelope. I ran to the cashier and converted chump change (small bills) into a fifty and hustled outside to Tony's car.<br />
<br />
My fifty was enough! The next day someone from personnel phoned and told me where to pick up my transfer papers to bring to the Stardust.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDFEAG81Bu2IBluC1StL6fohNSes5gui6gcKORTgnetN8Icv-uDcrqh7n50U3318XyRJ-CEi4-gbemNmr5NP_UlAg4gmVv0WvcokWAddtlSTvnpWmdLI1Rkwzze2t-mJAzuw524zCsgGrx/s1600/z+-+a+dust.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDFEAG81Bu2IBluC1StL6fohNSes5gui6gcKORTgnetN8Icv-uDcrqh7n50U3318XyRJ-CEi4-gbemNmr5NP_UlAg4gmVv0WvcokWAddtlSTvnpWmdLI1Rkwzze2t-mJAzuw524zCsgGrx/s1600/z+-+a+dust.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>MARCH - 1980. I WAS SO PROUD TO WORK THERE, I WORE MY STARDUST SHIRT LIKE A TROPHY.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
The payola I gave Tony the Pirate changed my life. I had done the near impossible, dealing craps on the fabulous Las Vegas strip at twenty-four, with only thirteen months experience and no connections.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL6_iEkhP5BvYlY-ocAth0e4HlC0_rQ2PPv8YuctWRbTze1Wk_M3IYxVmzpvKU0iduBWJWBvme3u7sYV32qdzWkK-jwJVIN8vRgc81fHaA_10ZFhsIkVujNie_MNqp9z0iIcK3TTd9B-KY/s1600/z-+a+dust+nite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="689" data-original-width="1024" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL6_iEkhP5BvYlY-ocAth0e4HlC0_rQ2PPv8YuctWRbTze1Wk_M3IYxVmzpvKU0iduBWJWBvme3u7sYV32qdzWkK-jwJVIN8vRgc81fHaA_10ZFhsIkVujNie_MNqp9z0iIcK3TTd9B-KY/s320/z-+a+dust+nite.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>THE STARDUST (1958-2006) HAD AN OUTER SPACE-THEME. MORE THAN THE BIG BUCKS AND STATUS, I FEEL THAT I SHED MY CHILDHOOD AND BECAME A MAN, IN MY TWO YEARS THERE.</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="border-color: initial; border-style: none; border-width: medium;">
Tony earned his nickname by being the epitome of a conflict of interest. Unlike any pit boss I ever worked for, he demanded a layoff (a cut) when a four-man craps crew scored a big toke day. He also used his position to blackmail his underlings into making charitable contributions to him, (he donated <i>our</i> money to civic organizations and his church, in <i>his</i> name).<br />
<br />
Once, he "encouraged" my crew into buying seventeen boxes of his daughter's Girl Scout cookies...as well as other random amounts to all his dealers. He was so cutthroat that when his supply couldn't meet the Stardust's demands, his standards for transfers got mighty low.</div>
<br />
The idea of him taking graft from anyone was proven a month later. BOB Honiker was offered a promotion. At first BOB refused. Later, somebody must have clued him that a twelve-dollar a day pay raise might not sound like much but it was 15%...which translated to three grand a year.<br />
<br />
The Stardust attracted a more sophisticated clientele and had a savvy, veteran staff who immediately labeled BOB as a jack-off and a lump, (an inadequate bungler).<br />
<br />
The first time, I saw BOB in his Stardust powder blue, box man's uniform was in the break room. He was getting ripped into by a female blackjack dealer, for calling women; a minority group.<br />
<br />
BOB's reputation for being weak was justified.. He easily got rattled and failed to keep up with the faster pace and higher action.<br />
<br />
In hushed obscenities, BOB vented his frustration. Far worse, he spotlighted his ignorance with a negative attitude towards black and Hispanic dealers. This pissed off a lot of people. He also referred to all Asians as "Japs" and spitefully littered in front of the Native American porters (sweepers) and called the Holocaust, "an exaggeration dreamed-up by the Jew-controlled media."<br />
<br />
He was so offensive that the ultimate pacifist, our flower-child, employee-waiter challenged him to a fight when BOB joked, "What's the only difference between a hippie and a Commie?...A Commie moves the dirty dishes before he pees in the sink."<br />
<br />
BOB was so buried, I doubt he noticed that few people spoke to him, nobody invited him out for drinks and the craps crews never included him in their layoff rotation.<br />
<br />
For four months, BOB defied the odds and kept his job. Until the Stardust generated a strange memo. It required all dealer shirts and supervisor jackets to be embroidered with the employee's first name, in cursive lettering with navy, cable-knit thread. The notice mandated that <strong><u>all</u></strong> the sewing work was to be done at the Andiamo Dry Cleaners, on Industrial Road...at $4.00 per garment. In bold letters, the communique's last line specified a one month window of opportunity for total compliance or risk termination.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEMSrt3-C7fsZCkPKAbLlpmI977zB6oyr2UAnHpDoLFS5eN-mzb8Ms8dI3ULwH1sRmMCG_boDN9fnJvVLL9q7wS15crEtFckIEi09rLbsFqgTjbNy0fy49xF49iSf4nTmWJp4LpbDxMopD/s1600/IMG_0785.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ea="true" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEMSrt3-C7fsZCkPKAbLlpmI977zB6oyr2UAnHpDoLFS5eN-mzb8Ms8dI3ULwH1sRmMCG_boDN9fnJvVLL9q7wS15crEtFckIEi09rLbsFqgTjbNy0fy49xF49iSf4nTmWJp4LpbDxMopD/s200/IMG_0785.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><strong> YES INDEED, ABOVE THE POCKET, THAT'S NAVY, CABLE-KNIT THREAD SPELLING OUT, "STEVE." </strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This embroidery conspiracy was extortion. A conservative estimate of a hundred-fifty dealers (times four shirts), plus forty supervisors, (two sports jackets each), at four bucks a pop, netted some fortunate friend of management, a quick twenty-eight hundred dollars.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
Many of Stardust's front line casino staff mildly protested. But within two weeks, the uniformly stitched names started to appear. When the deadline passed, everyone I knew had cooperated except BOB. He maintained his frugality by hand-sewing his own block-letter name, in thin red thread.<br />
<br />
His three uppercase letters, (B-O-B), stood-out because they were rounded, unprofessionally measured, poorly spaced and ran downhill. The mess made his name look like the number: 808.<br />
<div style="border-color: initial; border-style: none; border-width: medium;">
<br />
BOB seemed to be getting away with murder. So nobody felt like they were ratting out a comrade when they complained about his non-compliance. Yet weeks passed and<b> "808"</b> as he was exclusively and unaffectionately called, had neither been warned nor disciplined.</div>
<div style="border-color: initial; border-style: none; border-width: medium;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-color: initial; border-style: none; border-width: medium;">
During my time at the Stardust, the place was rumored to be run by the mob. Years later when the movie,<strong> "CASINO,"</strong> came out, it was based on the Stardust. It's possible that wiseguys stealing millions weren't concerned about 808's eight dollars worth of sewing slipping through the cracks.</div>
<div style="border-color: initial; border-style: none; border-width: medium;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-color: initial; border-style: none; border-width: medium;">
808 maintained his lucky streak until the CM, (casino manager), came out of the lavish baccarat salon long enough to make a token appearance in the craps pit.<br />
<br />
He noticed 808's name emblazoned in an amateurish way and asked, "What happened to your embroidery?"<br />
<br />
808 didn't know who he was talking to and scoffed, "Did it myself."<br />
<br />
The boss of bosses fumed, "Heh?"<br />
<br />
808 crowed, "Shucks, those cheap chiselin' 'I-Ties' are more hard-up for money than Jews."</div>
<br />
The boss calmly walked away. Several minutes later, a posse of gun-toting uniformed guards, led 808 to seldom used door behind the security podium...where they took the hard-cases.<br />
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<tr><td style="border-color: initial; border-style: none; border-width: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-A-MWuRaUU9hw-gLaCrHO6fjZkmOYGBt3QZFeMuAi-nTctW-kswQO1pTQ6LrZdgMtZx1eZAH9FT3riQkEOwXnkYlXruuRNZIZlPFqUOIsRCNENfF3N8X3Q2lhB04lcAeFlc-Ip_oUD8/s1600/mojave_desert-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_uid_w3iwzm="7" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-A-MWuRaUU9hw-gLaCrHO6fjZkmOYGBt3QZFeMuAi-nTctW-kswQO1pTQ6LrZdgMtZx1eZAH9FT3riQkEOwXnkYlXruuRNZIZlPFqUOIsRCNENfF3N8X3Q2lhB04lcAeFlc-Ip_oUD8/s320/mojave_desert-4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-color: initial; border-style: none; border-width: medium; font-size: 12.8px;"><strong>DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU SEE IN THE MOVIES BUT IN "CASINO" THEY MADE A STRONG POINT AT HOW MANY HOLES THERE ARE IN THE DESERT AND HOW EASILY THINGS CAN GET LOST FOREVER.</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="border-color: initial; border-style: none; border-width: medium;">
BOB Honiker (a.k.a. 808) vanished! The casino called it job abandonment. Over the next three years that I lived in Las Vegas, I never saw him nor did anyone else I knew.<br />
<br />
If it's any consolation to him, he wound up being unique after all, by being the only guy named <b>808</b>, I ever met.<br />
<br />
For his sake, let's hope he's somehow alive, well and reading this blog up in Pocatello.</div>
Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12392111410804449860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787822525441125324.post-44453785806187159552019-05-20T00:43:00.001-05:002020-09-10T07:57:37.269-05:00THE DAY MICK SAVIS TOKED<b><i>"Standing Dead" is a casino term for dealers at an <u>open</u> table without players. The phrase may also imply that gaming is overwhelmingly a dead-end job. While cynics metaphorically imagine themselves at their tables being offered a last cigarette or blindfold waiting to be disciplined, (fired). </i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>In general, 75% of dealer income comes from tokes, (tips). However, for craps dealers whose tokes are split only four ways, (going table-for-table), standing dead serves as a worthy short-term breather and social opportunity but reduces the valued time for optimizing tokes. </i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>The harsh reality of going table-for-table is that not everyone has the same financial drive or responsibilities. Therefore, clashes arise over the degree of zest people have for hustling gratuities. This can create pressure for less enthusiastic earners to be equally </i></b><b><i>mercenary</i></b><b><i>. </i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b><i><b>All casinos prohibit dealers from asking for tips. In a table-for-table house, (where dealers are more aggressive), management </b></i><i><b>to maintain a higher percentage, (edge), </b></i><i><b>assigns hard-nosed supervisors to minimize hustling. Plus, it's a regular practice to reward informants who covertly infiltrate the unsuspecting staff, catch tip solicitors and to weed-out dissidents, malcontents or anyone detrimental to the company.</b></i><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>From the outside looking in, you'd never expect casino work to be a life or death struggle but it can be.</i></b><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
* <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
In March 1980, (with fourteen months experience in minor league casinos), I was hired at the Stardust Casino in Las Vegas. On my first day with a permanent craps crew, I received a warm, innuendo-filled welcome (regarding hustling for tokes), from fellow dealer Robert E. Lee, (Bob).<br />
<br />
During Bob's breaks, the other two dealers were far less cordial. Other than flimsy introductions, they made me an outcast. Typically, established dealers in table-for-table houses are over-protective of their job security and weary of newcomers. This "wait and see" dynamic covers a wide scope of reasons, (oddly, actual dealing ability is not an important criteria). The key element is trust; more specifically, a willingness to solicit tips and protect crew members when they do it. These secret evaluations also try to determine if a newbie is an upper management stooge.<br />
<br />
The two other dealers were Jerry and Gabe. Jerry was more accepting and occasionally gave me advice.<br />
<br />
By my third day Jerry loosened up enough to say, "You realize that dealing craps isn't as important as getting paid for it. Don't let anyone fool you, filling the box (toke box), is job-one...and there ain't no job-two! All the supervisors will help us. Except one. Be cautious of Ernie, the lead floorperson, (relief pit boss, Werner 'Ernie' Trohlmann). That neo-Nazi prick is a hatchet man and will fire you on the spot if you ask for tokes."<br />
<br />
Gabe, the other dealer on my crew was an understated petty conniver. He rarely spoke up except to complain or to detail schemes, like reusing postage stamps. Up to that point, he never addressed me.<br />
<br />
He interrupted Jerry to carp, "My roast beef sandwich sucked. It was dry, fatty and fuckin' cold."<br />
<br />
Everyone pretended to listen. They were used to his whining and soon tuned him out. Jerry and my two supervisors began chatting about in-house issues, going out for drinks and locker room talk.<br />
<br />
Gabe was such a doofus, he kept blithering, "You'll see. I'll get even," long after losing his audience.<br />
<br />
I fixed on his profile as he yapped. What he said didn't matter, I was lured by his odd looks.<br />
<br />
Suddenly, this self-absorbed, monotone dullard became animated, "There goes that big piece of shit, Mick Savis!"<br />
<br />
This was ironic commentary from a man who could have been nicknamed Dracula. Gabe (40) was a hardened fifteen-year craps dealing veteran. He had a sullen quality due to dark splotches around his deep set, beady eyes.<br />
<br />
Gabe was bone skinny with a receding hairline. His pronounced forehead featured a long, single bluish vein that ran perpendicular like a plumbing pipe from above his right eye to the first wisps of his thinning black hair. It was that hair and the bags under his eyes when contrasted against his ashen complexion that gave him a ghoulish appearance. So I was surprised that Gabe would be calling anyone names.<br />
<br />
I said, "Who's Mick Savis?"<br />
<br />
My question was the best thing that ever happened. The bland conversations ended. Everyone focused on me and shared their infamous recollections of the legendary asshole, Mick Savis.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Our cocaine infused floor supervisor spewed, "Savis is the worst person I met in this business." He interrupted himself, "No! He's the worst excuse of a human being I ever met in my life!"<br />
<br />
"That's right," added Jerry, "in the forties, he bought his way out of a murder rap in Amarillo."<br />
<br />
Our fossilized box man said, "That buzzard owned a string of used car lots all over the southwest. He jack-potted himself plenty, (got in trouble), by hiring inexperienced, pretty girls as secretaries for more than they were worth. If they didn't put-out, he'd fire 'em, till he found one that would."<br />
<br />
Bob said, "You'd think other players would complain. He doesn't pay 'vig.' So when you deal to him never mention the word. And watch that jack-off. He'll steal a forgotten $5.00 chip off the layout so fast, it'll make your head spin. And he only bets hundreds."<br />
<br />
Gabe said, "Never wish him good luck. Shit, don't say anything to him. He spits on dealers, curses old women and Jimmy K. (a dealer from a different crew), saw Mick piss in the rail."<br />
<br />
Jerry added, "Don't cross his path. He's a degenerate and'll knock down a priest to get a bet down."<br />
<br />
During a pause I said, "Who is he?"<br />
<br />
Our floor supervisor said, "He's playing the don't come, on table two <b>AND</b> four."<br />
<br />
I said, "But you're not allowed to play on two games at the same..."<br />
<br />
He cut me off, "I know. But telling him whats what, is not in my job description. . Hell, the big bosses are afraid of him too. They might nod to that dick but they don't say squat to him."<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Mick Savis (70) at six-foot-six, two-hundred-eighty pounds was a mountain of a man. He was a little paunchy but his physique was intimidating. Even more threatening was the permanent scowl on his scarred, rugged face. Later, when I saw him up close, his leathery sun-baked face was deeply wrinkled. But those wrinkles couldn't hide a nasty triangular divot on his cheek or a slash under his other eye.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpotSWMZL1e_hyphenhyphen_6MxIKVhftCu38cwxzQDrodIbLABYKiBhOFFXly4Ydu0q05z71S2ygooR3CqcZj95rD1p79fqEQM8RWggO9EMzwZ4V8zlAP95SmC927ffelBzCkydygTWCnpWHFZ2xuH/s1600/z+-+a+dead-end_1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="620" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpotSWMZL1e_hyphenhyphen_6MxIKVhftCu38cwxzQDrodIbLABYKiBhOFFXly4Ydu0q05z71S2ygooR3CqcZj95rD1p79fqEQM8RWggO9EMzwZ4V8zlAP95SmC927ffelBzCkydygTWCnpWHFZ2xuH/s200/z+-+a+dead-end_1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>HIS SLASH REMINDED ME OF MY BROOKLYN DAYS WHEN WE CALLED SCARS LIKE THAT, "THE MARK OF THE SQUEALER."</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
In that scant calm moment, Mick stood still. But his underlying (perpetual), nervous energy made him seem like a crazy man ready to explode. I caught another quick glimpse of this brutish figure's face. His rigid expression and piercing, uneven eyes convinced me that he was unapproachable.<br />
<br />
Savis was a local. So each month, you could count on this lone wolf to show up at least twice. You could rely on him chain-smoking and dangling an unfiltered Chesterfield from the corner of his mouth as he jack-hammered chewing gum. Mick was clean but unkempt. Like a uniform, he wore dress shirts open at the collar, baggy trousers and the same stained, light blue, polyester sports jacket.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
A week later, we were standing dead and Gabe was ranting about "Macho," his live-in brother-in-law. Gabe made it clear that this illegal Guatemalan immigrant was unwelcome because he doesn't work, drinks like a fish, screws every chick he sees and sponges off his wife.<br />
<br />
Our roly poly box man said, "Stop! You shovel the same bullshit every night."<br />
<br />
"Oh," said Gabe, "Okay. Did you see in the paper, another bank got robbed?"<br />
<br />
"Yeah," the box man said, "that little one down Swenson. He only got $183.00."<br />
<br />
Gabe said, "Must've been desperate to hit a bank in Vegas. Only an idiot takes that kind of chance. Plus he wound up with chicken feed. Even for a few thou, he's risking a federal rap."<br />
<br />
Bob joined in, "You're right."<br />
<br />
Gabe perked up, "I know the move! Jump Mick Savis."<br />
<br />
We laughed.<br />
<br />
He said, "No, no, no. I'm serious. Check it out. Micky is an old-man. He's big but he ain't bad. You know, all yak and no shack. I say, he can be taken down."<br />
<br />
We were still laughing.<br />
<br />
Gabe said, "How much cash does he walk in here with?"<br />
<br />
Jerry said, "He does flaunt a giant wad..."<br />
<br />
Gabe said, "It's so big . He can't fold it. It's a friggin' wheel of bills wrapped in thick rubber bands."<br />
<br />
Our chubby box man said, "I've seen him all over town for twelve years and I've never seen him peel nuthin' but hundos off that BR."<br />
<br />
Jerry said, "At least five grand."<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
At three in the morning that same night, the casino had light action.<br />
<br />
We were standing dead when Gabe unexpectedly gasped, "Oh fuckin' no," as his silly, million-to-one prophesy unfolded in front of us.<br />
<br />
Mick Savis walked by our table and aimlessly meandered towards the exit while adding a chunk of bills to his enormous money bundle. A young Latino came running up from behind and up punched Savis in the head. The mighty blow knocked Mick down as his tight bankroll fell to the ground in three loose segments. The assailant dove on the floor and scooped up his booty. He scrambled to his feet but was slowed down as he concentrated on clutching his prize that was slipping through his fingers.<br />
<br />
The exit was fifty feet away. Savis as spry as a hungry predatory animal, sprang to his feet and made up for lost time. The thief was twisting his torso to hold the door open with his hip when Mick Savis crushed him up against the heavy glass. The money limply fell to the ugly red casino carpet as Mick pummeled him.<br />
<br />
A crowd obstructed our view but later a bellman told us, "That schmuck took ten punches in the kisser. His own mother couldn't've recognized that bloody mess. If that giant didn't stop, he wudda killed that guy. After the body fell on the money, his blood stained a lotta bills..."<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I don't do well with change. I was still adjusting to life at the Stardust when a newly hired box man came to our shift. This tall, silver-haired, anemic, triple-chinned old turd had strong liver-spotted hands and enormous, bratwurst-like fingers. Like a maniacal chain gang boss, he remained aloof until scaring the staff by hissing commands in a hoarse, difficult to understand Cajun accent.<br />
<br />
Every supervisor at the Stardust wore a name tag. This new box man didn't. Even nitpick-happy Ernie Trohlmann never busted his balls over it. Another old-time box man, (Tony Lane), referred to him as Whitey but the duty roster listed him as Tom Gray.<br />
<br />
A dealer on another crew tried to break the ice with Whitey.<br />
<br />
The curmudgeon barked, "Dummy-up and watch y'all's fuckin' layout."<br />
<br />
Another dealer said, "Whitey stopped me from putting a toke in my pocket. He said he'd break my hand if I took anything off the table without his say so."<br />
<br />
Shock waves filled the craps pit. Whitey's reputation with us was bad but far worse, he took many of his breaks with the shift boss and casino manager. <br />
<br />
On a dead game Jerry whispered, "We gotta feed fat boy some cheese."<br />
<br />
Later in private, I had Bob translate the cryptic message, "All rats love cheese. He's <u>their</u> eyes and ears. He's a spy."<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Ernie Trohlmann had a fetish for firing people and was tenacious about preventing dealers from hustling tips but he was a pussycat compared to Whitey. So with Whitey around, the craps staff never strayed from the formal dealing of the game. Our prisoner/prison guard relationship soon spurred the nickname, Cool-Breeze.<br />
<br />
The box man Tony Lane was a chronic complainer. He was easy to ignore because he almost never had anything interesting to say. During a moderate craps game, Tony was bitching about dragging his hemorrhoid ring everywhere he went.<br />
<br />
Suddenly he stopped his droning and said, "You know I like all you fellas."<br />
<br />
There was an intensity to his voice. In anticipation of hearing something special Bob (the stickman) slowed the pace of the game. Jerry was riveted on Tony so I leaned in closer too.<br />
<br />
"His name ain't Tom Gray," Tony's eyes shifted left then right to check for eavesdroppers. "I don't know where <u>they</u> come up with this bull crap. I only call him Whitey to test whether he remembers me. That's what we called him in '58." Tony's voice was getting lower as our game came to a near standstill, "We worked up north at the 'Shy,' (The Shy Clown Casino). His name is Clyde Moates and he was garbage then and it's a sure bet, he's garbage now."<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqBdpVvPWu9jA35pAdbI1VzL19eB1Xb8ZkA4ISIecauFDqe8OpZzkfLFLAOxSKeLj_cPBO7P2JWRx_18Ue5nW5E52EKknbyCSJhckhZ5DCaeDAyhdpu1lKR3ZR5-B4egKkvqaqlGvrj4HZ/s1600/z+-+a+shy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="903" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqBdpVvPWu9jA35pAdbI1VzL19eB1Xb8ZkA4ISIecauFDqe8OpZzkfLFLAOxSKeLj_cPBO7P2JWRx_18Ue5nW5E52EKknbyCSJhckhZ5DCaeDAyhdpu1lKR3ZR5-B4egKkvqaqlGvrj4HZ/s320/z+-+a+shy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>INTERNET PHOTO - THE SHY CLOWN CASINO IN RENO.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Jerry said, "What's his game?"<br />
<br />
"Simple," Tony shrugged, "he's connected with the Chicago big boys. I dunno about now but back then a lotta bad things happened around him. He was a brawler and built like a brick shit-house. Plus, he carried a heater and was good with a knife. Nobody messed with him. He did odd jobs for the joint. We had no security so he was like a bouncer and just hung around a lot. But he was also a chauffeur, he'd walk the boxes, empty the cigarette machines and even deal blackjack or craps in a pinch."<br />
<br />
Bob lamented, "Now we're stuck with..."<br />
<br />
"No," Tony interrupted, "It's worse. He was their bag man and enforcer. They sent him to collect markers. He was a bone breaker. I saw him fracture a dealer's elbow for swinging with checks, (stealing chips off the table). If management didn't like a player or an employee, they sent ol' Clyde. He'd call the guy a commie, a faggot some such nonsense and that made it okay to rough him up."<br />
<br />
I asked, "Did he ever kill anyone?"<br />
<br />
Tony had never given me a straight answer about anything until then, "I don't wanna say 'cause I didn't know the whole story then and my memory ain't what it used to be. But Moates was handcuffed and arrested in the parking lot as I was coming in one night. Before my second break, he was back and yucking it up with the CM, (casino manager). The next day, the newspaper said the body of a Carson City man, (a noted Shy Clown customer) who had been reported as missing was found in the woods along the Truckee River with a single gun shot in the head."<br />
<br />
Jerry said, "Holy shit!"<br />
<br />
Gabe was returning from his break as Tony said, "It don't matter! Just be careful around him. Now shut up and get a roll."<br />
<br />
Thirty seconds later Tony whined, "I gotta damned sardine bone stuck in my dentures."<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Five minutes before each new craps shift at the Stardust, a muster call was held. Ernie Trohlmann presided over these meetings. He took attendance, revised policies and gave updates on restaurants and incoming conventions.<br />
<br />
While waiting for <i>Herr</i> Trohlmann, a group of early arrivals were grousing about Tom Gray.<br />
<br />
Johnny Palmero (50), a prominent and respected dealer from another crew. There were no casino dealers unions back then so Palmero, a Korean War veteran was an unofficial shop steward to us.<br />
<br />
He said, "I got an idea how to get rid of Cool-Breeze. We set him up for a confrontation with Mick Savis."<br />
<br />
"Hostile" Artie Logan a retired New York City fireman squawked, "Forget Savis. You want a confrontation? I'll follow that dinosaur out to his car and beat him within an inch of his life."<br />
<br />
Gabe said, "Let's all kick in $200.00 and put a contract out on him."<br />
<br />
Palmero ignored Hostile Artie and said, "Gabe you're a moron."<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_I38bYEoWcfjASqPH6M8TW0RHHnY1jqGRL-jcT8k085izflGhbD0RNmnJx_Mlm10xBFhXKutztwHKd93_IC1DkkFxLVWcvR8UcZ9kfQ1Q0qW2mZeUQ_0WHJpgF9NetiQhwbe_WF_61IH5/s1600/z+-+a+prosthetic.jpe" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="156" data-original-width="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_I38bYEoWcfjASqPH6M8TW0RHHnY1jqGRL-jcT8k085izflGhbD0RNmnJx_Mlm10xBFhXKutztwHKd93_IC1DkkFxLVWcvR8UcZ9kfQ1Q0qW2mZeUQ_0WHJpgF9NetiQhwbe_WF_61IH5/s1600/z+-+a+prosthetic.jpe" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>***STOCK PHOTO*** PALMERO WAS IN THE ARMY AND SURVIVED TEN MONTHS OF COMBAT WITHOUT A SCRATCH. BUT HE LIKED TO JOKE, "I LOST AN "i" IN THE WAR." HIS REAL SURNAME WAS PALMEIRO BUT AFTER HIS DISCHARGE, HIS NAME ON ALL HIS PAPERWORK WAS MISSPELLED. SO RATHER THAN INCURRING A CONSIDERABLE COST TO CHANGE IT, PRIVATE PALMERO NEVER RETURNED TO JOHN PALMEIRO IN CIVILIAN LIFE.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Palmero continued, "Look, you guys got nothing. And I admit, what I got is close to nothing. But even if my idea doesn't work, we got a shot at embarrassing Cool-Breeze without a chance of any shit staining our hands, (management recognizing the incident as a conspiracy). I haven't seen Mick Savis since Cool-Breeze started. I say <u>they</u> never told him Savis don't pay vig. It's a longshot but if we spread the word to all the dealers to keep Cool-Breeze in the dark..."<br />
<br />
Artie Logan nodded, "Maybe Mick'll slash that bastard's throat for us..."<br />
<br />
Palmero shrugged, "If you got cancer, you cut the shit out as soon as possible and learn to live with the scar..."<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
A few nights later the stage was set. My crew was saddled with Tom "Cool-Breeze" Gray and Mick Savis was spotted buzzing around the craps pit.<br />
<br />
Later, Savis elbowed another gambler out of his way and was standing next to me. Anxious dealers on other tables looked our way and without any grand gestures wished us luck. It was showtime.<br />
<br />
Mick liked the position next to the dealer so he could make "don't come" bets on two different tables at the same time. His bets were simple and almost always the same; $300.00. Regardless of the point, he'd lay an addition $600.00.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoyK9oi740f0QCZKk-kTbHzvcwwsU2zCPi-_N901T7-bX__7IihN1Up8e5Hjf1tbPBnrtQPXEOEXyR7Jhc6gc-5axQBY6VyRft1Hav4oscaDLy3MXVWnXjgxl8EBCKP1xqeZdh9LbMQlm1/s1600/z+-+a+dice-come-dont-come-bets.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="122" data-original-width="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoyK9oi740f0QCZKk-kTbHzvcwwsU2zCPi-_N901T7-bX__7IihN1Up8e5Hjf1tbPBnrtQPXEOEXyR7Jhc6gc-5axQBY6VyRft1Hav4oscaDLy3MXVWnXjgxl8EBCKP1xqeZdh9LbMQlm1/s1600/z+-+a+dice-come-dont-come-bets.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A DON'T COME BET (far left) WILL BE PLACED BY THE DEALER IN THE EMPTY BOX BEHIND THE NEXT NUMBER ROLLED. ONCE A DON'T COME GOES BEHIND A NUMBER, THE ONLY WAY TO LOSE IS, THAT NUMBER BEING ROLLED BEFORE A SEVEN. THE ONLY WAY TO WIN WOULD BE A SEVEN BEFORE THAT NUMBER. ALL THE OTHER DICE ROLLS ARE PUSHES.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Savis also placed an additional $600.00 "overlay" wager when his bet went behind the four and ten. It was these bets that were central to our sting operation because they required the player to pay (when making the bet), a 5% commission, (aka vigorish, vig or juice), on the potential winnings.<br />
<br />
If the vig was not paid immediately, the box man, as a courtesy would "mark up the juice" and keep a running tab to be paid when mutually convenient. Nice in theory, except Mick Savis <u>never</u> pays commission.<br />
<br />
Dealers from other tables gawked at us waiting for the fur to fly. I caught eye contact with Brad, a dealer on the adjacent table and pumped my eyebrows. It was a nervous reaction but he thought I was slick to signal that the fix was on, by imitating Groucho Marx.<br />
<br />
During the next fifty minutes, I went on break, did twenty minutes on stick and returned to my base next to Savis. Every few rolls, Cool-Breeze announced the accumulating vig total. The pile of debt reached $195.00 and Mick still hadn't acknowledged these reminders.<br />
<br />
Savis lost a few in a row and had one bet in action on my table when he turned away.<br />
<br />
At the next table, he peeled off three, hundred dollar bills from his gigantic wad and snarled at Brad, "Three don't come."<br />
<br />
Cool-Breeze croaked, "Hey friend."<br />
<br />
Mick looked back long enough to sneer at the fat old man and made more bets with Brad.<br />
<br />
Cool-Breeze muttered some obscenities and called out, "You! You in the blue sports jacket."<br />
<br />
I didn't offer help and made myself look busier than I was. It didn't matter because Cool-Breeze wasn't going to delegate any authority to a snot-nosed kid, (me). He didn't even follow the chain of command by summoning our floor supervisor Herman Franz. Herman was a savvy old-timer and sensed it was a good time to "get lost" by closely overseeing his other table. Cool-Breeze didn't care. He probably saw this as another chance to assert his power and strengthen his reputation.<br />
<br />
Cool-Breeze was still seated as he projected a loud, piercing, high-pitched yelp through me, "Hey Mack!"<br />
<br />
Savis ignored him but I'm certain he heard.<br />
<br />
A player tapped Savis' shoulder, pointed at Cool-Breeze with his thumb and said, "He wants you."<br />
<br />
Mick snapped, "Dirt-bag, don't ever touch me," and turned away.<br />
<br />
Cool-Breeze got out of his seat and got Mick's attention as well as everyone in earshot, "Buddy! Y'all can't play on two tables at once."<br />
<br />
Savis flicked the last nub of his Chesterfield to the floor and said, "Drop dead."<br />
<br />
I wasn't between them long because Cool-Breeze stuck his flabby forearm across my chest and pushed past me. To "help, " I took a half step back to make it easier for him to pass.<br />
<br />
Cool-Breeze got in Savis' face, "Where ya runnin' off to? You owe <b><u>ME</u> </b>$195.00 in vig."<br />
<br />
Mick Savis jabbed his right index finger into Cool-Breeze's blubbery chest and said, "Fuck you!"<br />
<br />
Before Cool-Breeze could react, Savis' finger violently stabbed him in his man-boob again. The second blow knocked our nemesis off kilter. He reeled behind me as Savis, ready to pounce, followed. Cool-Breeze back-peddled into a small pit stand that wasn't bolted to the floor. He managed to keep his balance but the podium toppled and crashed to the floor.<br />
<br />
Mick's cocked fist was ready for the knockout punch but he stopped. In a flash, it was over. Cool-Breeze was stunned and blankly stared off into space.<br />
<br />
Savis calmly said, "Take down all my bets."<br />
<br />
Brad and I complied. Savis pocketed his chips, strolled around to the far side of the pit and resumed playing as if nothing had happened.<br />
<br />
Pit boss Chick Halversen hurried over. If Cool-Breeze wasn't panting, he'd have looked like a cold, alabaster statue. Chick put his hand on the defeated man's shoulder and made a short phone call. Our hated, behemoth box man seemed to be in a trance as Chick whispered encouraging words in his ear.<br />
<br />
Casino manager Aldo "Pug" Pugliese and an army of security guards rushed into the pit. Two minutes later, we had a new box man and it was business as usual. Cool-Breeze sat on a slot stool inside the pit and sipped orange juice. He seemed shaken but unhurt as he rose up and dejectedly was escorted to Pug's office.<br />
<br />
None of the Stardust officials confronted Savis. He continued playing. An hour later, he returned to my end of our table. The dice were hot for Mick. He was so lucky that his customary $300.00 don't come bets were pressed (increased), to $500.00 and soon raised again to $1,000.00.<br />
<br />
Mick Savis continued to add lay bets to his action and when he went behind fours and tens, he overlaid, $4,000.00, (and didn't pay the $100.00 vigorish for those big bets either). Even though his strategy never allowed him to play more than two numbers, there were times he was risking $14,000.00 at once. He kept winning.<br />
<br />
Mick had a fortune in mostly thousand-dollar chips in front of him when he pressed his next new bet to $2,000.00, (the Stardust maximum).<br />
<br />
Pit boss Chick Halversen told Bob, "Turn the dice."<br />
<br />
Mick growled, "Don't sweat the money. Those are your dice."<br />
<br />
The house max bet went behind the ten. Mick laid $4,000 and overlaid $8,000.00 more, (nobody mentioned or marked up the $200.00 vig).<br />
<br />
Surrounded by the tension of risking $14K, (to win $8K), on a seven coming before a ten Savis called out, "Wait!"<br />
<br />
Mick pulled out a tattered black wallet. It was shocking because nobody ever saw him stop a game and no one ever saw his wallet. More surprisingly, Savis removed an eye-glass case from his inside jacket pocket. This super-human, anti-Christ was flawed.<br />
<br />
It was comical to see this near-sighted mountain of a man with nerdy black horn-rimmed glasses on and his nose deep in his billfold, as he squinted and poked around in an unmanly manner.<br />
<br />
Finally, he used his thumb and index finger like awkward tweezers to pull out a five-dollar bill.<br />
<br />
Bob whispered aloud, "Did I just see a moth fly out of there?"<br />
<br />
Mick tossed the bill in front of me and declared, "Five-dollar any seven for the dealers."<br />
<br />
Jerry did an exaggerated blink of astonishment. I smiled as he put his hand to his chest to suggest he was having a heart attack.<br />
<br />
Bob, (the stickman) with mock pride repeated the bet, "Nickel any seven for the dealers." But Bob's voice was barely audible when he called next dice roll, "Ten easy ten."<br />
<br />
Not only did the dealers fail to win Savis' first attempted toke in the annals of history but he lost $14,000.00. Mick Savis' ten-second bubble of benevolence, had burst.<br />
<br />
His unbelievable streak was over and to express his frustration Savis bellowed, "Every time I bet for you ass-holes, I <u>lose</u>!"<br />
<br />
The Stardust didn't have bigger chips so Mick stuffed 114, thousand-dollar chips into his pockets. He seemed preoccupied as he lingered at my side for several seconds. Mick looked miserable as if he lost his last dime. I convinced myself that he was calculating the proper toke on his windfall. I was wrong. There would be no tip. Impulsively without looking up, he darted away and slammed into another really big dude who was approaching to play.<br />
<br />
This hulk (25) was the same height as Mick. He had a white cowboy hat and a white western shirt with its sleeves rolled up to expose his rather muscular arms. Anyone else on the planet but Mick Savis would've dismissed the harmless accident by saying; excuse me.<br />
<br />
Instead Mick crackled, "Get out of my way!"<br />
<br />
The young buck didn't give an inch. Mick lifted his head. The two were eye to eye.<br />
<br />
The stud scoffed, "In a hurry old man?"<br />
<br />
Mick gave the kid a searing stare down and roared, "Beat it chump."<br />
<br />
The kid menacingly got in Savis' face and grinned, "You really want me to break your fuckin' jaw?"<br />
<br />
Savis gulped, hesitated and grumbled, "Sorry," as he ducked his head and humbly slithered by.<br />
<br />
Mick was probably protective of his winnings. But I get satisfaction in thinking, he was not only mortal but a weasel too. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
A large group of dealers and staff met after work at the Silver City Casino's bar.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZpvaRFTgANlNGmxy6htEVFEJ_47CBWBTRpFtS7exNR9ma807vdgsyf4ppgQ3MwVhrl9QbXLUsmtXIEd0JgWDb4QByHwKZXteJB-yI06bqkp9V0fag3OlFcDKzaeYD4EiMXGdA4yHWGtK/s1600/z+-+a+silver+city.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="753" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZpvaRFTgANlNGmxy6htEVFEJ_47CBWBTRpFtS7exNR9ma807vdgsyf4ppgQ3MwVhrl9QbXLUsmtXIEd0JgWDb4QByHwKZXteJB-yI06bqkp9V0fag3OlFcDKzaeYD4EiMXGdA4yHWGtK/s320/z+-+a+silver+city.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>***INTERNET PHOTO FROM 1981*** SILVER CITY (1974-1999) WAS DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STRIP FACING THE STARDUST. THEY HAD 50c DRINKS AND LOW TABLE MINIMUMS. MAKING IT A FUN AND CONVENIENT PLACE TO MEET AFTER WORK. ALSO, SILVER CITY BECAME A TRENDSETTER IN 1991 AS THE FIRST LAS VEGAS CASINO TO BAN SMOKING.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
My coworkers saluted me as a hero. "Little" Willie Little, another dealer must have called me his savior ten times. My money was no good that night and I had several free drinks backed-up. Everyone kept asking; What did you do? What did you say? But I did nothing and said nothing. I stood still on center stage and had no lines. I was part of the scenery, followed the script and everything fell into place on its own.<br />
<br />
On my way out Herman Franz said, "I overheard Cool-Breeze tell Pug, 'I'm too old for this shit.'"<br />
<br />
He must have been right because we never saw Tom "Cool-Breeze" Gray again.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Several weeks later, on a cold and windy night in early December, the Stardust was so empty that if cannons were fired in the casino, nobody would get hurt. But the Christmas spirit shined on my table because while everyone else stood dead, in our first hour, my crew and I amassed $2,151.00 in tokes.<br />
<br />
Bob came back from his break. <br />
<br />
We were standing dead and Gabe said, "Our 'angel toker' is gone and left the building."<br />
<br />
Bob said, "You're not gonna believe this..."<br />
<br />
Jerry was too excited. He cut Bob off and detailed the highlights of our score.<br />
<br />
Pit boss Chick Halversen interrupted Jerry to congratulate us on our good fortune .<br />
<br />
In an unprecedented waiver of Stardust protocol Chick added, "You guys wanna go home now? Take and hour and a half shift and let these other guys have a chance at making a little money?<br />
<br />
Jerry smiled, "Yes Chick, that'll be just fine."<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
My crew redeemed our tokes and gave the cashier a generous tip. On the way out, we agreed to give-up $75 each for lay offs, to helpful supervisors. We each netted $450.00.<br />
<br />
In triumph, through the blustery raw night, we took the long walk to the employee parking lot. Before going in different directions to our cars, we were hopping around freezing till the last anecdote was told.<br />
<br />
Seconds after saying good-bye Jerry called out, "Hey Bobby. When you came back from break, wasn't there something you wanted say?"<br />
<br />
Bobby bopped his fist on his head and said, "Oh shit. I almost forgot." He called the group back together, "Mick Savis is dead."<br />
<br />
Gabe chuckled, "Good. A month apart, I saw the day Mick Savis toked...and croaked."<br />
<br />
Bob said, "No you dip-shit. He was murdered." Gabe's grin disappeared as Bob continued, "I had my break with Brad. He showed me the article in the RJ, (<i>Review Journal</i> newspaper), it was buried on page fourteen. Brad said the <i>Sun</i>, (the other local newspaper) didn't even run the story."<br />
<br />
I said, "Do you have the article?"<br />
<br />
He said, "No. But I'll tell you what I remember."<br />
<br />
Bob recited, "Retired local businessman Michael Theodore Savis (73) was found bound and gagged, shot through the head and locked in the trunk of his badly burnt 1981 Cadillac. The car was discovered outside Jean (Nevada) by off-road enthusiasts in the mountains, above the snowline, on an unpaved access road, south of the old Sloan Highway."<br />
<br />
Our meeting adjourned to the warmth of Jerry's car. We eulogized Mick Savis for twenty minutes.<br />
<br />
Gabe said, "That scumbag wanted you to hate him."<br />
<br />
"Yeah," said Bob, "and he was very good at it."<br />
<br />
Jerry said, "I don't hate him now. I think I'm gonna miss him."<br />
<br />
Gabe said, "Yeah but..."<br />
<br />
Jerry jumped in, "Hell Gabe, my shit-list changes every day. Besides, I know he never did anything for me but 'ol Mick never did anything to me. C'mon admit it fellas, he made our work more interesting..." Jerry continued, "Mick Savis was a private man. He loved his solitude. Folks just overreacted to him. He didn't want to be kowtowed to. Shit, he never asked for a meal ticket or even a cup of goddamned water. He was more comfortable having the lunkheads of the world avoid him. Think about it, when someone gets in your face, you protect yourself. Right? Well Michael T. Savis just had a bad-ass way of expressing his protection."<br />
<br />
Bob nodded, "Yeah. Wow. I believed a lot of rumors...I never saw him spit on anyone, take stray chips off the table or piss in the rail..."<br />
<br />
Gabe said, "I seen him curse old ladies."<br />
<br />
Bob nodded, "Oh yeah, I've seen that..."<br />
<br />
Jerry shook his head and sighed, "Like the cowboy and blacksmith, his ilk is a vanishing breed. Next time you have a drink, raise your glass and toast Mick Savis, last of the great independents."<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The following night, typical of the holiday season, the casino was dead again. Prior to Ernie Trohlmann showing up for our pre-shift muster call, everyone was clucking like gossipy chickens about Savis. A few jerks aimed barbed comments at me as if my role in the Cool-Breeze incident led directly to Mick's horrible demise.<br />
<br />
Even "Little" Willie hissed, "You ace-deuced (killed) him man."<br />
<br />
I guess I didn't get a lifelong warranty on being his savior.<br />
<br />
I took more grief until Jerry said, "Shut-up! There's a million guys who had it out for Savis." He looked around to see who might be within earshot and whispered, "Y'all know it's a mighty big desert out there. If <u>they</u> had something to do with it, the body would never have been found."<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
We stood dead that night for long periods of time. A general malaise gripped my crew and in silence, we reflected upon our experience.<br />
<br />
I wasn't happy about Savis' death. Instead I was indifferent which made me feel guilty for not being sad. My mind drifted to the time I asked Tony Lane; <i><b>did Cool-Breeze ever kill anyone?</b></i> The ghost of Mick Savis had a hypnotic, Svengali-like grip on me from the grave. I scared myself as my thoughts included reprisals by Cool-Breeze and his resources and capabilities.<br />
<br />
Luckily Gabe broke my inner turmoil with another nonsensical rant. Apparently, for a long time, he had been bribing the waiters who served the staff into writing up his dinner check, for 17c, (one doughnut).<br />
<br />
I was the only one listening as Gabe said, "The checks aren't numbered. Why give bigger tips? Why pay 17c.? Why <i>not,</i> just rip up the check and walk-out without paying anything."<br />
<br />
Bob didn't welcome the distraction and said, "Stop flapping your gums. You ignorant bastard..."<br />
<br />
Our roly poly box man said, "Do you ever have anything positive to say?"<br />
<br />
"Okay," Gabe said, "Remember that kid who smashed Savis over the head? That was Macho, my bother-in-law. But on the bright side, he's in jail and hopefully, they'll deport him."<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><b>I buried the memory of Mick Savis and the likelihood that I had any responsibility in his death. Still, it wasn't until 1996 that I felt comfortable enough to exhume those events and write, </b></i><b><i>the first of my (19) short casino stories,</i></b><b><i> "MICK SAVIS, LAST OF THE GREAT INDEPENDENTS." </i></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjAyJHwMUUoW2EP7TM_bhbbaCpUCr8vA7PiyyG9Eiu5rlO0fRlZYV4K1_PnVLN6QvzYNcTiUuLLxnKVr9SrXttEmFk9ofMEQ2cnYOasWOy0-Qpjyy-_933XsBTkbpvxw1FcAdSouZ6D_yy/s1600/z+-+a+comp+paper.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjAyJHwMUUoW2EP7TM_bhbbaCpUCr8vA7PiyyG9Eiu5rlO0fRlZYV4K1_PnVLN6QvzYNcTiUuLLxnKVr9SrXttEmFk9ofMEQ2cnYOasWOy0-Qpjyy-_933XsBTkbpvxw1FcAdSouZ6D_yy/s200/z+-+a+comp+paper.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>THAT STORY WAS SO OLD THAT IT WAS WRITTEN ON MY FIRST COMPUTER WHEN PAPER WAS EDGED WITH SMALL TEAR-AWAY CIRCLES THAT WERE POWERED THROUGH THE PRINTER ON SPROCKETS.</b></td></tr>
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<br />
<br />
<b><i>This story has laid dormant in a file cabinet for 22+ years. </i></b><b><i>I was such an amateur writer back then that I even used real names. So with every page needing to be overhauled, I never took on the Herculean task of editing it. Instead, I just wrote (18) new stories. </i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b><b><i>In the last few weeks, I worked off the original (discolored, crumpled and at times illegible manuscript), to clarify and organize the best excerpts to produce this new and improved blog-worthy version, for your approval.</i></b>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12392111410804449860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787822525441125324.post-51525463476975539632019-04-29T12:43:00.001-05:002019-04-29T20:58:54.776-05:00AQUALUNG. OR SHOULD I SAY, AQUALUNGY<i><b>A wise man once said, "If it wasn't for the crazy hours, the working conditions, customers, coworkers and management, a casino career wouldn't be so bad." Believe me, I'm not bitter. The truth is, gaming has been good to me...but the job is NOT for everyone.</b></i><br />
<i><b><br /></b></i>
<i><b><br /></b></i>
<i><b><br /></b></i>
<i><b> *</b></i><br />
<i><b><br /></b></i>
<i><b><br /></b></i>
<br />
If we were to concentrate on one negative aspect of the industry, I'd say that an actual germophobe could never work (or spend any time) in a casino.<br />
<br />
My friend <b>GZIMBO</b> is easily grossed-out. But she is <b>NOT</b> clinically suffering from mysophobia because she enjoys shows and other high-brow casino amenities as well as gambling.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL__QBNzqvJ8VRzoPm47NdaEI9PasprMzOX9EIrmMpVpmeIyoB3XR-_htfgaEzDL_4zab2fZWHupaYm_pkSSedtqt1fNzkZBvyAxVeVJ3RtYCQkFKteiDUZlJkPP82vjPgQGyB17A0DwUR/s1600/z+-+achoo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL__QBNzqvJ8VRzoPm47NdaEI9PasprMzOX9EIrmMpVpmeIyoB3XR-_htfgaEzDL_4zab2fZWHupaYm_pkSSedtqt1fNzkZBvyAxVeVJ3RtYCQkFKteiDUZlJkPP82vjPgQGyB17A0DwUR/s1600/z+-+achoo.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>MYSOPHOBIA IS THE PATHOLOGICAL OBSESSION WITH CLEANLINESS AND DEFEATING BACTERIA. GZIMBO DOES <u>NOT</u> GO THROUGH LIFE WITH AN INDUSTRIAL-STRENGTH JUG OF DISINFECTANT IN HER BAG NOR DOES SHE TURN PUBLIC SINK FAUCETS WITH HER ELBOWS. BUT I KNOW A</b><b> PRIME EXAMPLE OF SOMEONE WHO WOULD NEVER DREAM OF SPENDING A NANOSECOND IN A CASINO. SHE</b><b> IS SO PARANOID OF GERMS THAT HER SON MUST STRIP DOWN HIS SCHOOL CLOTHES (SO SHE CAN WASH THEM), BEFORE HE, (aka BUBBLE-BOY), IS ALLOWED IN THE HOUSE. </b></span><b><br /></b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: small;">In my long casino career, I have been exposed to the worst health habits you can imagine. The culprits cut across every socio-economic background, age doesn't matter, the problem is not gender-specific...<b>AND</b> that's just my coworkers...the clientele is much <b>WORSE.</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: small;">During the cold and flu season, my cohorts and I are frequently imperiled by something as simple as an uncovered cough (above). Many deplorable customers sneeze into their hands and immediately handle chips, cash, dice etc. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">We are also sitting-ducks year-round because we have to "deal" with the exchange of every precious bodily fluid. </span></div>
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<br />
Some of the common disgusting health habits gamblers I've seen include; picking nose, biting nails, finger in eyes and mouth and the ever-popular girlfriend squeezing her boyfriend's zits, (I'll leave the sexual scenarios to your imagination but I'm certain, your gentility will make you under exaggerate).<br />
<br />
<br />
Any casino dealer regardless of what they are confronted with who doesn't wash their hands on every break...is nuts, (I rarely use hand sanitizer but for those who swear by it, the "convenient" canisters in each pit are usually empty).<br />
<br />
The gaming staff aren't hypochondriacs because they feel the need for "protection." Even something that casino management can control, like a ban on smoking has never attained the universal approval it deserves because the bigwigs are afraid to lose profits, (and seeing how casinos have become less liberal about paying for health insurance..a total ban on smoking is more vital than ever).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuc6VfbIp2XZEnWTMHCAftzrs44jL6jL3Q2svTKIllKj4NyyXOaLK4r4_tkYjdXdbrduHVPbWpg6bD0Q2qNm0zn_LIFkBVwsumLOE5ykrBSTp7V3lOqfyDLe7dA_CJaJFPfyOiPWE-9i16/s1600/z+-+carcinogins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuc6VfbIp2XZEnWTMHCAftzrs44jL6jL3Q2svTKIllKj4NyyXOaLK4r4_tkYjdXdbrduHVPbWpg6bD0Q2qNm0zn_LIFkBVwsumLOE5ykrBSTp7V3lOqfyDLe7dA_CJaJFPfyOiPWE-9i16/s1600/z+-+carcinogins.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>THE INTAKE OF SECOND HAND SMOKE, DIRECTLY FROM A CIGARETTE, CIGAR AND PIPE OR THE SMOKE EXHALED BY A SMOKER , HAS THE SAME CANCER CAUSING POTENTIAL FOR NON-SMOKERS AS SMOKERS. IT WOULD SEEM OBVIOUS THAT IN TERMS OF PUBLIC HEALTH HOW ABSURD IT IS THAT CASINOS ARE THE ONLY BUILDINGS IN ALL OF NEW JERSEY WHERE SMOKING INSIDE IS *LEGAL. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>*PLEASE DON'T BE MISLEAD BY THE LAUGHABLE, <i><u>UNENFORCEABLE</u> </i>LAW THAT PROHIBITS SMOKING ON 75% OF THE CASINO FLOOR .</b></td></tr>
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<br />
So in the name of practicing "safe" casino dealing, the only intelligent solution would be, to include full body condoms as a part of every casino employee's uniform.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9l_gwVlGbzQN8XUV1107libzk3fV4OlT5l8QQjNupNLiNXiO1cDG7IGysPkQNk2DDEFwOm55QU6mIPueRiOlTXPlYUDZuPjVa1i2nF_Ea1s0BjPM35aPI7c3tLR0RQcovicnaw5zvDvdJ/s1600/z+-+full+body+condom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9l_gwVlGbzQN8XUV1107libzk3fV4OlT5l8QQjNupNLiNXiO1cDG7IGysPkQNk2DDEFwOm55QU6mIPueRiOlTXPlYUDZuPjVa1i2nF_Ea1s0BjPM35aPI7c3tLR0RQcovicnaw5zvDvdJ/s1600/z+-+full+body+condom.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>IN THE 1990's , I THOUGHT I WAS BEING ORIGINAL WHEN I JOKED ABOUT DEALING CASINO GAMES, IN FULL BODY CONDOMS. SO I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED AT HOW MANY PICTURES THERE ARE OF THEM ON THE INTERNET.</b></td></tr>
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<br />
Casino patrons would be best served if they played in full body condoms too. But that'll never happen. It's comical to me when a complaint is made by a player...about a fellow player's health habits. They fail to realize that we (casino workers) must suffer through the same sights and smells right along with them. The big difference is, a dealer is glued to their table, while a nauseated customer is free to come and go. Strangely, whether it's due to superstition, selfishness, stupidity or laziness gamblers are not easily moved.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilOan-qDI0GwvzBRKCC_bravFQ8dkMkiRBEtLGhOvoGqF1tCbWGn_smgL0UzAwUYZwvKd_NDQ9u4-PgOpWmyyf3IsYCKvksUirNuegk2rtpbADIWzayZ7fPbLPZYmPAJ4AH2LeDXBDCVNn/s1600/z+-+mgm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilOan-qDI0GwvzBRKCC_bravFQ8dkMkiRBEtLGhOvoGqF1tCbWGn_smgL0UzAwUYZwvKd_NDQ9u4-PgOpWmyyf3IsYCKvksUirNuegk2rtpbADIWzayZ7fPbLPZYmPAJ4AH2LeDXBDCVNn/s1600/z+-+mgm.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>THE NOVEMBER 21, 1980 FIRE AT THE LAS VEGAS MGM GRAND IS WORST DISASTER IN NEVADA HISTORY AND THE USA'S THIRD MOST LETHAL HOTEL FIRE. 85 PEOPLE DIED AND 650 CUSTOMERS, STAFF AND FIREFIGHTERS WERE INJURED. THE TRAGEDY COULD HAVE BEEN LESSENED EXCEPT SOME GAMBLERS REFUSED TO GIVE UP THEIR "LUCKY" SEATS AS THE BLAZE QUICKLY SPREAD.</b> </td></tr>
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<br />
I remember when I dealt craps at the Las Vegas Stardust Casino, we had a regular player (an insignificant flea) who smelled so disgusting...that a skunk on steroids would have been an improvement He was a local construction worker who despite the heat of the desert, opted to gamble before freshening up at home.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimRYy3vVOqsV9ta-EI6jpoD9XcXj1PscPlB7Xmu6DAsg0yYG4r_6wxhEMX8fDkwIqyX3cSuzQm6z9QKWW3XYQHN1lcITdn0_ZsMIvFvX7LM_EZ3LaALvqa5zhSUGmUp8nu-1Iw9XEpG35e/s1600/z+-+smelly+nellie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimRYy3vVOqsV9ta-EI6jpoD9XcXj1PscPlB7Xmu6DAsg0yYG4r_6wxhEMX8fDkwIqyX3cSuzQm6z9QKWW3XYQHN1lcITdn0_ZsMIvFvX7LM_EZ3LaALvqa5zhSUGmUp8nu-1Iw9XEpG35e/s1600/z+-+smelly+nellie.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>YIKES! THIS STOCK PHOTO CAPTURES THE ESSENCE OF HOW OUR "FLEA" CAME TO THE CASINO.</b></td></tr>
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<br />
This malodorous player spoke broken English, in had a heavy Eastern European accent. His lack of comprehension, especially when we spoke metaphorically, gave the staff a green light to hurl encoded barbs about his noxious stench. These childish insults went over his head while entertaining the neighboring players We hoped the offended players might be inspired to gang-up on this human pollution factory and run him out of town...or at least to another table...or educate him on how badly he smelled. But those morons were so fickle, no one ever challenged this great unwashed bastard.<br />
<br />
We nicknamed him "Stinky." Eventually, he caught on and took offense. But because he was fickle too, he never complained and kept coming back. So we developed another idea to instigate an individual player to unwittingly help rid us of this plague.<br />
<br />
First we identified an innocent gambler. The most common set-up for our sting operation was to talk about the old Abbott and Costello TV show. We'd pretend to be struggling to recall Joe Besser's character's name...until our mark, (or someone else in the crowd), blurted out, "Stinky."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_0DGw14ADL96Xl6IWUSgw5mbI2Xb-dy_TdB-lV1kabWd79IYxJ9eg0TsK3xsrKov6LhHPfKlqA2wKae8DAV7QrO1wMn64dd2-qX21axAyNenMf-49yT4V7LAQRiiMedHR9hckyXz16xlZ/s1600/z+-+stinky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_0DGw14ADL96Xl6IWUSgw5mbI2Xb-dy_TdB-lV1kabWd79IYxJ9eg0TsK3xsrKov6LhHPfKlqA2wKae8DAV7QrO1wMn64dd2-qX21axAyNenMf-49yT4V7LAQRiiMedHR9hckyXz16xlZ/s1600/z+-+stinky.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>*JOE BESSER (1907-1988) WAS A RECURRING CHARACTER IN THE FIRST (OF TWO) SEASONS ON THE, "ABBOTT AND COSTELLO SHOW." (52 EPISODES, 1952-1954). OSWALD, "STINKY" DAVIS (above center) WAS A BRATTY, LOUDMOUTHED CHILD DRESSED IN AN OVER-SIZED "LITTLE LORD FAUNTLEROY" OUTFIT, (WITH SHORTS AND A FLAT-TOP HAT WITH AN OVER HANGING BRIM). </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>*THIS ROLE LED BESSER TO BE THE SUCCESSOR TO SHEMP HOWARD, (1956), "IN THE THREE STOOGES."</b></td></tr>
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<br />
No one knows whatever happened to Stinky but it wasn't a spectacular black-op on our part. Maybe he finally took a shower...and melted?<br />
<br />
I was recently telling the Stinky story to <b>JKL. </b><br />
<br />
He sighed, "I'm glad I l got out of the business and left all that bullshit behind. That had to be the worst thing you ever had to suffer through."<br />
<br />
I said, "No. I've suffered through plenty but the worst of the worst...also took place at the Stardust."<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
In 1980, my impression of being a Las Vegas boxman (craps supervisor sitting between the dealers) was that it was an "old man" job. This was especially true at the Stardust because the veteran dealers (overwhelmingly 35-55), didn't need really need an overseer, (I was 24, so even though my ability was decent, my crew kept an eye on me).<br />
<br />
Most of these old-time boxman liked to just sit there and chit-chat. I liked the ones who bragged about their past, (the hot women they were with, being treated like a king in Havana, teaching Elvis to shoot dice, witnessing a murder at a Runyanesque speak-easy casino in New Orleans or being in on a big fix at the track). It didn't matter that I didn't believe them, it was pure entertainment.<br />
<br />
Tony Lane (70) stood out because he didn't fit into the cool category. He was introspective and could stare off into space for long periods of time. To me, his only purpose was to complain; these shoes, this chair, *that break-in dealer, my lunch, the friggin' government and so on.<br />
<br />
<i><b>*The break-in Tony vented about was usually me. He didn't want to work any harder than he had to. So with a newbie on his game (me), he had to pay attention and exaggerate his exhaustion when he had to make corrections.</b></i><br />
<br />
One night, we were running on automatic pilot when an eighth player shoe-horned into the last spot on my end of the table. The other gamblers winced, covered their mouth and nose, and stared down the grungiest low-life I ever saw.<br />
<br />
This filthy, awful smelling bum (homeless man?), set down two, red, five-dollar chips. <br />
<br />
Through a toothless grin he garbled, "Gimme ten ones."<br />
<br />
I fixated on his badly faded white "Happy-Face" tee-shirt. It was now yellowish brown with thick streaks of black perspiration lines in his brownish underarms. This stained shirt was also covered in moth holes with bigger ones near his navel. I might have had it bad but it baffled me how the folks next to him (rubbing up against him) didn't run away.<br />
<br />
In my mind, I was calling our hero "Aqualung" as I prayed he'd lose every one dollar bet he in placed in the field.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc1RPrijHA4MRUNZR5n1Ecfzo4hWZ1nJnll50RI_DT2CFE2mM4eO4KnTCPeqPpwvGnQQjnoUBcOlOU2jLEx9uGe9F0DfLSPpYyGiru593VQsZUt8XwjwT82f3fwHhztFwt511GYtndfbzV/s1600/z+-+lung.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc1RPrijHA4MRUNZR5n1Ecfzo4hWZ1nJnll50RI_DT2CFE2mM4eO4KnTCPeqPpwvGnQQjnoUBcOlOU2jLEx9uGe9F0DfLSPpYyGiru593VQsZUt8XwjwT82f3fwHhztFwt511GYtndfbzV/s1600/z+-+lung.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>IN MARCH 1971, "AQUALUNG" BECAME JETHRO TULL'S FOURTH STUDIO ALBUM. DUE TO ITS URBANIZATION OF NATURE AND DISTINCTION BETWEEN GOD AND RELIGION THEMES, IT IS NOW CONSIDERED ONE OF ROCK-N-ROLL'S MOST CEREBRAL RECORDINGS. </b></td></tr>
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<br />
I tried to avoid looking at Aqualung as the lyrics to the first stanza of the song raced through my mind:<br />
<b><i><br /></i></b><b><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16.12px;">Sitting on a park bench</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 16.12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16.12px;">Eyeing little girls with bad intent</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 16.12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16.12px;">Snot running down his nose</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 16.12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16.12px;">Greasy fingers smearing shabby clothes</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 16.12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16.12px;">Hey, Aqualung</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 16.12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16.12px;">Drying in the cold sun</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 16.12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16.12px;">Watching as the frilly panties run.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 16.12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16.12px;">Hey, Aqualung</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 16.12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16.12px;">Feeling like a dead duck</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 16.12px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16.12px;">Spitting out pieces of his broken luck.</span></i></b><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16.12px;"><b><i>Oh, Aqualung</i></b></span><br />
<br />
Still, I gawked. I guess it's human nature, like rubbernecking as you pass a car wreck. So whenever he looked away, I got a better look at Aqualung, I concentrated on his matted-down, greasy, stringy, salt and pepper hair. I was expecting vermin to appear and crawl down his forehead, so I adjusted my spying to his unshaven face. There, I found that his stubble couldn't hide several open sores. Far worse, his left cheek was dominated by a dime-sized, reddish, knobby protuberance.<br />
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No matter how my weakening stomach and common sense demanded, I kept stealing looks...and soon paid a dear price. Maybe it's because everything is relative, but this poor unfortunate fellow was noticeably nervous about betting his one-dollar at a time. That's when his nasty, grimy fingernail started picking at that mole on his face. In no time, this pustule engorged and inflamed to a purplish crimson. A surge of bile erupted in my stomach and leaped into my mouth even before his disease-laden nodule started oozing blood.<br />
<br />
I whispered to Tony Lane, "Hey Tone, this weasel is bleeding all over the chips." <br />
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He looked over his bifocals and said, "Kid, if you're really revolted, don't deal to him. Just understand, in five minutes, I can find a hundred guys in the street who'd pay me to take your spot."<br />
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Silently, I thanked Tony for his sensitivity.<br />
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It took Aqualung a half hour to lose all ten bucks. I was thrilled that he was broke and about to leave. Instead, Aqualung put his infection festering fingers into his mouth. He must have been digging for a food particle in his teeth. Those few seconds felt like an eternity as I pictured him poking an eye out from the inside. It was all fun and games until he started gagging and coughing. The onlookers stared in disgust as they risked getting hit by an airborne hairball or lungy but they didn't move. I was sure Aqualung was going to puke when he finally pulled something out of the farthest abyss of his pie-hole and flung it on the craps table. We all gasped as this wet, squished-up, greenish, dice-sized paper thingy laid in limbo.<br />
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The game came to an uncharacteristic halt. In that awkward moment, I figured out what this mysterious, saliva saturated foreign object was as it slowly unraveled. Within seconds as spit strings snapped, this clump of phlegmy, mucus-laden paper blossomed, into a twenty-dollar bill.<br />
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I was in a semi-catatonic trance when Tony Lane like a judge banging his gavel, rapped his hand authoritatively on the table and blasted, "Giver here!" <br />
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I said, "I ain't touching that scummy thing."<br />
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Tony was hissing under his breath but I sensed that everyone else was on my side. So I seized the opportunity by taking two, one-dollar chips and playfully advancing this putrid orb like a soccer player dribbling. Each alternate "kick" brought the spit-ball closer to Lane. Finally he lost his patience, grabbed the paddle (the plunger that pushes the paper money into the cash box under the table) and brought the bill in front of him.<br />
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Tony Lane had his aha moment and suddenly wasn't so keen on risking contamination. He gingerly pressed one edge of the bill down with a one-dollar chip and used the paddle to flatten the money, (for the benefit of the eye in the sky). <br />
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The old curmudgeon fought it off as best he could but he laughed as he pointed at Aqualung and said, "Give that gentleman twenty-dollars."<br />
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Lane and I were of the same mind when we both stuck our leprous one-dollar chips into the back row of the chip bank. The incident should have brought us closer together but it was never mentioned again. Maybe in his *forty-year career, he saw a lot worse?<br />
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<i><b>* Oopsies, I shouldn't have suggested that Tony Lane was a fossil. </b></i><i><b>Three months ago, I had <u>my</u> 40th anniversary in casinos. So to quote another</b></i><i><b> wise man, "We mock what we are to be." </b></i><br />
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Sometimes I tell mesmerized young gamblers at my table who think I have a cool job, "Stay in school, the casino industry isn't for everybody." <br />
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I doubt <b>GZIMBO</b> would last a day as a casino dealer and <b>JKL </b>paid his dues and was thrilled to find alternative way to earn a living. So luckily, my MGTP legions have me to tell them the inside stories that most people don't want to hear. And as long as you're still listening, let's close with some classic buffer music, Jethro Tull's, <b>"AQUALUNG," </b>to ease you into the rest of your day...<br />
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0jMPI_pUec<br />
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<i><b>Unless Tony Lane is 110 years-old, I hope up in boxman's heaven, he can do a google search of his name and relive this golden, yet disgusting nugget from my life and maybe his too.</b></i>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12392111410804449860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787822525441125324.post-7906686144048335812019-04-22T00:43:00.000-05:002019-04-23T09:34:07.049-05:00MILO: A LUSH FOR LIFE<b style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><i>Be careful who you admire. Life's all-stars, even the coolest titans we know, aren't necessarily well-adjusted, happy or nice. </i></b><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">In Las Vegas, during my two-year craps dealing run </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px;">at the Stardust Casino</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">, (1980-1982), I worked several months with Vincienzo Emilio</span><st1:place style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;" w:st="on"> Vesuvio, (he preferred to be called Milo). </st1:place><br />
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<st1:place style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt;" w:st="on"> Milo was the best dealer I ever saw as well as an arrogant, easy to hate punk. He combined his technical skills and game expertise with a charming personality that earned him and his crew a bigger toke (tip) income. But he was also an egotist who got his rocks off making his friends, family and coworkers feel bad.</st1:place><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> Milo was energetic and
handsome, young women would refer to his looks as cute.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> He was also </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">short and due to his youthful
appearance, jealous men said he looked sixteen.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Vesuvio was a Vegas native and </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 48px;">a licensed real estate broker</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">. He </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">lived with high school sweetheart Rachel Pross, in a gated community.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Their new, over-sized yellow custom home was
the grand centerpiece of a picturesque cul-de-sac.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Rachel dealt blackjack part-time at
the Stardust while studying interior design at UNLV.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Her dream was to decorate their house in a
Victorian motif, in the hopes of it becoming a “Show-Home.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The first piece she had bought was an
ornate picture frame that housed a mirror in their grand foyer.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> She teased </span><st1:place style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on">Milo because he</st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
couldn’t walk past it without admiring his “portrait.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> In </span><st1:place style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on">Milo</st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">’s
den, a collection of Degas, Monet
and Lautrec lithographs were m</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">ounted on a
pure white wall. Professional track lighting gave it a museum-like appearance. The art was just an investment because his two passions were collecting </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">firearms and dirt-biking in the desert.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">For me, other than economics, the only advantage of working with </span><st1:place style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on">Milo came </st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">by observing him. From him, I developed a deeper understanding of craps and how to service customers.</span><br />
<st1:place style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><br /></st1:place><st1:place style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"> Few people stood too close to Vesuvio because his harsh sarcasm and condescending attitude towards coworkers and supervisors made him a target, leaving the innocents around him at risk of collateral damage</st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
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<b>MILO HAD A TALENT FOR WAVING THE CRAPS STICK INCHES FROM A DEALER'S EYES TO GET HIS ATTENTION. OFTEN, HE WOULD TELL HIS CREW MATES TO SOLICIT TIPS. IF THEY DIDN'T, THE ASSHOLE WOULD BRAG THAT THEY'D STARVE WITHOUT HIM.</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Milo</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> brought more unnecessary heat on himself because he disregarded the craps dealers unwritten code of; an implied vow of
poverty. Vesuvi</span><st1:place style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on">o was</st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> “dripping in gold.” </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He gave low-rollers the false impression that dealers were
wealthy by</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> flaunting a thick, 18-karat necklace and matching bracelet.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">He also wore a pinkie ring with a big diamond
stud set into an onyx slab.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Worst of all, he dealt with a blinding, diamond encrusted Rolex.</span></span></div>
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<st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Milo's</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> magnetism attracted the Stardust's “jet-set" employees. Like disciples, people from every conceivable department and shift, would go out of their way to watch their icon deal or call out his name as they
passed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Finally someone clued me in. Milo's fans weren't fascinated by the artistry of his craps dealing, they were interested in getting the attention of a </span>great drug dealer.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">His</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> perky girlfriend Rachel was the darling of the whole staff. But her earthy friendliness, optimism and trustfulness translated into naivete. She was so pure of heart that many of our coworkers and supervisors who despised Milo's swaggering cocksure attitude never hurt her by identifying him as a drug dealer or a whore monger.</span></div>
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<st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Milo</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">’s
best friend since childhood was Giacomo “Jack” Grilli.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He worked in the same vocation at the more
prestigious Tropicana Casino and partnered with <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>, in their illegal avocation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jack
was tall, handsome and equally conceited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Although his wife was expecting their first child, he remained just
as much a womanizer as <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Jack
shared <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>’s passion for guns and dirt
biking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Together with a </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px;">miniature arsenal of rifles, shotguns and pistols, they f</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">requently</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> loaded
their bikes into a caged cart and hitched it to the back of </span><st1:place style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;" w:st="on">Milo</st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">’s new Toyota Celica.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Additionally,
they completed these excursions by being “armed” with hip flasks of Johnnie Walker Black and a cooler of icy Heinekens.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> On a day off, they headed north towards
the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Utah</st1:state></st1:place>
border.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Jack said, "Other than the</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> telephone
poles and the train tracks, I bet the scenery hasn't changed for thousands
of years."</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></st1:place><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Milo snapped</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, “You’re so deep.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Jack shrugged off the typical smugness, turned on the radio and lit a joint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">The Don McLean song "Vincent" was playing and within seconds, Milo shut it off and said, "How can you listen to that shit? I'd actually rather listen to you."</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Twenty minutes and several whiskey shots later Jack philosophized,
“Dude, remember the time we saw that herd of mustangs running through the
desert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wasn’t that amazing?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></st1:place><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Milo</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
stared him down as if he had no idea what Jack was talking about until bursting into laughter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> They
pulled off the highway onto an unpaved road and Jack said, “You're such a prick. Don’t
bust my balls. You thought the mustangs were cool too.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> For three
miles, they bounced and bucked along the pockmarked trail until they were in the middle of nowhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> got out
and removed both bikes from the cart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
rejoined Jack in the car and split six lines of cocaine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> They removed twenty, one-gallon plastic jugs filled with water, numerous
empty aluminum cans and an assortment of glass bottles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While drinking beer, they laid out their
targets amid barrel cacti, Joshua trees and rocks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on"> Ten minutes later the targets were destroyed and Milo</st1:place> said, “Jackie, check this
out.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Tucked behind the spare
tire, wrapped in a plush towel from Caesar's Palace, he revealed a magnificent, vintage, pearl handled Smith and Wesson 45° revolver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Together they
marveled at its aesthetics.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilM1LTZyVfoDPugizlCMPYcsjVBUSKFOoLMbJLcbg7JKmAzCM8Vh1qtsXgJvdsx2UpDQC95uRvMhaLM9iV92M2fTPKrOQzbQHUKHl7HtbopIhxtqhMMJciGFTAFYcdfPQOejNU6Uc70iHq/s1600/z+-+a+pear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="736" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilM1LTZyVfoDPugizlCMPYcsjVBUSKFOoLMbJLcbg7JKmAzCM8Vh1qtsXgJvdsx2UpDQC95uRvMhaLM9iV92M2fTPKrOQzbQHUKHl7HtbopIhxtqhMMJciGFTAFYcdfPQOejNU6Uc70iHq/s200/z+-+a+pear.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>MILO'S NEW TOY IMMEDIATELY BECAME HIS FAVORITE WEAPON. A FEW MINUTES AFTER SHOWING IT TO JACK, HE SAID, "IF I DIE TOMORROW, MAKE SURE THEY PUT IN MY COFFIN." </b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“What a cannon. It’s
beautiful,” Jack declared while aiming it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“The craftsmanship, the balance...” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></st1:place><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Before Jack finished his thought, Milo</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
swiped his weapon back and wildly fired at a holey Budweiser can atop a massive boulder and missed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “C’mon Dickhead,” <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> cried. “Let’s put this shit away and ride.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">They roared through the wilderness, racing up hills
and chasing each other through gullies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>An hour later, two miles from the car, Jack waited in the shade, at the
foot of a mountain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> slammed on his brakes and intentionally kicked sandy gravel into his friend’s face before skidding to a stop.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“I had enough,” Jack
confessed while wiping the fresh layer of grit off his perspired face, “I’m ready to go.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Cool, I’ll race you.
Loser puts the bikes away.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></st1:place><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Milo</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
jerked the bike around, popped a wheelie and sped off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jack followed <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> along a virgin trail that snaked upward and quickly tapered into a narrow ridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At first, to accommodate his
pursuer, <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> veered to the left edge of the rising road until impulsively swerving back to the right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>
accelerated down from the thirty-foot high summit and looked back through the veil of settling dust. But where was Jack? He had vanished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></st1:place><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Vesuvio</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
stopped. He shut off his bike.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alone in
a remote sea of eerie silence, he waited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> stared back up the mini-mountain and
smiled because this was the kind of thing he would do to spook Jack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Hi</span>s grin
eroded to a grimace because Jack was overplaying his grand reappearance. Stoic Milo reluctantly made a U-Turn and walked his bike back up. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> At the crest, the absolute
quiet was broken by a muted whir of an engine. Milo continued down the far slope. Through the mourning whistle of the wind, he heard a horrible, low moan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> looked
down the lip of the hill and found a sheer cliff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the bottom, separating the inclining path from
the desert floor was a shallow chasm just wide enough to trap Jack
under his bike.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Guilt-ridden by his prank,
<st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> hastily slid down the rocky embankment. He fell and the sun-baked, cement-like terrain lacerated his hands and face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Jack was wedged into the
crevice, bleeding profusely and shivering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Groans were the only responses <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>
heard, as he shut off the bike. In a panic, he made a futile try to free his friend but was unable to budge man or machine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Milo soon noticed Jack’s shinbone had
pierced his jeans. It was time to get help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> whipped off his dungaree jacket and made a makeshift pillow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pushed it
underneath Jack’s head until the victim let out a disturbing high-pitched wail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>
spread it over Jack’s chest, to keep him warm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Vesuvio commingled their blood before lighting a marijuana stick. He whispered
encouraging words of brotherhood as he placed it between Jack’s lips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The joint fell to the ground as <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> turned to leave. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> In a slow motion
dream-like trance, <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> recklessly sped
through the wasteland to his car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tears
blurred his vision as gruesome images of buzzards pecking at his friend’s
contorted carcass dominated his mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on"> Milo</st1:place> tore-off in his Celica and left a shroud of billowing smoke behind him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each dip, bump and pothole tortured the car’s
suspension as the empty cart bounced violently behind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Obsessed by grisly images of death, he neared
the interstate. On solid pavement, <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> “put
the pedal to the metal,” and quickly eclipsed 85 MPH.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on"> Vesuvio</st1:place> accelerated in the hope of being stopped by the Highway Patrol or to
at least get to a pay phone quick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Neither scenario panned out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nearly back to town, he roared into a Husky
Truck Stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></st1:place><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Milo</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
harnessed all his poise to clearly explain the
circumstances to the police dispatcher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> To reduce his paranoia w</span>hile
waiting for assistance, he discarded any evidence of contraband into a rusty
trash barrel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He also took the added
precaution of checking his pockets, washing his hands and buying breath mints.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The police car and
ambulance arrived. Milo rode with Sergeant
Austin McKinley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> He conveniently didn't mention that he forced Jack off the road as he</span> rehashed the gory details.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The sergeant removed his
mirrored sunglasses and asserted, “You know drinking's not a good idea while
operating <u>any</u> motor vehicle.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on"><br /></st1:place></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on"> Milo</st1:place> stammered, “Y-y-yes sir.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Little else was said as he
looked away. Daydreaming, <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> focused on the
lifeless brown landscape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plagued by his
transgression, he couldn’t get the terrible accident scene out of his mind. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on"><br /></st1:place></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on"> Milo</st1:place> spied rolling tumbleweed and pictured it as
Jack’s head being chased by wild black stallions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_6aqntKrApYdK7hxGoR5DPGfP_t-R5s7pHEC-979j-Y4MEoESIHXEIG3cgLBkF8MANuQT_knc1TDTB9ae7y9SfukLPfunt4wqKzbmNp6uaWV5GUv2wS9mmji9HvgQYFA9O3BPeKykh0L4/s1600/z+-+atumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_6aqntKrApYdK7hxGoR5DPGfP_t-R5s7pHEC-979j-Y4MEoESIHXEIG3cgLBkF8MANuQT_knc1TDTB9ae7y9SfukLPfunt4wqKzbmNp6uaWV5GUv2wS9mmji9HvgQYFA9O3BPeKykh0L4/s320/z+-+atumb.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>TUMBLEWEEDS ARE DEAD DESERT PLANTS WHOSE ROOT HAS BEEN SNAPPED BY THE WIND AND ROLL IN OPEN ENVIRONMENTS.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>’s left foot involuntarily pressed
down as if “flooring” the cruiser’s accelerator as the Grim
Reaper atop a white horse emerged from the imaginary herd. He used his
scythe like a polo mallet and whacked Jack’s head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The
officer startled <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> by saying, “He’ll be
okay.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The policeman was doing 110 MPH as he took the precaution of requesting a
helicopter. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></st1:place><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Milo</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
searched the distant sky for buzzards.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Yes my
friend,” started the officer. “A little prayer can’t hurt.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “I wasn’t
praying,” <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> bleated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Well,”
the sergeant said, “besides divine intervention, all that’s up there are
vultures.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Devastated by his own
culpability, <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> was jolted by McKinley’s perceived clairvoyance. He didn’t speak again until pointing out
the turn-off for the access road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
ambulance followed as they bucked and bounced past <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>’s unattended bike.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Jack had been alone for a</span>n hour and five minutes when they arrived.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jack was </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px;">unconscious and </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">having difficulty breathing as the three-person emergency squad inserted an IV.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> The youngest medic exclaimed</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">, "He's in shock." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> McKinley ran back to his unit's radio, to reiterate
the need for a “copter.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He returned to
find the team trying to support the casualty’s broken body while attempting
to pry him from the trench.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “I’ve got
shovels,” announced the sergeant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></st1:place><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The female medic and the officer were digging as Milo</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
pestered the other two EMTs about Jack’s condition. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The leader didn't answer and said, "Sit down and be quiet." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Milo kept yammering and looking over their shoulder until the young attendant, behind his boss' back, showed <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> the joint he found
beneath Jack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Silently, Milo hustled to Jack and clawed the cement-like earth with his already bloody hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Five minutes later a
chopper appeared in the southern horizon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The rescuers used a blanket like a sling and freed Jack from the
would-be grave, before airlifting him away. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Three days after the accident, </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Jack’s wife (two weeks prematurely), gave birth
to their five-pound son. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">The baby, Giacomo Emilio Grilli, remained
in the same hospital as his father until his jaundice condition improved and
his respiratory system matured. Nonetheless, the infant was home ten days
before his comatose dad left the Intensive Care Unit.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Jack survived a compound fracture of the right tibia, dislocated hip, spinal
trauma, a collapsed lung, internal bleeding and a concussion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He would need a cane for a year and despite a slight limp would lead a
normal life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> While
Jack’s life was still in doubt, <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> was
declared a hero.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Basking in glory, he
was interviewed on TV and the Sunday paper had an in depth article about
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Outwardly
everything was going well for <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>. But he couldn’t cope with his undeserved superstar-status.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He alone knew his friend's near death experience was his fault. Instead of rising out of the melancholia
when Jack improved, <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> became enveloped by
self-imposed loneliness and depression.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Every aspect of <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>’s life became infected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Twice I saw his mother come into the casino
to admonish him about unfinished real estate business and his girlfriend Rachel
publicly argued with him regarding rumors of his infidelity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> To ease the pain, <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> started getting high
at work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soon the recreational use of
his own products snowballed into reliance. A vicious cycle of dulling his
misery with cocaine led to more unhappiness because of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Early in most shifts, at fifty-percent efficiency,
<st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> was still an excellent dealer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> But the downward spiral continued as the night wore on. In the end</span>, he was sloppy, disoriented and useless.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Milo</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
was asked to make a speech in Jack’s absence at the baby’s christening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Under perfect conditions, <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>
was no public speaker. On this particular morning, he was hung over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus, as was the norm
when waking up before noon, <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> used
amphetamines to “rise” to the occasion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> In front of the
considerable gathering, <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> blithered for
thirty seconds before articulating, “NOTHING is more important than life...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> There was an exaggerated
pause.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Onlookers assumed he had lost his
train of thought but <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>, with eyes open, had
fallen asleep standing up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The crowd began to buzz causing <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> to snap out of his
stupor and close with an energetic, “And NOTHING is better than babies!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The austere throng became invigorated and some applauded their hero.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Twenty
minutes later, <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> was told that Rachel had
run out of the chapel in tears during his oration.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Milo</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">’s
dilemma worsened when an allied drug dealer contacted him that day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Vidál, a Brazilian informed <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>
of a large cocaine shipment and offered half the action.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had worked well on smaller deals but
this was going to be huge. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on"> Greed got the better of Milo. </st1:place></span><st1:place style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on">He</st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> knew to whom he would sell his entire split</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;">as he calculated doubling his $25,000.00 investment over night. What he didn't factor in</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> was, the deal was going down the next
afternoon.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Due to Jack’s unavailability,
</span><st1:place style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on">Milo with </st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0px;">Vidál and three of his men, </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">was compelled to
go it alone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on"> Milo</st1:place> spent the rest of the day accumulating loose
cash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He raced around town collecting
debts and borrowing money from friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Together with his own money, he amassed $19,000.00.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To save time, rather than chasing chump
change, he headed to his mother’s real estate office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had financially “assisted” him several
times but never for six thousand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> In actuality despite being
licensed, <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> had only a superficial
knowledge of real estate and almost <u>never</u> sold anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, his mother helped “launder” drug
money, by putting some of her smaller commissions in his name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Inside the sanctuary of her private office, she verbally hammered him with a familiar, profane speech that he'd suffered through his whole life. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “I’ve been
on my own since I was sixteen,” she started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“When I got pregnant with <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">YOU</b><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">, all I got was a cheap engagement
ring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then the asshole turned his back
on me and my parents disowned me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
killed myself to take care of you, finish high school, get a job and put myself
through college.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I <u>wish</u> I had
someone to give me money for </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">two</b><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> abortions, Christ...I only needed <b>one</b>!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I <u>wish</u> I didn’t have any
responsibilities or a single goddamned care in the world!”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Milo whined, "But Ma."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “You
have no respect for people. What do you take me for, a doormat, a piece of
shit... what?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> She
marched into the main office and crossed the floor to the street exit. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Witnessed
by two employees, she opened the door, pointed outside and mandated, “Get the fuck out.
Straighten out your sorry life and stop the drug bullshit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you don’t, I never want to see your
pitiful ass ever again.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></st1:place><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Milo</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
ducked his head and left.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Milo</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> had to be at work by 6:00PM.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He hurried home, gathered all his guns, removed
the impressionist lithographs and loaded them into his car. He rolled both his dirt bikes into the caged
cart and hitched it to his Celica.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> He looked at his Rolex as he pulled up in front of Stoney’s Pawn
Shop at 4:45PM.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The counterman
looked at the goods and asked for identification.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Satisfied of <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>’s
age, he questioned the items’ legality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> produced certificates of
authenticity for the art and bills of sale for the weapons.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> He spewed, “How much for all of it?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> O</span>ver-anxiously he added, “Wait, wait, wait, all of it except this,”
as he withdrew his ivory handled 45º.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Unimpressed the cashier said, “Twenty-eight
hundred.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “I
need six grand,” <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> exploded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What do you think I’m fuckin’ crazy?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Sonny,
what I think you are, is jumpy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not
taking advantage of you,” said the calm man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“But, in negotiations you should never let on that you’re
desperate.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Yeah,
yeah, yeah,” <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> pouted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“How much?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The
man frowned, “I don’t really want any of your stuff but I’ll pump it up to
three.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></st1:place><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Milo</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> opened the door and pointed to his two bikes, “How much?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “A
thousand,” exclaimed the man.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “How
much with the cart?” <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The
man shook his head and smiled, “I was including the cart.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></st1:place><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Milo</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> said, "You heartless bastard," before removing his thick gold necklace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Motionless, the man watched <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>
take off his matching bracelet and the gold pinkie ring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> They </span>stared each other down. <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> broke the stalemate by checking the time before taking off his Rolex.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The man used a jeweler’s loupe to examine the goods and abruptly
said, “Five grand for all of it. And not a dime more!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “C’mon,” <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> begged,
“Fifty-five.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m coming back the day
after tomorrow to get it all back anyway.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Kid, you got moxie. Fifty-two, take it or
leave it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> With all the charm he could muster, <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>
countered, “Make me happy, fifty-three.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “You watch too many movies my boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why don’t you be half-happy and take
fifty-two fifty.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The
deal was done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Confident he could
generate seven hundred and fifty dollars more in tokes, borrowing and
incidentals, <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> made it to work fractionally
late.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">An hour into our shift
Rachel and <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> had a heated discussion in
front of the casino cashier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I
couldn’t hear much but when he stormed off she venomously shouted, “You’ve got
to be the world’s worst money manager!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></st1:place><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Milo</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
was uncharacteristically nervous that night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Still, we made some good tips early.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then, two drunk Texans, carelessly spitting tobacco juice
into Styrofoam cups arrived on <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>’s end of
the table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At first he was nauseated by their wet brown flakes dotting his work area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, when he saw a way into their pocket,
he enthusiastically focused on giving them the royal treatment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Their tips were steady but when <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> found out they were brother-in-laws, he manipulated them into a contest of who would toke him best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>From them, thirteen hundred dollars in tokes were generated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time they left, <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>
was as cocky as ever. When he came back from his last break, he was all messed
up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> An
hour later our shift was over, we had netted $460.00 each in tokes. To help
celebrate our good fortune, we invited five supervisors across the street to the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Silver</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">City</st1:placetype></st1:place> Casino so we could make our “lay-offs,” (tip them for helping us hustle tokes).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Our four-member crew crossed the strip under the starry night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> In that time, </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Milo borrowed the rest of what he needed from another dealer. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> At the bar, Milo stood away from us and </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">slapped a twenty down, “Hey ‘Beer-tender,’ Johnnie Walker Black,
straight...make it a double.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> He
slugged it down and ordered another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His
third was being poured before the bartender acknowledged any of us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Our party was starting to break up when a striking, petite blond
approached.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>,
nursing a Heineken was showing the effect from the evening’s intake as she
struck up a conversation with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> She
ran her index finger across his embroidered name on his Stardust shirt and said, “Hey </span><st1:place w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Milo</span></b></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">, you like games?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Sure
gorgeous. What’s on your mind?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Well
Cutie, I like the vulture game.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></st1:place><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Milo</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
shook off the image of Jack’s remains being torn at and cautiously asked,
“Vulture game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “I
take you back to my hotel room,” she beamed, “and play dead. Then you eat me!”
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> He put his arm around her waist and without saying good-bye left.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Milo</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> staggered to his bedroom at dawn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anesthetized, <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> minimized the risk of disturbing Rachel by stripping down to his shorts in the
guest bathroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He slithered delicately into
bed. Rachel stirred enough to give him a welcoming kiss and to apologize for
not having more faith in his economic judgment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> She
rubbed his belly and slid her hand under his briefs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> When
Rachel encountered the spent prophylactic he still had on, she went into a rare
vulgarity-laced tirade and demanded, “What the fuck is this?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></st1:place><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Milo</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">,
the consummate bullshit artist responded, “You were great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We should do it that way more often.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> On
the verge of screaming, confused Rachel calmed herself and said, “Oh?
Good night.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></st1:place><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Milo</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
smirked, rolled over and within seconds was out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel wasn't that gullible. She made certain <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>
was asleep and examined herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> She sneered at the passed out lump lying beside her and huffed, “I was
great, eh.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Rachel
glided out of bed and started gathering her things. Her anger intensified when
it occurred to her that she was on the pill and that they hadn't used condoms for a long time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">At 11:20AM, a series of
unanswered phone calls finally got the nauseous <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>
out of bed. Beleaguered by a splitting headache, it took a while before he
noticed Rachel’s empty bureau drawers were open, her jewelry box was
missing and a section of her walk-in closet was barren.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></st1:place><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Milo</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
stumbled back to his nightstand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From
his “stash,” he produced his “wake-up vitamins.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Downstairs, he stopped in front of the Victorian
mirror.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He stared at his increasingly
sullen portrait and swallowed a black capsule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></st1:place><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Vesuvio</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> rummaged through the house in search of an explanation. He was
walking past the front door as he heard a rustling sound, followed by the
metallic clink of his mailbox.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was
expecting to catch Rachel dropping off a note but it was the postman. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></st1:place><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Milo</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
scanned the three bills, some junk mail and an official looking envelope before
tossing it all on the counter. While drinking orange juice from the
container, he continued his search. Frustrated, it was time to call Rachel’s
mother. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Mrs. Pross greeted him with a robust, “She ain’t here you
depraved lowlife animal...I always told her you were scum...she
never wants to see you again.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Look Mrs. P.,” he gently pleaded, “I know she’s there. Please,
put her on.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> She looked at her sobbing daughter and snapped, “You’re a lush.
She’ll never go back with...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Rachel took the phone and croaked in a frail voice, “I’m missing
an important day at school.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She fought off tears and whimpered, “I’m too upset...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on"> Milo</st1:place> cut her off and after some
flowery nonsense said, “I love you, I need you, we’re great together, I’ll
make it up to you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Rachel
removed the receiver from her ear and said to her mom, “Yaddy, yada.” Before interrupting his speech, “We’re finished!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Unprepared
and desperate, <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> blurted out, “Last week I
bought you a ring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really...” There
was a pause as he gulped, “I really love you Rae. I was waiting
for...er...um...Easter Sunday to give it to you...will you...” <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> cringed, “Um...er...will you marry me?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Rachel fired back, “After all you put me through, you have the fucking audacity
to propose over the phone!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></st1:place><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Milo</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
started blathering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel held
the phone away from her ear again and mockingly gestured that he was babbling. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Her mom irritably warned her, “Rachel Iris Pross, Don't lower yourself to his level. Obscenities are for common folks.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Annoyed, Rachel nodded and hissed, “Okay.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> Mom </span>added, “He bought you a ring? I don’t
believe it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tell that scheming liar to
describe it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on"><br /></st1:place></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on"> Milo</st1:place>, without a reference point softly
bluffed, “Well, ya know. I uh, only saw it once.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “That tears it,” Rachel bellowed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“When you’re at work, I’ll get the rest of my
stuff.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Saddened, <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> hung up and
sifted through the mail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He stopped at
the official looking envelope; it was from the Internal Revenue Service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Dazed and achy he whispered aloud, “Must be a check.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> There was no check, only an audit notification for 1978 and
1979.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>
with all his big-ticket possessions, never declared any tip income in his
four-year craps dealing career.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 6;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Milo</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> dialed his accountant. The phone was ringing as he made a mental note to
change his small bills into hundreds for the cocaine buy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The audit notice angered his accountant, “Didn’t I tell you <u>something</u>
had to be declared. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told you about my
client from the Dunes, the IRS got him for 17K plus interest and
penalties.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> During
the lecture, <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>’s mind wandered to placating
Rachel. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Are you even listening?” demanded the accountant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on"> Milo</st1:place> said, “Uh huh.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Why do you have to be so headstrong?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look, I’m going into a meeting now, I’ll call
you.” </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Milo hung up and contrived a shoddy plan to get Rachel back. He had one foot out the door when the phone rang. It was Sergeant Austin McKinley doing a routine follow-up for his report.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> During Milo's crosstown drive, the friendly conversation with the officer left him shaking. He was convinced that McKinley was "double-sharp" and that he knew about the joint under Jack's body. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px;"> Milo wondered; <i>i</i></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><i>t's natural for cops to look for more evidence. What if Sherlock snooped around the truck stop and found my shit in the garbage can. </i> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> The vision of Jack's cocaine kit, pot, rolling paper and roaches were indelibly burnt into Milo's psyche as he pulled into his mother's empty driveway. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">In his mother's bedroom, Milo probed the furthest left-hand corner of her hosiery drawer. There he found a felt, cobalt blue Crown Royal bag. He pulled open the drawstring and sifted through her keepsakes. Milo removed his quarry, refilled the contents and replaced the sack.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Milo's next stop was the Gold Coast Casino. He bought in at a blackjack table for five-thousand dollars in twenties. Without playing, Vesuvio cashed out the chips for hundred-dollar bills. He repeated this process at other casinos until he had two, hundred-dollar packets of $10,000 and one of $5,000.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Milo left his car running in a handicapped parking spot next to a Hallmark store. He selected the first card that read: I love you. Indiscriminately, he grabbed feminine gift paper and marched to the register. He borrowed a pencil and scribbled similar hackneyed sentiments like the ones he told Rachel over the phone. Milo flattered the cashier and she gift wrapped the tiny box in Japanese-themed plum blossom paper.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;">Milo sped to drop off the "gift" with Rachel's mother.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> Through the locked screen door, Milo tried to display an erudite manner, "Guard this sacred object carefully. When you present it to Rachel, tell her I love her."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> Mrs. Pross said, "Sacred object. What's this crazy talk. You already drunk at this hour? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt;"> She refused the gift without opening the door and took the opportunity to berate him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><st1:place w:st="on"> </st1:place></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">“B-but...” was all </span><st1:place style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on">Milo</st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> could muster.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Her lambasting continued, “You should burn in hell forever.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></st1:place><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Milo</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
tried to persevere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He used all his
forced “sincerity,” but talked in circles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> She cried, "Beat it. Or I'll call Metro."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Milo kept ranting gibberish until he said, "How about I leave this on the ground and you bring it in the house after I leave."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Just to get rid of him she said, "Okay."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> When he got to the curb, she unleashed enough harsh vulgarity to make the saltiest longshoremen blush.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Milo</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
telephoned Vidál to confirm last minute details.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Brazilian was surprised he was
free-lancing without Jack and was shocked that with <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>’s
collection of guns, that he needed to borrow one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The “meet” was set for 5:00PM, behind <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Lone</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Mountain</st1:placetype></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> In the
northwest corner of <st1:city w:st="on">Las Vegas, a mile after civilization ends,</st1:city> there is a free-standing, hundred-foot high, oblong rock formation, called <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Lone</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Mountain</st1:placetype></st1:place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Uniquely set in the otherwise flat valley,
it’s dwarfed against the backdrop of the nearby Spring Mountain
Range.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The natural beauty of this
landmark is spoiled because the local residents use it as a free garbage dump.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb_kaLxPP6blBLm_CUU2pU5WusupforAH6UgFXqvub0hYIIu0QQ-fgylIMoZxvxqTXKypm9LyL-IFifBQ_doj9R9xa_ZUVkEru8KMJjeSPUNRzMqe7rNnAYa12Wop2FmmFyVVPX6zAqGwo/s1600/z+-+alone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1065" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb_kaLxPP6blBLm_CUU2pU5WusupforAH6UgFXqvub0hYIIu0QQ-fgylIMoZxvxqTXKypm9LyL-IFifBQ_doj9R9xa_ZUVkEru8KMJjeSPUNRzMqe7rNnAYa12Wop2FmmFyVVPX6zAqGwo/s320/z+-+alone.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>SHOT FROM THE SPRING MOUNTAIN RANGE, LOOKING TOWARDS LAS VEGAS. TODAY, THE ONCE EMPTY LANDSCAPE AROUND LONE MOUNTAIN IS SURROUNDED BY A NEW COMMUNITY.</b></td></tr>
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<st1:place style="text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Lone</span></st1:placename><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Mountain</st1:placetype></span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> was only accessible by driving west on <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Cheyenne
Avenue</st1:address></st1:street>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When the pavement ended, it was a dusty trek through the desert to
get there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Stress, the bumpy road and endless string of abandoned appliances preoccupied <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>.
Lost in thought, he didn’t notice what attracted photographers and tourists; an exquisite palette of pastels that the
late afternoon sun projected onto the puffy clouds above the gray rocks and
azure sky.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> In the distance, Vidál’s
late-model beige Plymouth Duster approached. <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>
focused on his dragging tailpipe and the sparks it caused. Vidál parked. Three accomplices remained at the car as he met Milo and handed him a 38º.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> During their conference, <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> checked the breach, spun
the cylinder, removed the bullets and reloaded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He looked through the barrel, clicked off the safety, tucked the
gun into his jeans and fastened the bottom two buttons of his jacket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> At 5:15, a beat-up, navy pick-up with Arizona tags appeared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two Hispanics ominously rolled past them. Behind the colossal rock, they stopped next to a beat-up, avocado refrigerator. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The driver remained inside
as a squat, empty-handed passenger, in a bright yellow windbreaker
approached.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His scowl and deliberate
gait added to the tension.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From a
comfortable distance, the principals stared each other down with Vidál’s
henchmen standing in readiness, thirty-feet back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Overseeing the situation, the supplier
remained in the truck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The squat man called out, “Got dee moany?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Vidál growled, “Got the goods?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> He set the case atop the tank and barked, “<i>Dinero</i>.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Inside the leather case, four
clear rectangular plastic bags filled with the powdery, white commodity were
revealed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Vidál snapped his fingers
signaling his second in command to test the product. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> To get a better look, the Brazilian holding
the cash lost his balance and lurched forward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> In a panic, t</span>he yellow-jacketed man brandished an automatic pistol
and sprayed the three unwitting Brazilian underlings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Simultaneously, the winter-coated wheelman produced a shotgun and screamed, “Throw down you guns.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Vidál
cursed them in Spanish as a hidden, third Hispanic came out of the truck and shot him in the shoulder. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Yellow jacket took aim
at <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>’s face, “On you
bellies!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> He rigidly marched to the
original victims and finished them with a single shot to
their temple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In addition to the
Brazilian’s money, he collected their weapons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> glanced at writhing Vidál and was
kicked in his ribs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> His assailant bellowed,
“He’ll live.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The squat man in the yellow jacket patted down <st1:place w:st="on">Milo,</st1:place> found his money and gun and yelled, “<i>Vamanos!</i>”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on"> Milo</st1:place> peeked and saw the flash of a scruffy boot coming at his face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instinctively, he drew his hands up. He
succeeded in deflecting the blow but suffered a broken right thumb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The third Latino shot out a tire from <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> and Vidál’s car. The trio fled with $50,000 and the cocaine they brought in good faith.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Luckily, Milo wasn't included in the human carnage. But he didn't come to work that night </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;">nor was he for the next nine weeks.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
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<st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Milo Vesuvio,</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
in financial ruin was soon two months in arrears on his mortgage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He liquidated his rental properties, sold off
his sparse furnishings and every day feared his car would be repossessed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still, he hadn’t put a dent in his debt with friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> His mother turned her back
on him even though Rachel did return what she referred to as: <i>the world’s
smallest diamond ring. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on"> Milo</st1:place> did
face a tax audit and was overwhelmed by the fear that the police were secretly
putting together a case against him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>While all this was going on, Jack remained his friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Inundated with guilt and pride, <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place> didn’t ask for any monetary assistance...and Jack
never offered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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was back to work for several weeks when the Stardust changed the craps
crews.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had glimpses of greatness but
never for a sustained period.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A pariah,
his continuous parade of “satisfied customers” neither stopped to watch him
deal nor waved as they passed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead,
his detractors neared 100%.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Unrelated to <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>,
after one month with my new crew, I (along with the other three dealers) were fired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> In the weeks that followed, m</span>y life spiraled downward as my daily
aggressive routine of looking for a new job evolved into barely trying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I fell from the pinnacle of my field and without hope, I floundered into deep depression. Out of boredom, I reached for the newspaper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Inadvertently, I opened to the obituaries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I had never read a death
notice in my life and I joked to myself, “At least someone has it worse than
me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I was right, the first obit was for Emilio “<st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>” Vesuvio.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">A week earlier, at the gate to <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>’s community, his mom insisted that she be allowed in. Together with a guard, they went to his house. She rang the bell several times until using her key. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Inside she was shocked to see the house unfurnished and the broken mirror glass on the floor below where the Victorian picture frame had hung. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> In the basement, in the empty space where <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>’s antique roll-top desk used to be, she discovered her son. His crumpled body was clutching his
cherished ivory handled revolver. It seemed he had taken a self-inflicted shot
through the heart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> When the
detectives arrived, they had trouble deciphering the illegible suicide note:
<i><b>Rachel, I believe and hope that I am not what many people say I am. </b></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The priest (a stranger) delivered <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>’s
eulogy to a small gallery that consisted of his mother, her friends, associates
and Jack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kind words began solemnly
with an ironic statement about Emilio’s value for life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Midway through the
tribute, in a somber tone the clergyman cited, “Man is not easily content.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First he finds things too easy and then again
he is not contented enough but he must not talk about it but continue quietly
on his way.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Towards the end the priest
pronounced, “We could never expect to truly understand the psychology of
anyone’s attitude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In retrospect, we can
all imagine Emilio’s intense battle with right and wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where some of us might have been more
resolute or resilient, he was torn apart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Seeing only his present predicament, he couldn’t see or wasn’t willing
to thrash out a clear path to the future.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> In closing, the priest reminded
the congregation, “Let us not judge him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Unconsciously we all see love as a means for survival.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps seeing that notion as a weakness, Emilio chose to resist the conformity of a formal, pure responsibility to
others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ultimately with a skewed sense
of love, he couldn’t face himself.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> In the
first pew, his mother lingered after everyone had left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had remained strong throughout the
service but now openly sobbed. The priest allotted her ample time to meditate,
before coming down from the pulpit to console her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a comforting manner, he gently put his
hand on her shoulder.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYfU69r7pqqooRBF6mGJPJ9RV6xIzsUDHeBV42hmIbp9bfdlqDOItJxc8IKzM4NUeWr5TdTO0DeOTUgvm9i8PNpkcV_lppvUA6lPTx5T9ychtdZkj01gbvID2c0soJ-dZfwf-xF9Ptzc0y/s1600/z+-+a+widow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1390" data-original-width="1205" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYfU69r7pqqooRBF6mGJPJ9RV6xIzsUDHeBV42hmIbp9bfdlqDOItJxc8IKzM4NUeWr5TdTO0DeOTUgvm9i8PNpkcV_lppvUA6lPTx5T9ychtdZkj01gbvID2c0soJ-dZfwf-xF9Ptzc0y/s320/z+-+a+widow.jpg" width="277" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>WHEN ASKED OF THE BOY'S FATHER, MILO'S MOTHER SAID, "HE RAN OUT ON ME WHEN I BECAME PREGNANT. STUPIDLY, I NAMED HIM VINCENZIO AFTER HIS FATHER. THAT'S WHY I CALLED HIM MY HIS MIDDLE NAME, THE WORLD DIDN'T NEED ANOTHER VINNY."</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Father,”
she lamented. “Is there a place in heaven for dealers?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> The priest
wasn’t privy to <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>’s avocation so he
responded in terms of the casino industry, “Even built on the strongest
foundation, an emotional house of cards is likely to fall. Please believe me;
people in far less noble professions have been ushered through the pearly
gates.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><st1:place w:st="on"> Milo</st1:place>’s mom realized the confusion and chose not to
clarify the matter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Rather, she sunk her head and without
any conception of <st1:place w:st="on">Milo</st1:place>’s lifestyle said, “It’s
almost strange he didn’t end his life even earlier than he did."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">During the follow-up investigation, one of the detectives
pretended to be transfixed on the vivid hues of the splattered blood and
guts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mockingly, he held his fingers up
to frame the gore. He reflected upon the previously sanitary white wall
that had displayed the lithograph collection. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> “Hey
Lenny,” he quipped to his partner as he turned on the track lighting. “Look
ultra-modernist.” <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b><i>Be careful who you hate. The world's worst jerks are probably willing to cut off a piece of their ear, to enjoy love and live your normalcy.</i></b></span></div>
Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12392111410804449860noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787822525441125324.post-46859184974676318882019-04-08T00:43:00.000-05:002019-04-08T07:52:42.438-05:00ROBERT E. LEE'S $500.00 BILL<em><b>"THE TONIGHT SHOW," starring Johnny Carson was a hit late night TV talk show from 1962-1992, (4,531 episodes). The format combined guest performances and interviews. To fill in gaps, the show produced its own comic segments. My favorite of these routines was, "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">CARNAC</span> THE MAGNIFICENT."</b></em><br />
<b><em></em><br /></b>
<em><b>Johnny portrayed the mystic, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Carnac</span>. The schtick was introduced by Carson's sidekick, Ed McMahon. Accompanied by exaggerated applause, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Carnac</span> came on stage dressed in a flowing black robe and turban with a rakish plume. </b></em><br />
<em><b><br /></b></em><em><b>McMahon would </b></em><em><b>hold sealed envelopes for the audience to see,</b></em><em><b> hand them to the clairvoyant and say, "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Carnac</span>, these envelopes have been hermetically sealed and left in a mayonnaise jar on Funk and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Wagnalls</span> porch since noon today! <u>Nobody</u> knows the contents of these envelopes. But you, in your infinite wisdom will ascertain the answers to these questions without hearing the question first." </b></em><br />
<em><b><br /></b></em>
<em><b>Carnac's wry response would be something like, "That's right bean-bag breath."</b></em><br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518065387537953938" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMpOgEag8egWvJDVM_3fsTk8GEnBT8iL23FwB9bRifg6JkoOKV_jNlnyERK3IRBwjmGuvp1y4l_ktUnIXbRQXSWL4gRizNdZQr6KKeNKoTRodH00q74ngtSzmIr78pPKTX8oc08H2GOG0/s200/z-+Karnak.bmp" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 103px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 104px;" /><strong><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">CARNAC</span> WOULD HOLD THE ENVELOPE TO HIS TEMPLE AND CONCENTRATE ON DIVINING AN OUTRAGEOUS PUN FOR AN ANSWER. I THINK THE BEST EXAMPLE WAS, "INFIDEL." ED <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">McMAHON</span> WOULD TYPICALLY REPEAT THE ANSWER AND CAUSE A SARCASTIC REMARK FROM <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">CARNAC</span>. THEN <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">CARNAC</span> WOULD SAY IT AGAIN, "INFIDEL." AFTER HE OPENED THE ENVELOPE, HE'D READ THE NOTE INSIDE AND ANNOUNCE, "WHERE'S CASTRO'S LIVER?"</strong><br />
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<em><b>I can't count how many dozen <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Carnac</span> skits I saw in my youth but I was in college I looked-up; hermetically, in the dictionary. It meant; airtight. In practical terms to assure that something is airtight, you might want to use a sealant like hot wax. </b></em><br />
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<em><b>Other than <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Carnac</span>, this hermetic sealing concept has only popped-up one other time in my life.</b></em><br />
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In my craps dealing days at the Stardust Casino in Las Vegas, my friend and coworker Robert E. Lee was a positive influence both inside and outside work. But nobody had more skeletons in their closet than him. In my 40+ years in the gaming industry--hell, in my entire life--Bob despite some hardcore eccentricities was the most universally beloved person I ever met. Few people had the talent and patience to defuse rabid degenerate gamblers, entertain and earn money for fellow dealers while also placating the most bi-polar, self-serving management stooges.<br />
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Seven eighths of the time, Bob was happy, funny, smart and generous. But upon a more in depth investigation, you'd discover he fought depression, his humor could be hurtful, he made tons of careless life choices and could be cheap and petty. So it might be disappointing to some readers that this piece barely scrapes Bob's hallmark; his addiction to sex. Because the theme of this article will be a combination of his seldom seen negative qualities.<br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518045968283045138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcrLWdKnu7It5yVEq5XsSGSK7r4reLWgQTSX4lJ_CVbQanDZz6hsuyhbGyG1Qf4hTXfec4NmWpprK32zQJyvgws6zJyD2yns_TG6tqggnRxjwEoza-Burp6-YlMwaUeSG8lgyhmRROzaw/s200/z+-+REL.bmp" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 127px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 105px;" /><strong>BOB LEE WAS BORN IN RURAL TENNESSEE. HE WASN'T RELATED TO THE FAMOUS CONFEDERATE GENERAL, BUT HE WAS NAMED AFTER HIM. MUCH OF BOB'S RICH PERSONALITY CAN BE TRACED BACK TO HIS MASTERY OF SOUTHERN CHARM AND HOSPITALITY.</strong><br />
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I was (24) and Bob was (48) when we first met. As I have discussed in previous stories his lovable nature was most noticeable because he was the unlikeliest babe hound. Bob was small-framed, with kinky, graying hair and his wrinkled, leathery face that made him look older than he was. Still, many times, I witnessed him literally charm the pants off women (craps players) regardless of age, ethnicity, marital status, body shape or looks.<br />
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In a similar fashion, his chatty, outgoing swagger and cute demeanor seduced customers and made him a legendary, tip earning magnet.<br />
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Bob took a liking to me and in a short time, he became my mentor. While never asking for anything in return, his beneficence in time and energy taught me important life skills plus; stock market strategies, real estate and other investment bonanzas as well as gardening, do-it-yourself home repairs, auto maintenance and so much more.<br />
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Still, I thought it strange that he gave me so much attention while not being involved with his own sixteen year old son and having little regard for his wife. Far worse, it was discomforting to hear him bitterly rail against her. Each time he and I met, he reminded me if I ever met Mrs. Lee, if she asked about our tip income, I was expected to cut the number in half. Luckily, I never met her!<br />
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Unlike today's casinos, a lot of Stardust craps dealers took their daily tips (tokes) as undeclared income, (the I.R.S. caught up with many of them). Bob didn't declare his and secretly kept his ever-growing cache from his misses.<br />
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One night at work, Bob tried to turn me onto a penny stock. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Lereck</span> Oil was selling at twelve cents a share.<br />
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He said, "They're making a big merger announcement tomorrow and if we don't get in on the ground floor, we'll miss-out on the initial bump."<br />
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On less than four hours sleep, Bob was going downtown to be his broker's first customer of the day. I was intrigued but not enough to lose a night's sleep, to gamble, based on his say so, on a blind item. I turned down the opportunity.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr7wWFFEjkDu7ya6fyOkVL6gf47tXtXY_D2FCXHbQ9NNpdYQGB8SZCn1alxSnoInpYLXcqhVihhxyHAdHxcSCWzWH_YH7WwPgOwcA3S3Vu6oQfS6zlFtb28er7zrjIU2oKYrh0vktid78p/s1600/z+-+an+oil+well.jpe" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="176" data-original-width="353" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr7wWFFEjkDu7ya6fyOkVL6gf47tXtXY_D2FCXHbQ9NNpdYQGB8SZCn1alxSnoInpYLXcqhVihhxyHAdHxcSCWzWH_YH7WwPgOwcA3S3Vu6oQfS6zlFtb28er7zrjIU2oKYrh0vktid78p/s320/z+-+an+oil+well.jpe" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>I CHOSE TO BELIEVE BOB. BUT 38 YEARS LATER, I FOUND NOTHING ABOUT LERECK OIL ON THE INTERNET. IF HIS CLAIM WAS ACCURATE, HE SIX-TIMED AN INVESTMENT OF $4,000, IN FOUR DAYS.</b></td></tr>
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A week later, Bob came by my condo to show off the white, 1963, split window coupe Corvette he just bought for cash with the sale of his <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Lereck</span> Oil stock.<br />
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He stroked the hood, "This beauty is an investment."<br />
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I said, "It looks like mental masturbation."<br />
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Bob said, "That's funny. I gottta use that line. But really. This is original paint. They call it ermine white. And check out the red interior. And those seats are real leather. But what's really important is, I'm looking to retire in a couple of years. So I take some chances but they're calculated chances."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6wsX1SsWDFsMDoRmw9bghCzO88-wQ_Tcq9E_nnxh1HcqmeT9ijUKDPAZfshtHnE4y4JQWcLmtVAg_Xv8365-DXbotIjRfWeKMd8SlLN_E7aXT8j0mTODklD9oYSqV9rY4XHEB4kSC1MXQ/s1600/z+-++a+vette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6wsX1SsWDFsMDoRmw9bghCzO88-wQ_Tcq9E_nnxh1HcqmeT9ijUKDPAZfshtHnE4y4JQWcLmtVAg_Xv8365-DXbotIjRfWeKMd8SlLN_E7aXT8j0mTODklD9oYSqV9rY4XHEB4kSC1MXQ/s320/z+-++a+vette.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>BOB'S NEW CAR ALSO HAD "BE-BACK" VANITY LICENSE PLATES. BE-BACK WAS A CATCHPHRASE (PLUS A TIME), HE USED WHEN TELLING THE WOMEN HE PICKED UP TO RETURN.</b></td></tr>
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We wandered into my backyard garden that Bob had helped me cultivate. The former cement-like flower beds were now flourishing with vegetables and fruit. Had he not showed how to chop through the crusty earth, I never would have seen the moist soil, inches below the seemingly impenetrable desert surface.<br />
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Bob held up a stout zucchini and made sexual jokes about its length until saying, "After paying for the car, I added the leftover stock money to the stash I was telling you about. I now have over 30K laying around the house. If my wife ever stumbled onto it, I'd be fucked."<br />
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I said, "How much did you invest?"<br />
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He ignored me, clawed at my soft, fertile soil and said, "You just gave me a great idea. I gotta go."<br />
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Two months went by. At work, I was trying to think of a way to ask Bob if he reached a solution to his hidden money dilemma. Those thoughts were interrupted when a player tried to buy-in on our craps game with a $500.00 dollar bill.<br />
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<strong>THE $500.00 BILL FEATURES THE PORTRAIT OF OUR 25<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">th</span> PRESIDENT, WILLIAM <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">McKINLEY</span>. IN 1934, THE U.S. GOVERNMENT, TO REDUCE THE RISK OF COUNTERFEITING AND SMUGGLING, STOPPED PRODUCING ALL BANKNOTES OVER $100.00. THESE BIG BILLS ARE SO RARE TODAY, THAT THE ONE I SAW THAT NIGHT IS THE ONLY ONE I EVER SAW IN CIRCULATION.</strong></div>
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Before my immediate supervisor (the boxman) authorized the transaction, he stopped the game to examine the bill and confer with his boss (the floor person). I'm sure they didn't know what they were looking for, as they resembled a forensic team searching for traces of plague. We remained at a standstill until our pit boss Chick Halversen was called over. He was perplexed too and paged the shift manager.<br />
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Bob said, "I'll take the chance Chick, I'll buy it off the game right now."<br />
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Halversen said, "It's out of my hands. Let's hold it on the side, keep the game going till Pug, (shift boss Aldo "Pug" Pugliese) gets here."<br />
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Bob whispered to Don (another dealer), "I don't have enough. Can I borrow a hundred off you?"<br />
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Don smiled, "Sure. But what kind of collateral can you put up?"<br />
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"Collateral? I'll give it back after we get our tokes."<br />
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Don said, "Last Christmas, remember you insisted on holding my $300.00 watch hostage overnight. You called that collateral for forty stinkin' bucks. Damn Bobby, what goes around comes around..."<br />
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Pugliese burst into the scene and met with Chick.<br />
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He took a scant glance and said, "I was having espresso with Donnie Steinmetz and you called me over here for this nonsense! Drop it and get a fucking roll."<br />
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The buy-in was completed but Bob called out, "Wait!"<br />
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Pug said, "Now what?"<br />
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Bob nodded at Don and said, "Can I buy the bill off the game right now?"<br />
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The big boss motioned for the bill to be plunged into the drop box and said, "Yeah but not here."<br />
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Bob said, "But?"<br />
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Pug said, "If you want it that bad, meet me at the casino cage with the money at 8:AM sharp! If you're ten seconds late, I know plenty of mugs who collect that kind of shit."<br />
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The next night I asked Bob, "Did you get the $500.00 bill?"<br />
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He said, "Yeah and its the best thing that ever happened to me."<br />
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"Why?"<br />
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"Because a couple of months ago, like an idiot, I buried that thirty grand under my rutabaga patch."<br />
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I said, "So?"<br />
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"You know when Carson does <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Carnac</span>, right? Well, I stuck the whole business in a mayonnaise jar."<br />
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I shrugged, "Okay."<br />
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"Well I decided to dig it up to put the 500 bill in with the other money. I was shocked, a lot of the bills were in real bad shape. They were getting greenish-black from mold and the some of the edges were disintegrating."<br />
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I said, "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Geez</span>."<br />
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Bob continued, "Remember in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Carnac</span> routine when Ed McMahon said the envelopes have been <em><b>hermetically</b></em> sealed...well that's what you have to do when burying paper. If you don't, when moisture seeps in, <strong><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">BAM</span>, </strong>in no time, it fritters away to nothing."<br />
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I said, "You are lucky."<br />
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He said, "Its a good thing Vegas has a million casinos."<br />
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I said, "Why?"<br />
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"Because, I can't admit to the bank that my rotten, decaying money came from an underground horde that I'm hiding from thieves, my wife or the fucking IRS. But money grubbing whores like casinos, take anything, no questions asked...even if you wiped your butt with every bill."<br />
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I smiled, "You're right. Wow, you tip-toed around a major disaster."<br />
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Bob sighed, "Yeah. First I sold that $500.00 bill to the pawn broker off Ogden Street for $570.00. But it'll take forever to 'launder.' the rest. I have over three-hundred infected bills that need to be switch-out...one at a time."<br />
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"At least now you'll know to hermetically seal the next jar."<br />
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"Steve, are you nuts! The only reason why I'm not burying money any more is...<b>YOU'LL</b> know. I'm not saying I don't trust you. But I <b>DON'T</b> trust you. You see where I'm coming from. Just knowing you know, will eat at me. How could I sleep at night, ever again."<br />
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<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i><br /></i></b><b><i>About ten years ago, I met a man in Atlantic City who told me Bob Lee was still dealing craps at the Stardust, in 2005. </i></b><b><i>I'm guessing, something must have gone terribly wrong. How ironic </i></b><b><i>that a man whose second greatest passion was dedicated to finagling every angle to retire at (50) </i></b><b><i>was still bent over a dice table at (73). The poor sap,</i></b><b><i> I bet the movie rights alone to that sad story would be worth a fortune.</i></b>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12392111410804449860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787822525441125324.post-52652324421509253312019-04-01T00:43:00.000-05:002019-04-01T09:51:03.821-05:00DEALING CRAPS IN PLATFORM SHOES...BAD IDEA!<b><i>My 40+ years in the casino industry tells me, if I knew the way of the world when I started as a craps dealer in 1979, I wouldn't have made it through one day.</i></b><br />
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In the 1970's, during the height of disco era, platform shoes for men were in vogue. There's only one reason why guys allowed themselves to be manipulated into such trendiness...meeting women!<br />
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True to my independent nature, I failed to make this obvious connection. That meant, for the most part, I remained on the sidelines as the sexual revolution danced slightly beyond my reach.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>AT FIRST, THE DISCO SCENE AND ITS LOUD, CROWDED DISCOTHEQUES WEREN'T MY SPEED.</b></td></tr>
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A major hint that I was missing out on something good happened during my Brooklyn College years. I was playing basketball in the schoolyard when my reality-check light bulb finally went off. Down the block, a close-friend was clumsily walking (yet confidently), in ridiculous, platform shoes. At first, I only saw the humor of a tough jock going to his car like he had a cue-stick up his butt. Then I realized was picking-up his new girlfriend, to take her clubbing. Far worse, it was Friday night and I was playing <b>H-O-R-S-E</b> with an eleven year-old.</div>
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By the time I broke down and bought two pairs of disco shoes; brown ones and black ones, the chic style was beyond passe and speeding towards <b>OVER!</b>.<br />
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In January 1979 with a New York School of Gambling craps dealer diploma in hand, I landed in Las Vegas. My hideous "frankenstein" footwear were not only in my suitcase but were my only dressy shoes. Still, regardless of this fashion <b><em>faux-pas</em>,</b> we were taught that dealers <b>HAD</b> to wear black shoes so, I felt prepared.</div>
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<img alt="" border="0" height="200" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295532487200905586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIBWNS6i2fI-RJgCQrYRdvAyCKJzFGsUtPyd3oAeqoKwN5P2Lov5Cp9bUo5YmAam3yCT1pavn0izomI3Mn5vLZJy26Yv4lj5UIy4VkWfK_uI_TaUak20HFVqKKLrHpbvGQtkrH9jkrEEc/s200/disco+shoe.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="200" /><strong></strong><br />
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<strong><strong>TO SAY PLATFORM SHOES, WERE NEVER INTENDED FOR CRAPS DEALERS IS AN EXTREME UNDER-STATEMENT.</strong></strong></div>
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A gracious friend, Ciro the Hero, (way before he became Ciro the Zero), let me and three other transplants from our clique at school stay in his apartment until we got settled.<br />
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The low man on the totem pole was the floor dweller, John Heaverlo. He was already apartment hunting. John invited me to sleep on his sofa when he got a place, until his wife came out from Poughkeepsie.</div>
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During my first five days in town, I got caught-up in hanging-out, gambling and drinking.<strong> </strong>Ciro correctly figured out that I was having cold feet, (afraid) of dealing.<br />
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To coax me he said, "You're welcome to stay at my place free! Forever! But you gotta get a job."<br />
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My group took advantage of our school's job placement service. In November 1978 Ciro was set up as a craps dealer at the Slots-A-Fun Casino, in December, <b>BB</b> was sent the California Club, before me in January, <b>JLUPY </b>got his start<b> </b>at the Lady Luck and the day after me John Heaverlo was hooked-up with the El Cortez.<br />
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Like Ciro, I too was being sent to Slots-A-Fun.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQQ5Kr_5RGO8777WYAYsqyYpCKeWK0_q5KNe6buesgFeRvUCm_YGYoXKy3HbGjQnX4M89g9vGeKam38k-_hwZhGJbNEGgtud9jrrAQuNMlVyFpIoHa9oJ5JwpxSLJJQh4xf1uJCLiSPdA/s1600/z+-+aslot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="664" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQQ5Kr_5RGO8777WYAYsqyYpCKeWK0_q5KNe6buesgFeRvUCm_YGYoXKy3HbGjQnX4M89g9vGeKam38k-_hwZhGJbNEGgtud9jrrAQuNMlVyFpIoHa9oJ5JwpxSLJJQh4xf1uJCLiSPdA/s320/z+-+aslot.jpg" width="221" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>THE SLOTS-A-FUN CASINO OPENED IN 1971 AND IS STILL ACTIVE. HOWEVER, IT HASN'T OFFERED LIVE TABLE GAMES FOR SEVERAL YEARS. DESPITE BEING LOCATED ON THE FABULOUS LAS VEGAS STRIP, IT HAD THE REPUTATION OF BEING ONE OF THE WORST PLACES TO DEAL CRAPS.</b></td></tr>
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I got distracted by having second thoughts and forgot I had a specific date to report. Three days late, in full audition regalia, (white dress shirt, black slacks and black (platform) shoes, I showed up.<br />
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*Mr. Broderick O'Boyle the Slots-A-Fun casino manager looked like Roger Ebert's evil twin.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZb9TwFuSfvckKmb1A-gFA_M7rPq1dLXJnrH6e8VhJgSd9_RyjlZkfcBv4PUuXV9EzM9ie30IEzqOb9WvWgBWp2XZbcBuc4h05E1uEnNV0XnydfCxSLhWaYulQ9SEiTQ7NM0ub2MV5pYwc/s1600/z+-+a+Roger-Ebert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="360" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZb9TwFuSfvckKmb1A-gFA_M7rPq1dLXJnrH6e8VhJgSd9_RyjlZkfcBv4PUuXV9EzM9ie30IEzqOb9WvWgBWp2XZbcBuc4h05E1uEnNV0XnydfCxSLhWaYulQ9SEiTQ7NM0ub2MV5pYwc/s200/z+-+a+Roger-Ebert.jpg" width="140" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>ROGER EBERT (1942-2013) WAS A FILM CRITIC, TV PERSONALITY AND JOURNALIST.</b></td></tr>
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I was traumatized and felt intimidated as O'Boyle held my paperwork and peered over his glasses, "Weren't you supposed to be here Saturday?"<br />
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<b><i>*Please note, Mr. Broderick O'Boyle was the only casino boss, in my 40+ years in the business who insisted on being addressed as, mister. He also was the biggest prick I would ever work for.</i></b><br />
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I didn't tell Mr. O'Boyle I was so nervous that I could "crap" my pants at any second. Or that I spent my extra time away carousing, to mask my doubts about ever dealing craps. Instead I blithered some lame excuse.<br />
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Lucky me. My school's reputation for quality students was so high that I was hired without the traditional audition (try-out). More importantly, the "fashion-police" didn't question my platform shoes. O'Boyle was so kind that he "let" me get my "feet wet" by working me forty minutes <b>AND</b> didn't even charge me for the privilege!<br />
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In that short opportunity to show my ability, I rumbled, bumbled and stumbled throughout my live-action practice session. Maybe I was the only one there who knew how buried (god awful) I was. Still, I was encouraged by O'Boyle and the staff. At the time, I had no idea that they were always desperate for help because I soon found out that bust-out toilet had a revolving door for craps dealers.<br />
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O'Boyle patted me on the back, "Your shift will be 10:AM till 6:PM. Be here tomorrow and be ready to do a good job."<br />
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Other than that first awkwardly pleasant meeting, O'Boyle was overwhelmingly a devilish asshole with a complete disdain for me, my coworkers and every loser, (customer) who walked in.</div>
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That night at Ciro's, John Heaverlo told me, he might be signing a lease for an apartment on Van Patten Street. I had <b>NO IDEA</b> where it was.<br />
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He said, "If I take the place tomorrow, while you're at work, I'll take your stuff over there. Actually he didn't call my stuff, stuff, he called it <b><i>shit</i>.</b> Then he called his shit, <b><i>stuff.</i> </b> But I saw his stuff and I know shit when I see it, (Wherever you are George Carlin, I just gave you the proper footnote). </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0fh6MQvcvVpRQfmD1QqpPQq1xD8hcRWV5F1MMCb7KwanV6cGtpTY5Ds6ajeVFEWAVROQY5HqjJXn5yY8dSlHZSH4imn4fZDOdo2LsuYMLEwQ2MfxoFHAMSnJ6VGSt0Ctbx4Z5-oc35RCJ/s1600/z+-+a+carlin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0fh6MQvcvVpRQfmD1QqpPQq1xD8hcRWV5F1MMCb7KwanV6cGtpTY5Ds6ajeVFEWAVROQY5HqjJXn5yY8dSlHZSH4imn4fZDOdo2LsuYMLEwQ2MfxoFHAMSnJ6VGSt0Ctbx4Z5-oc35RCJ/s320/z+-+a+carlin.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>GEORGE CARLIN (1937-2008) VISIONARY STAND-UP COMIC AND SOCIAL CRITIC. MY MOUNT RUSHMORE OF COMEDIANS WOULD INCLUDE HIM, RODNEY DANGERFIELD, EDDIE MURPHY AND JERRY SEINFELD.</b></td></tr>
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You can almost say, every day in Las Vegas is bright and sunny. The next day (January 10, 1979) was no exception. It was chilly when me and my platform shoes got off the city bus at 9:45AM. But at (23), without a jacket, I radiated in confidence and enthusiasm as if I had life by the balls, (soon, Slots-A-Fun would forever douse that sparkle in my eye).</div>
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Like any break-in (newbie) craps dealer, I sucked! I was so terrible that my first shift would be a dreadful experience and the longest day in my life. Storm clouds literally AND figuratively moved in. The disco shoes were annihilating my feet, the players, O'Boyle and his under bosses were MF'ing my ineptitude and at 3:PM, it started drizzling. Even without the rain, I was a soggy mass of confused perspiration and big blisters where killing my feet.</div>
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John Heaverlo walked into the casino. He witnessed Mr. O'Boyle's loud profanity, while belittling another dealer. Seconds later, O'Boyle "inspired" me to succeed with a harsh, obscenity-laced tirade that was designed to be "needed" constructive criticism. I was mortified. John rolled his eyes and looked away to hide his grin.<br />
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On my break, John shared less humiliating, yet similar "impatience" at his job too. Stupidly, we both accepted this practice as the "nature of the beast." But, <strong>NOBODY</strong> should be treated that way.</div>
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John just wanted to tell me about his apartment, give me a key and leave. I was delirious and felt the shame of inadequacy. I probably didn't listen well to his hasty instructions.<br />
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He said, "I took the apartment and it's in walking distance." He told me the address and continued, "Across the street, up Riviera, left on Paradise, to Karen Avenue. Its near the "big" Hilton. You <b><em>can't</em> </b>miss it."</div>
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I left work at 6:PM, in a misty rain. At first, the near-freezing temperatures felt good on my sweaty body. But in a short time, my long sleeve shirt was damp and I was shivering. The cross street after Riviera was two "city" blocks away. Each step in those awful shoes further aggravated my blisters.<br />
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At Paradise Road, in front of me to the right, was the Hilton International Casino's property. It was rimmed by a huge vacant lot. Along its left side, I saw the Karen Avenue sign. The monstrous size of the Hilton dwarfed Slots-A-Fun and held my attention so that when I got to the next street (Joe W. Brown Drive that led to the Hilton's back entrance), I walked in that direction.</div>
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Being <b>NEAR</b> the big Hilton and turning down a street John didn't mention, are two different things:<br />
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First, had I been more observant and gone straight on Karen, I would have seen several residential streets in a row, with Van Patten being the third.<br />
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Secondly, across from the Hilton was the impenetrable (walled-in), Las Vegas Country Club.<br />
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Thirdly, I went past the Hilton without asking for help.</div>
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Curvy, Joe W. Brown Drive snaked on a 45 degree angle which for some reason led me to think I was getting close. Before reality set-in, I turned to see the Hilton already in the distance, behind me. I was screwed. Then I was screwed worse when four bombs fell on me; it started to pour, my foot blisters erupted, I had to pee and the sidewalk had been broken up, (there was no sidewalk on the Hilton side and despite only a occasional car, the frequent blind spots prevented me from walking in the street).<br />
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Too bad a good Samaritan didn't stop his car to see why some schmuck in clown shoes was hobbling in a steady rain on a desolate street without a coat. It was a miracle that I didn't turn an ankle in those clod-hoppers as I kept painfully tip-toeing through the broken cement and mud.</div>
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295662385709079202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV7EvDrc2coIZlvjHCUPdWTmfBmIEmpAksF4KflZ5OZAMEP0nkiimOiYtN90TLw17ukq2fJvRDtdg6JP1mw5QKy9v8Csh-XtD31H7D_xcY74dCeUp-1yG5Bsn1Ny6ONq9DpSVFsy0C4Rc/s320/Map.gif" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /><b>MY EPIC WALK STARTED ACROSS LAS VEGAS BOULEVARD, (to the left of the "R" in Riviera). THREE BLOCKS TO THE RIGHT OF THE STAR ON KAREN AVENUE WAS VAN PATTEN. INSTEAD, I WENT ON JOE W. BROWN DRIVE, (diagonally down and to the right), TO DESERT INN ROAD, (at the bottom of the map), UP MARYLAND PARKWAY (the right hand border), BACK TO KAREN AND FINALLY TO VAN PATTEN.</b><br />
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I was back on solid pavement at the next cross street; Desert Inn Road. I kept walking around the perimeter of the country club. At the gate to the club, I told my situation to a security guard.<br />
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He said , "It's much faster to walk through the golf course. But I can only let members in."<br />
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I said, "Is there a restroom I can use? It's an emergency."<br />
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The guard said, "Sorry." He pointed to Maryland Parkway, "Make a left at Karen and there's an Arco station with a clean bathroom there."<br />
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I was unprepared for this unnecessary leg of my journey which added over an hour to my longest work day. When John saw me, I was a broken, wet, frozen, limping, tired and depressed man...in muddy, platform shoes. Thankfully he drove me to a department store. I never dealt craps (or wore) those disco shoes again!<br />
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<i><b>Slots-A-Fun was one of the worst craps dealing jobs in Vegas. If it wasn't Mr. O'Boyle, it was one of his underlings, the awful working conditions, the caliber of the clientele or grossing $170.00/week. To tolerate such a hostile environment just goes to show how ignorant I (we) were back then. I wonder if that shithouse ever had a Human Resources Department? Either way, I'm reminded that someone once told me; </b>you can't appreciate the good that life has to offer until you understand suffering. <b>I didn't see it his way then but I appreciate his wisdom now. Certainly my feet would agree.</b></i>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12392111410804449860noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787822525441125324.post-29645220823363691452019-03-25T00:43:00.000-05:002019-03-25T00:43:01.180-05:00THEY CALLED FREDDY, "THE FINGER."<i><b>My long overdue, fast-track to adulthood was greatly influenced by dealing craps at the Las Vegas, Stardust Casino. The best lessons I learned were: first impressions aren't necessarily right, be wary of manipulators with their own agendas, the key to judging people and situations is an open mind and things evolve, so flexibility is essential. </b></i><br />
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<i><b>This blog is an excerpt from my short story, "FREDDY THE FINGER." Its theme is, stand your ground and fight for what you think is right; even if your opinion is greatly outnumbered. However, if you're proven to be wrong never make excuses and own up to your mistake.</b></i><br />
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I was (24) in my first few months at the Stardust when I befriended a boxman called Freddy the Finger, (a boxman is the lowest wrung on the craps supervisory ladder). I was too young (blind) to realize it but I was aligning myself with a universally disliked and distrusted individual. My cohorts tried to clue me in but they failed to make a clear case.<br />
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Freddy "The Finger" Cantor (38) got his nickname because he was missing his left ring finger. Cantor's ardent detractors just called him, the "Finger" because among other shortcomings, he was serial liar. This glaring flaw was made famous by contradicting himself on how he lost his finger.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTqjw4km1H7nOxYXTqjrJN0BqBer1azBN9fE87kGWhDFGsCN06doilwZgUqHReFX4-Tsgn6ksuwe2iIzAhuO65JovO5hvM0Y4-dnHDfxqI0JcxHbD9ZUBeyfMnoty0T1fN3H0oGK9fupI_/s1600/z+-+finger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_645621="null" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTqjw4km1H7nOxYXTqjrJN0BqBer1azBN9fE87kGWhDFGsCN06doilwZgUqHReFX4-Tsgn6ksuwe2iIzAhuO65JovO5hvM0Y4-dnHDfxqI0JcxHbD9ZUBeyfMnoty0T1fN3H0oGK9fupI_/s320/z+-+finger.jpg" vsa="true" width="235" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><strong>FREDDY HAD MANY DIFFERENT VERSIONS ABOUT HIS MISSING FINGER. THE MOST COMMON WAS, IT WAS ACCIDENTALLY CUT OFF WHILE WORKING THE MACHINES IN HIS UNCLE'S LEATHER GOODS FACTORY. OTHERS WERE TOLD IT WAS SHOT OFF IN A POLICE RAID WHEN HE WAS A BOOKIE. THE DRIBBLE HE SAVED FOR ME WAS, THE LEADER OF A PUERTO RICAN YOUTH GANG CUT IT OFF AFTER FREDDY IMPREGNATED THE GUY'S SISTER AND REFUSED TO MARRY HER.</strong><br />
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Freddy didn’t help his cause by smoking effeminate, thin, brown cigarettes and speaking with a creamy lisp. I didn't think he was gay. But it wouldn't matter anyway, I liked him. Our coworkers who hurled homophobic slurs at him discounted the fact that he wore a wedding band, (on his right hand). Their response was, anyone can wear a wedding ring.<br />
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Fred was also a Jew from the Bronx. Sometimes we cracked each other up because our cultural similarities resulted in inside jokes. This laughter bordered on being unprofessional which only fanned the flames of antisemitism and a negative east coast (New York) bias. I had never experienced either problem so when haters hinted at this being a problem, I blew them off.<br />
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A greater segment of the staff saw Freddy as a boorish exaggerator and a chronic liar. They were also galled by his sarcasm and tough guy swagger, (which was not backed up by a physical presence).<br />
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Many coworkers distrusted him because he was a namedropping braggart who implied he was an untouchable. I wasn't savvy to casino politics so I didn't understand. But I found out that the possibility of him being "connected" to upper management and perhaps their spy, saved him from many beat downs.<br />
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I just thought he was funny. But his enemies assumed that he was taking me under his wing.<br />
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I was on the job, about a month when I had first interaction with Freddy Cantor. I returned from a break and some paper money was strewn about the table, as Fred slept. The main responsibility of a boxman is to account for the cash and place it in the drop box, (under the table). My coworkers kept quiet because they wanted to jackpot him (let him get himself in trouble). I didn't know, so I woke him up. Later he privately said, "I owe you big time!"<br />
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Over the next couple of weeks our alliance formed.<br />
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One late afternoon, the skies blackened and a freak, wind-driven rainstorm ravaged Vegas. Most people lost electricity. The usual 7:PM daylight was replaced by an apocalyptic, blackened eeriness. On my slow drive to work, I wove through flooding and debris that laid all over Las Vegas Boulevard. Policeman in yellow slickers, bombarded by sheets of rain, assisted motorists at malfunctioning traffic signals. The only dots of light came from the auxiliary power in casinos.<br />
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In front of the Desert Inn, it felt like an accomplishment when I saw the Stardust in the distance. I was about to turn onto our property as a bouncing umbrella blew past me. That’s when I noticed across the street, a stray billboard completely lit-up…advertising that the circus was coming to the Convention Center.<br />
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I ran against the howling wind and through the pelting rain to the time office. I was drenched but inside, the Stardust was business as usual. In the break room, Freddy the Finger was boring a non-responsive audience about a tree that fell on his car.<br />
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He crowed, "It was like a monsoon! I used a hacksaw for two hours, to cut away thick branches that hemmed my Lincoln in." His yawning captives rolled their eyes and snickered as he added, "Then I hadda drive across my neighbor’s lawn, to come to work."<br />
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Freddy saw me and hustled me away for a private conversation.<br />
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“I haven’t forgotten my debt. How about me and my wife, taking you and your girl, to the circus next week?”<br />
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I groaned, “Nah.”<br />
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“Who are you, Mr. Maturity? A friggin’ circus is too juvenile for you?”<br />
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I said, “Really, you don’t owe me…”<br />
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"I get it,” he said. “You’re afraid a clown is going to put cotton candy in your hair. Oops bad example. I should have said cotton candy, on your head.”<br />
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I laughed, “You’re an asshole.”<br />
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He said, “Okay, no circus. But how about lobster…you aren’t afraid of the best food on the goddamned planet are you?”<br />
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I said, “Lobster is good.”<br />
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Freddy said, “It’s settled. Me and Estelle are taking you and your girl to the Tillerman…for a soup to nuts lobster dinner.”<br />
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A week later, two hours before our big date with the Cantor’s, Freddy called and lived up to his bullshitting reputation.<br />
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“Estelle isn’t in the mood for seafood so we’ll eat chinks instead.” I was in no position to say no as he continued, “Do you know Jung Jie’s on Paradise Road? They make a great lobster Cantonese.”<br />
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In the restaurant’s bar, Freddy made the introductions. His wife was wearing her gold Century-21 blazer complete with her Estelle Cantor name tag. She was especially unattractive and a rather large woman. But her looks and girth was no reason to dislike her, her personality did that as soon as she opened her big fat mouth. In an overly loud, shrill nasal voice, she announced that she could only give us two hours because she had a final walk-through on a Tudor, on Alta Drive.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqbNV8QXN0dI_XIDgTgbYmhuz30GgrqXlm2Br4iBM93FdXCXo3ZODCd7YnnbZoQtQA1SDb9383P_royWhLNRGvi05GqXKGY50quoAy4DBUOmJ45XX6F_s4z2q8i3XJky9c4KvPBP8FmsZz/s1600/z+-+sheila-broflavski.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_645621="null" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqbNV8QXN0dI_XIDgTgbYmhuz30GgrqXlm2Br4iBM93FdXCXo3ZODCd7YnnbZoQtQA1SDb9383P_royWhLNRGvi05GqXKGY50quoAy4DBUOmJ45XX6F_s4z2q8i3XJky9c4KvPBP8FmsZz/s320/z+-+sheila-broflavski.jpg" vsa="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><strong>IT'S NO COMPLIMENT, ESTELLE CANTOR MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE INSPIRATION FOR SHEILA BROFLOVSKI FROM TV'S, "SOUTH PARK."</strong></td></tr>
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While sipping a tropical drink out of a fake pineapple, she never stopped babbling about real estate.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiUoP8hsx4x34u4FqaMyvrNW3nbOI624kXYbqWExFbO7rvJlqDjcc1wBfmTfTI-NyMu4eSDGMQmOFif9JZ9vaDXrgv0AVtE7H51Pt5k-c9dvXp2gFOEsTf3FszqGPjUuJyC1nYMqtLSNsh/s1600/z+-+pineapple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_645621="null" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiUoP8hsx4x34u4FqaMyvrNW3nbOI624kXYbqWExFbO7rvJlqDjcc1wBfmTfTI-NyMu4eSDGMQmOFif9JZ9vaDXrgv0AVtE7H51Pt5k-c9dvXp2gFOEsTf3FszqGPjUuJyC1nYMqtLSNsh/s1600/z+-+pineapple.jpg" vsa="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><strong>ESTELLE WAS A BIGGER PLASTIC PHONY THAN FREDDY AND HER PINEAPPLE PUT TOGETHER.</strong></td></tr>
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Freddy idolized his wife. He stared in awe of her as she rattled-off celebrity clients and commendations she won. At a rare pause I tried to get my girlfriend, (my wife Sue) into the conversation.<br />
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Estelle interrupted, “Did I tell you that Tudor on Alta is going for 175K? Frederick darling, tell me, what’s the commission going to be?”<br />
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Instantly without counting on his nine fingers he proclaimed, “Ten-five!”<br />
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Frederick? I was gagging from all her pretense and was about to puke in my beer when the maitre d came to escort us to a table.<br />
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I thought we were saved from Mrs. Cantor’s yapping but she started blithering to the maitre d in Mandarin Chinese.<br />
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When a waiter came by with menus after we were seated, Estelle shooed him away and announced for the entire dining room to hear, “I hope you don’t mind, I already ordered for the table.”<br />
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Estelle <strong>NEVER</strong> stopped talking as the plain wonton soup arrived. She was still jawing as we each ate our one egg roll appetizer.<br />
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She finally stopped talking about herself to say, “On the way out, I must compliment the chef…he’s really out done himself.”<br />
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Sue and I looked at each other and smirked.<br />
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We were all served the same entrée; roast pork egg fu yung, (an oriental omelet). This was not lobster at the upscale Tillerman. Nor was it lobster Cantonese. Sue and I were not from Mars. In fact as New Yorkers, we are required by law to know all the ins-and-out of Chinese food...and what we had…was the most basic, cheapest things on the menu....and not a lot of it.<br />
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Freddy saw the disappointment in my face.<br />
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He cut-off his wife as she explained the value of a valley view, “Did you know Estelle made the newspaper by risking her life with an armed robber at Albertson’s?”<br />
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She broke in, “Oy, it was nothing! They called it passive resistance but nobody was going to makes <b><em>moi</em> </b>lay on a filthy floor. Besides, I knew that runt was going to give me the gun as soon as I saw those weak, beady eyes.” Sue and I looked at each other in disbelief as motormouth continued, “You kids should drop by my office. You can see all my awards, read the newspaper article and the framed letter of thanks I got from the supermarket.”<br />
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At that point, I was positive Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa would have fought each other to the death, for the privilege of strangling her.<br />
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The ordeal worsened as Estelle began her sales pitch, “You puppies are a cute couple. But did you know renting is a terrible waste? What’s your combined income? Do you have any outstanding debts? Are you planning a family?”<br />
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She never came up for air as she plowed-on about a fenced-in yard, a two-car garage and the curb appeal of nice landscaping. That’s when she finally got to her point, “Because…I can work with anyone, to put them into their perfect home…”<br />
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Two bites into my omelet, I decided I had enough.<br />
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I held my stomach and croaked, “I feel lousy!”<br />
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In the same nagging tone Estelle chimed in, “Listen <b><em>Bubbula</em>,</b> you ate too fast. Take a rest, have some dessert, you’ll be okay.”<br />
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“No,” I snapped as I stood. “I have <i>terrible</i> stomach cramps.”<br />
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I turned to Sue, “C’mon doll, we gotta go.”<br />
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Sue followed my lead, thanked them and sharply whispered, “He can only ‘go’ on his own toilet.”<br />
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For the benefit of the other diners Estelle announced, “I understand, I’m lactose intolerant myself.” We were halfway to the exit when she blared loud enough for them to hear in the kitchen, “I’ll take care of the check.” Sue and I were at the door when she boomed again, “Wait, you forget to take my card.”<br />
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I opened the door to freedom, looked back, held my hand on my belly and bleated, “Thanks.”<br />
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Estelle shot up out of her chair and yelled, “Freddy’ll give you my number. Call me when you’re ready to buy.”<br />
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In the sanctuary of the car I joked, “That was nothing but a friggin’ commercial. That’s why nobody at work likes Freddy, he must have promised them all lobster dinners with his wife.”<br />
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I dodged Freddy for several days. During that time, I confided in one of the elder dealers on how much of a douche Freddy turned out to be. He was neither surprised or interested until I mentioned that Freddy was afraid he could've lost his job if I didn't wake him up.<br />
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The dealer concluded, “So the "Finger" isn't an untouchable. Good, I’m glad you figured it out on your own. Because it’s not a good idea to be associated with…well, you know what I mean.”<br />
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I nodded but it took a while till I knew what he meant.<br />
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A few days later, I worked with Freddy for the first time since our date from hell. I decided to get off his crazy train of friendship but he knew how to push my buttons. So I settled into the idea that he was a work friend not an outside friend.<br />
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We entertained ourselves and enjoyed a laugh-filled shift. Towards the end of the night, we were standing dead. I saw Freddy staring down, straining to hold back laughter. For a second, he looked up with his hand clasped over his mouth. I didn't understand. Freddy looked like he was going to explode into another laugh spasm as he pointed with his eyes to the far right. He resumed staring down when I saw what he meant. My head involuntarily sprang back to the left as I too became paralyzed with Freddy’s laughing affliction.<br />
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Strip casinos were like cathedrals. We were beyond pushing our luck because childishness was not tolerated at the Stardust. I composed myself and concentrated on the center of the craps game because I didn’t want Freddy to get me in trouble. Fred had calmed down too but at one point, our eyes met and we started all over again. We had gotten away with our silliness all night but this was different, passerby were stopping to gawk at us.<br />
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Our floor supervisor leaned between us.<br />
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In a condescending tone, he asked in his southern-accented baritone voice, “Are you two boys all right?”<br />
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To suggest that we might be high sounded pretty funny coming from a man who reeked of cheap booze every night. Nonetheless, we assured him that we were okay.<br />
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To reduce the risk of a relapse with ten minutes left before my break, I stood erect and stared straight ahead.<br />
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The next few minutes took an eternity until I heard the last thing I wanted to hear, our stickman calling out, “Hey little buddies, wanna play craps?”<br />
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That dealer was Walter "Disaster" Lemaster. He earned his screw-up nickname by being a burnt-out Vietnam War vet with a talent for saying and doing the dumbest things. I knew what this moron was referring to so my mind internally screamed, <b><em>"Don't turn around..."</em> </b>but of course I did.<br />
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In a split second, I saw my worst fear and turned away again. I muffled my laughter as saliva flowed into my palm. But when I heard Freddy roaring, I couldn't control myself either. With hundreds of eyes on me, I squeezed my stomach muscles. Then from the diaphragm, I took three cleansing breaths. I maintained my composure even though Freddy was still in stitches.<br />
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Through my teary cataract-like eyes, without laughing, I watched the proceedings on the other side of the table. This would be the day that I learned the difference between midgets and dwarfs.<br />
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These two four-footers were a father (55) and son (35). They were dragging slot machine stools to our table when I got my first good look at them. The dad was eager to play and cheerful but the austere son seemed to be going through the motions to please his father. From his attitude, I gathered that junior didn't like being disparaged.<br />
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Despite my new choir-boy pose, the son who was now positioned on his knees atop the stool, kept giving me dirty looks.<br />
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The dad was shorter. To play, he had to stand on the stool and hold the craps table rail with his hand.<br />
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The father was offered to shoot the dice first.<br />
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I am clueless (even a gazillion years later) what possessed Freddy to tell Walter, "Give him the 'short stick.'" (This ploy was saved for women in low-cut blouses. So they'd further expose their cleavage by reaching for the dice).<br />
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Freddy was kidding. But Walter's military background compelled him to follow a superior's orders. This knucklehead was so buried that the absurdity of Freddy's statement didn't prevent him from leaving the dice a bit too far away from dad.<br />
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The father would have had trouble getting the dice under normal circumstances. So when he strained to pick up the dice, he lost his balance and tumbled onto the table. Now everyone was hysterical...with Freddy screaming the loudest.<br />
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Onlookers rushed to our game to see the hysteria. The son was doing a slow burn as his dad writhed like a turtle on its back. Each time the poor man tried to flip over, his foot bumped the concave rubber lip that rims craps tables.<br />
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Our pit boss Chick Halversen rushed over, "What the fuck is going on?" That was the only time I heard that gentleman use profanity. Now nobody was laughing! The dad was standing on the table as he set himself to climb out. Chick repeated himself, "What happened?"<br />
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The dad peeked over his shoulder with a cute chuckle, "This always happens to me."<br />
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Chick shook his head, "Geez, now I've seen it all..."<br />
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Chick came around to greet the dad in the aisle and gave them meal tickets. In return, the father offered him circus tickets but Chick turned them down. As the two dwarfs walked away, the son turned back and gave me a harsh glare. Luckily, his dad took the high road, the incident was swept under the rug and none of us were disciplined.<br />
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At quitting time, before clocking out, my crew along with Freddy, decided to have a drink across the street at the Silver City Casino. I was tired and turned them down. While they lingered until everyone was ready, I left.<br />
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On my way to employee lot, I hopped over puddles and walked around the mini-lakes. I heard my name called. It was that idiot Walter "Disaster" Lemaster. He was happy as he ran straight towards me. I back-pedaled so I wouldn't lose my homeward momentum. I was shaking my head in disbelief as I watched the Neanderthal splash through all the still water in this path.<br />
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I was distracted by the sideshow and carelessly backed into a water-filled pothole. The bottom of my left pant leg, shoe and sock were soaked.<br />
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Walter saw me hobbling and said, "Are you okay?"<br />
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I was surprised he didn't laugh at my mishap and had enough sense to ask about my well-being.<br />
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I said, "I'm lucky I didn't twist my ankle."<br />
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The goofball looked perplexed as he stammered, "No. A-a-are you okay from b-b-b-before, when you clocked out?"<br />
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He hated being called by his nickname but I was impatient, "Disaster, what are you talking about?"<br />
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He said, "Then you're okay?"<br />
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I said, "Heh?"<br />
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Lemaster said, "Hey man, I j-j-just wanted to know before I said anything..."<br />
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"Said anything about what?"<br />
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Walter slapped my shoulder and said, "They fired the Finger!"Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12392111410804449860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787822525441125324.post-60225078173142534982019-02-11T00:43:00.000-05:002019-02-11T08:10:15.434-05:00ROBERT E. LEE'S, TALE OF THREE CITIES<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><b><i>A common question about</i></b></span><b style="font-family: "courier new";"><i> my forty years in casinos is, </i></b><b style="font-family: "courier new";"><i>who was the best, (in countless categories). </i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="font-family: "courier new";"><i> Today's blog is about the most *universally beloved craps dealer I ever worked with. His name is Bob Lee and he not only stands alone but there's a tremendous gap to whoever's second. </i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><b><i> In the coming weeks, my time at the Stardust Casino in Las Vegas will be featured. In those articles, "Courtesy" Bob Lee's name will come up frequently. </i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;"><b><i> Spoiler alert! My loyal followers are familiar with my 15% embellishment factor. I'm happy to report that Bob was so warped that 15% of his abnormal behavior is purposely watered down or omitted because you'd think I was a liar</i></b>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><b><i>* In an ironic twist, while Bob Lee had a tremendous positive impact on me and so many others, there was also a tiny yet strong community of conservatives coworkers who thought he was the devil. </i></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Thirteen-year-old Bobby looked up from his intricate
Civil War jigsaw and sighed aloud, “It was the best of times; it was the worst
of times...”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">He then thought;
</span><i>that Dickens knew how to cover his keister.</i><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His mind was wandering because he had a big school assignment due in two days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But neither the book nor the
puzzle was causing his greatest distraction; he was pining for his parents to
leave. <o:p></o:p></span></span></h1>
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<span style="font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Bobby's </span>folks traveled forty minutes away every other Saturday night to play bridge so this was his rare chance to listen to his radio programs in peace. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Robert
Edward Lee looked down at his puzzle and reflected upon the great Confederate
general for whom he was named.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; font-weight: normal; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; font-weight: normal; text-indent: 0.5in;">In fact,
Bobby had an appreciation for Southern culture and congeniality.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; font-weight: normal; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; font-weight: normal; text-indent: 0.5in;">He adopted those traits from his dad. </span><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span>Nine
years earlier his father, an ambitious life insurance salesman sold their
rural home in</span> <st1:place style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Mason</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">Tennessee</st1:state></st1:place><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; text-indent: 0.5in;">That property had been in their family for generations until moving to </span><st1:city style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Chicago</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; text-indent: 0.5in;">. </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">In
the big city, Bobby’s dad flourished. He combined his sense of hospitality with
enterprising hard work and outgrew his company.<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; font-weight: normal; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Soon, h</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; font-weight: normal; text-indent: 0.5in;">e uprooted his family again, to their current home in Rancho Palos Verde, an
upscale suburb of </span><span style="font-size: large;"><st1:city style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; font-weight: normal; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Los Angeles</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-weight: normal; text-indent: 0.5in;">
and opened his own office.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-weight: normal; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></span></h1>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent2">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"> Bobby seemed like </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">the epitome of serenity as he </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">hid his urgency at the dining room table. Like a Norman Rockwell painting, with classical music playing on the
phonograph, he pondered a misty, whitish gray puzzle piece edged in a medium, solid
gray.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"> Bobby</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"> stared at the semi-completed
torso of a rebel lieutenant poised atop a stone-wall.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">He was brandishing a broken saber reduced to
the size of a dagger as he rallied his troops to overtake a union artillery
battery.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Bobby turned the next piece
this way and that and became frustrated because he couldn’t connect the gray of
the tattered uniform with billowing, fiery smoke of a cannon’s discharge. Instead,
Bobby focused on the missing space at the officer’s stomach.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Morbidly, he envisioned the effect of an
exploding shell hitting someone’s mid-section.</span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"> A sudden twinge
of fear shuddered through his belly as his mother clomped down the steps in high
heels. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> She stood before
him and drawled, “Robert Edward, did you finish your book?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Bobby’s
mind shifted gears to the half-finished Dickens classic on his bureau.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He knew he shouldn’t procrastinate with
schoolwork to be done, but he longed for control of the forbidden radio.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">His
mother smiled as he huffed, “I was just going up.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">“Have
a good night; I’ll see you in the morning.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">She
went out the back door and joined her husband. Bobby’s dad took an eternity as
he backed-out his two-day old, brand new 1946 Packard through the alley along side the house.
Bobby rushed to turn off the music. From the living-room window, cloaked by the
drapes, he watched his parents disappear up the street.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">For the next four hours nobody would come
into the quiet house and nobody would leave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yet blood was about to flow and Bobby’s life was to be indelibly distorted as
the familiar clang of the upstairs shower pipes tolled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Unlike
Bobby who was confined to the house, his sixteen-year old sister Annabelle
Lenore had the autonomy to come and go as she pleased.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet she chose to stay home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Socially inept, Anna was not affable like her
father or brother. Tall and overweight, her otherwise plain face was plagued by
acne.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An unpopular girl, she was saddled
with a coarse, opinionated demeanor and had a habit of disliking people before they had a chance to dislike her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had no real girlfriends and there were <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">no </b>suitors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Anna’s
shower water was running unattended.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Bare, she stared through the steaminess at her skewed image in the
mirror.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Distressed by loneliness and perceived
ugliness, she deeply scraped her gnawed fingernails down her pimply face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anna was disappointed that she didn’t bleed and sobbed as she stepped into the shower.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">The
pipes were thumping overhead as Bobby opened the icebox.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He grabbed a bottle of grape Nehi and
advanced to the radio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like a
safe-cracker, he turned the tuner to his station’s sweet-spot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a few minutes, a wave of guilt brought
the French revolution and the travails of his novel’s heroin, Lucie Manette to mind. He took a long, thoughtful mouthful of his drink and succumbed to accountability. On his way up, he resolved to read
fifty pages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Bobby’s
first step on the upstairs hallway’s parquet floor was at the same time Anna
exited the bathroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clad in two towels
and looking downward, she attempted to affix a third towel, turban-style to her
head. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">The
boy didn’t realize that he was being waylaid and said “Hi.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Full
of pretense, Anna screamed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She raised her
arms and let the towel that shielded her sagging, varicose vein-scarred breasts
to drop. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bobby’s soda pop crashed to the
hardwood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Its fizzy liquid erupted
into purplish white, foamy gauze...the spewing contents of the cracked bottle looked
like a bloodstain against the brown floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">*</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">In 1980, I became a craps dealer at the Stardust Casino.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">In my third week there management, during my days off, changed the
craps dealer crews.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was nervous about
leaving the comfort of my original group as I struggled to connect the faceless
names on the revised roster sheet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Bob found me there and introduced himself. His
magnetic disposition was cordial and funny, plus he was enthusiastic about
working with me. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whatever anxiety I had
felt, Bob had magically dispelled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I would soon learn that Bob's persona was honed by being raised in three diverse settings while being nurtured by his father’s affinity for
people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His combination of charming manipulation, mercenary street savvy and an easy-going yet wry wit resulted in a man that easily got people to
like him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Our customers, (craps players), gravitated
towards these qualities which produced excellent tokes (tips).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore, nearly all the other craps dealers
wanted to work with Bob both economically and for pure entertainment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For these reasons he earned the nickname
“Courtesy Bob;” the most universally beloved dealer I would<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> ever</b> work with.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bob's peculiarities also included an odd mixture of extreme ethical opposites.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was worldly, yet rather
shortsighted in his close personal relationships.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bob was generous with his time and expertise but,
perhaps due to the stereotype of his Scottish ancestry, he was comically frugal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A health-nut, Bob took mammoth handful of
vitamins and preached the virtues of maintaining a proper diet, yet he was no
stranger to barbiturates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, where
Bob was most enigmatic was in regard to being a “Babe-Hound.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Despite dying his short-cropped Afro
chestnut brown, Bob, at five-seven looked </span><b>older</b><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> than he was.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">His cheery face was leathery and dominated by
deep, thick wrinkles.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Yet, he must have
given off a scent only women could appreciate because he didn't have the look of a lady’s-man.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Nonetheless, propelled by the gift of gab and incredible swag, hardly a shift would go by
without something sexual happening to him.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-spacerun: yes;">Bob was a master pick-up artist. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">He </span>sealed many deals with his signature statement by saying: “<u>Be-back</u> here,
later."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Then with a glowing smile he’d sternly add, “Between now and 4:AM (or some other specified
time) take a shower and brush your teeth or forget about it.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bob made me a believer because even though I wasn't privy to his small talk, I
witnessed a high percentage of success with that routine. So while his common nickname was Courtesy Bob, many others also called him, “Be-Back Bob."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> *</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bob Lee managed to inject sex into our
first conversation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">After greeting me he said, “You’re a kid, right?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I shrugged, “I'm twenty-four.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I got a problem. Maybe you can help?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Advice,” I beamed, “ask away.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“My son Louis will be sixteen in July.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What should I get him?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I dunno. Sporting goods?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bob shook his head, "No. What else?"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Stereo equipment?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He contritely said, “Louis has it
all.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“What’s his mother getting him?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Can you believe it; she’s knitting him
a sweater.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I ask you, we’re
in the middle of the </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">friggin’ desert</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> for God’s sake...is that impractical or what?”</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I was thinking, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">maybe he likes sweaters or needs one</i>, but Bob burst back, “She’s
always knitting something or other, it must be a fetish.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Suddenly, I had the definitive answer, “A car!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“No, no, no, we already settled
THAT.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let him get a job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He can pay for his own damn car.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“C’mon, give me a clue,” I whined.
“What’s he into?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“How should I know?” Bob scratched his
head, “He rides his bike to school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After dinner he gets back on his bike and hangs out with his
friends.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">At that point we were interrupted by
our other two crew members.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was time for my new team to go to work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On our way to our table Bob poked my
ribs, “I was thinking about hiring Louis a hooker.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">During my breaks, I questioned other
dealers about Bob.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I weighed the
information and deduced that he was a sex machine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although married to an attractive woman, Bob
had arranged his schedule, unbeknownst to his spouse, to be freed-up to carouse
on his first night off each week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had
accomplished this feat by taking her once to watch him play poker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He treated her like a princess and she sat
with him for ten hours. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next week,
he suggested that they do it again; she insisted he go alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bob <u>never</u> played poker again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In addition to his full night of carnal
revelry, due to his wife's work schedule, he was also unencumbered by responsibility after work every
night, (4:00AM).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He was obsessed by sex; if he
wasn’t doing it or talking about it, he was planning it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bob was not only a pick-up artist for
himself; his unique talent frequently brought multiple women into the
equation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In these situations Bob had a
pecking order of supervisors he’d invite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This brought about another quirk. There were times when Bob’s “guest”
would look at the options and remark that he didn’t want to get stuck with the
inferior girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Under those circumstances, Bob would
pretend to be angry and say, “Are you fucking crazy, that one’s mine!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There would never be a conflict because Bob always
gravitated to the least desirable choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Among these supervisors, Bob, in regards to tokes, had a “license to
steal.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Later that first night while standing
dead, Bob got more detailed in explaining his son’s birthday gift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was disturbed by his callousness but
politely listened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Steve, one of these days I’ll introduce
you to Dennis the bell captain,” he said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He’s the man to see when you need something
out of the ordinary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, if he doesn’t
have it, he’ll get it.” A broad smile blossomed on his face as Bob continued, “Dennis found this call-girl for me named Candee Cotton. Imagine that, she actually gave me a business card.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He excitedly laughed, “She’s twenty-three but
she’s so sweet and virginal, she looks sixteen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For $250.00, it’ll be arranged that she’s the daughter of a high
roller.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’ll take Louis in taxis to
dinner, a movie, whatever the hell kids do these days; then back to her room at
the Dunes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’ll think he’s getting
lucky.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bob paused when he saw the stunned look
on my face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Philosophically he explained, “She
understands her role. She’ll be very supportive and gentle. It’ll be
nice.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I almost choked on his words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“For that kind of
money,” he added, “she better be nice!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Regardless of what people say, you
still have to see certain things for yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That first night, Bob didn’t disappoint me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In most casinos, the PBX operators are
responsible for paging guests.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the Stardust,
the staff was prohibited from being contacted that way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, Bob devised a system of pseudonyms, for his regular “girlfriends” to page him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">To reduce the chance of scheduling
conflicts or being caught off guard, each caller identified herself by using a
designated alias. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bob got such a page shortly after
midnight, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Telephone call for Mr.
Million, Mr. Duane Million telephone.”</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bob perked-up, “Oh good, it’s my <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">West Covina</st1:place></st1:city> girl.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I hadn’t heard the announcement and asked,
“<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">West Covina</st1:place></st1:city>
girl?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bob explained his
system and added, “I’ll call her on my next break.” He then calculated
aloud, “If she leaves soon, she can ‘be-back’ here by four.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Between the dice rolls, Bob shared some of
his other code names: “Matt Lapper, is my San Bernadino girl, Dick Marathon, is
my Malibu lady, hell even if Phil Dole gets paged, I’ll know its my wife!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">An hour later, a pudgy dude in his mid-twenties waddled to our game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked like he
just walked out of a western clothes outfitter and played on Bob’s end of the
table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was wearing mint condition
powder blue sharkskin cowboy boots, stiff Wrangler jeans, and a white shirt
with a paisley design in the shoulders. His ensemble was topped off with a
light gray cowboy hat, which was enhanced by a black satin band that supported
a large, rakish white plume that hung backwards at a 45° angle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The man bought in for two hundred.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bob soon found out that his
name was Dirk Jones; that he had inherited a horse farm on an island, outside <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Brunswick</st1:city>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Georgia</st1:country-region></st1:place>
and, he and his wife Clarisse were in town to celebrate their first wedding
anniversary.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Through Bob’s friendly persuasion, Dirk had already tipped us thirty-five dollars when Clarisse arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At six-foot, she towered over her rotund husband.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was big-boned, had a rugged
face and an athletic physique.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To call
her overall looks plain would have been a compliment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although Clarisse had a wholesome complexion,
the natural curvature of her face left her small mouth with a pronounced frown. A chipped tooth and a crooked, twice broken nose dominated her looks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Masked by her cowboy hat, Clarisse’s plain, medium-length, brown hair was combed straight back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When she removed her rose tinted aviator glasses,
it revealed she that was unadorned by make-up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She wore the identical new clothes as Dirk but there were two distinct
differences in the way they were worn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Firstly, her shirt was unfastened, save the last two buttons; at and above
her navel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This fashion statement
exposed the bra-less cleavage of her over-sized breasts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Secondly, her hat’s fluffy red feather stood
erect.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When Clarisse arrived, she held her
right palm up and placed her left hand at her hip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">After hesitating for a few seconds she
twanged, “Dirk honey, give me some money.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">At first, her chubby hubby didn’t acknowledge her. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A few seconds later he said, “No.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Clarisse made a </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">playful, </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">half-hearted
grab for Dirk’s rack of mostly $25.00 chips and whined, “C’mon.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Damn Reesie, didn’t I give you ten
dollars an hour ago?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She stomped her foot and pouted as our
craps game carried on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clarisse dragged
over a slot machine stool and sat behind Dirk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>While examining her split ends, her exaggerated sighs of boredom served
well to distract him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bob gaped at her semi-exposed bust long
enough that she knew what he was doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> T</span>hey made eye contact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Bob smiled. </span>Clarisse smiled, turned her body and arched her back to exemplify her chest. Bob summoned her closer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To Dirk’s dismay, she squeezed between him
and the stickman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bob said, “Young lady, do you know how
to play our little game?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Clarisse shook her head as if too bashful to speak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bob then shamed Dirk into staking her $20.00
to play.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She won a few bets in a row and
now heeded Bob’s every word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The stickman called, “Six hard, no
field six.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bob chuckled, “The hard six. That’s the national average.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A few players grinned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bob paused and looked at Clarisse, “But not at my house.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She blushed, covered her mouth and looked
away from Dirk before giggling. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When Bob was relieved, he broke the
rigid dealer break schedule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of
leaving the pit, he came around and sent the stickman on another break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The staff didn’t care and the gamblers didn’t
notice this blatant disregard for procedure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Clarisse was now on Bob’s left as the
game heated up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone was
winning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> A</span> man “shoehorned” into
the spot to Bob’s right, there were nine players on each end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This new player peeled off five twenties and said, "One black chip in the field."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wished him luck and Bob added, “I
have a good feeling about you, you’re going to win.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A group of onlookers formed behind Bob
and strained to peer over the player’s shoulders to watch the mounting excitement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dirk was unaware or disinterested that
Clarisse wasn’t frowning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In fact, she and Bob were whispering
and laughing, when he called the next roll, “Four easy four.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bob not only reminded
everyone that the hard four lost but he waited until he had Dirk’s full
attention and said, “Don’t forget<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> your</b>
hardway.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dirk whipped two, five dollar chips
towards Bob and said, “One for me and don’t forget y’all.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What Bob did wasn’t unusual. What made
Bob special was, he also simultaneously maintained the game’s tempo, kept
Clarisse smiling and still had enough gumption to “butter-up” the field bettor
too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I followed the trajectory of the next
toss and noticed as Bob retrieved the dice, he rubbed left elbow across
Clarisse’s breasts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rather than being
repulsed, she leaned forward to create more friction. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">After back-to-back nines were rolled Bob
called; “Ten hard ten.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He brought the
dice back to the rest position in front of the boxman and whispered in
Clarisse’s ear, “Speaking of hard tens...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bob's left arm disappeared behind
Clarisse and her right arm disappeared behind Bob.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the crowd concentrating on the game’s
action, only I noticed them fondling each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When all the payoffs were complete Bob
asked Dirk, “Press up your hardway?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dirk responded by tossing in two more
reds and saying, “And don’t forget y’all.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Still with so much going on, Bob had
the wherewithal to tell the field bettor, “That's four winners in a row. How about one for me?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The man was unsold by Bob’s cheeriness
and snarled, “Are you crazy?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are a
hundred each!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bob crowed, “I know that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Set one down and Steve’ll change it up for
quarters.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a huff the field bettor
complied as if to say, imagine the nerve of some people asking for hundred
dollar tips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His next bet was one-fifty
for himself and fifty for the dealers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It too would win.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Two rolls later the field bettor left
as Bob and Clarisse continued pawing each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the hot roll ended, much of the crowd
dispersed as Bob was “re-relieved.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The incoming dealer tapped Bob off the stick. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He winked at me and said, “See you in twenty minutes.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Clarisse, (who had stashed six red
chips into her back pocket), handed Dirk the balance of her winnings and
declared, “Thanks Sugar. I gotta pee.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dirk was elated that his wife gave him
$85.00 and didn’t care where she was going.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bob lead Clarisse through rows of slot
machines, past the sports book and covertly through a door labeled, “Emergency
Exit.” Still inside the building, she
found herself in a large triangular, two-story anteroom with a two-flight metal
staircase on the left wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the
right, an unpainted cinder-block wall tapered in and led to the actual
exit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Opposite it, hidden underneath the stairs,
was a metal, battleship gray door with <b>“SNOW REMOVAL EQUIPMENT”</b>
stenciled on it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This door had a thick
silver hasp with a combination lock secured to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In this secluded alcove their lips came together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When Bob’s groping intensified Clarisse
wriggled free and whispered, “I don’t know about this...I need more
privacy.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bob sweetly kissed her cheek and said,
“No problem.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He stepped past her and
began turning the lock’s dial. “<i>Voila</i>,” he declared as he led her into
the musty darkness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He pulled a forty-watt bulb’s chain and
closed the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amid hibernating snow
blowers, rows of shovels, rock salt and sandbags, they lustily attacked each
other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In the dimness Bob paused. He peered
into her eyes and delicately kissed her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He seductively removed her glasses and hat and opened her shirt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His face feasted in her chest as his hand
pleasured her through her jeans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Clarisse eagerly massaged his
groin until Bob said, “Take it out.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When she obliged, he set a hand on her
shoulder and encouraged her down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
hesitated. He pressed a little harder and she relented.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">From her knees
Clarisse confessed, “I’ve never...” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bob cut her off in mid-sentence, looked
at his watch and said, “You’ll be fine.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He placed his hands at her temples and led
the novice where she’d never gone before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At first their rhythm was awkward. When they became synchronized, Bob
let up on his grip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Soon without guidance </span>she went about her task with considerable zeal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When she was done, she profusely thanked
Bob.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a tender caress, they left
separately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clarisse was first back onto
the casino floor...followed by Bob, thirty seconds later.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">At the end of that shift, we cashed out our tokes. Bob was still sharing intimate details about Clarisse as we clocked out. In the employee parking lot, Bob asked us each for $15.00.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">One of the other dealers asked, “Why?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bob was evasive until finally
saying, “It’s for a good cause.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The dealer said, “You’re gonna have to
do better than that...I ain’t givin’ away squat without a reason.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bob repeated himself three different
ways but it all ended with; “Trust me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Our huddled quartet stood in the darkness until Bob broke the impasse, “Lookit, we’re buying roses and
cigars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’ll cost sixty bucks because
I’ll have to throw Dennis the bell captain a twenty.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">None of us understood, so Bob added, “Look
you cheap bastards. When you work with me you get fringe benefits!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For one, Dennis lets me know in advance when
my regulars are coming to town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So...this
Thursday when my Mr. C. and his wife open the door to their suite, our roses
and stinky-ass cigars are going to be on the bed with a note.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trust me, he’ll come to our table first and
your measly $15.00 will easily return you a hundred!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We caved-in to Courtesy Bob’s allure
and ponied-up. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I was grinning all the way to my car
until Bob punctuated my eventful first night by calling out, “Steve, my West Covina
girl loves anal.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A mentor/protégé relationship spawned between Bob and
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We began socializing and he
counseled me in; real estate, retirement planning, stocks, gardening,
used cars as investments, simple auto mechanics, home repairs, day trips, game fishing and of
course nutrition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So when somebody said
anything derogatory about him, I was quick to defend him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> *</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On that Thursday, during my first
break, I got into an argument with one of Bob's detractors on whether he exaggerates his sexuality.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">To end the stalemate I said, “I like him, period! He’s a great friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> H</span>e might be perverted, but I have <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">respect</b> for the total, Bob
package.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">His rebuttal was, "Okay. But ask your good </span></span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">buddy how he lost his ‘cherry?’</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Then, get back to me and try to use the word ‘respect’
and Bob Lee in the same sentence.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> *</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Throughout the early part of that night,
Bob “casino-gazed” trying to spot Mr. C.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">While scanning the crowd he said, “I definitely decided to go through with my son’s ‘rite of
passage.’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“What do you mean?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Candee Cotton, you remember...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I nodded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bob continued, “The festivities will be
on July fourteenth. I reserved my kid’s exact birthday but I had to pay-up
today.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His face soured, “That whore was
quite adamant, no refunds!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If junior
can’t get it up or runs away, I’m screwed!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bob's topic made it appropriate so with m</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">y argument with his adversary weighing on my mind </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">I asked, “When did </span><b style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; font-size: x-large; text-indent: 0.5in;">you</b><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"> lose your virginity?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bob looked past me surveying the casino
and proudly stated, “Thirteen!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Wow, that’s pretty young, who was the
lucky girl?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nonchalantly he said, “Anna...my
sister.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My jaw dropped...I was speechless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite my sickened look, Bob cheerfully went
into a lurid oration.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Annabelle and I never got along. </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">When our folks left to play cards, we occupied ourselves as far away from each other as possible. One
time, she came into the hallway after showering wrapped in towels.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">She planned it so I’d be coming up the stairs
at the same time and she pretended to be startled.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Anna screamed and the towel covering her
chest dropped.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I was frozen in fear; I couldn’t
speak or move. Like a statue, I just stared."</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I said, "That's messed up."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bob plowed on, "She hollered, ‘You’re a sick pervert, I’m telling Mom.’”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bob paused, raised his right index
finger to stress his point and continued, “But she never picked up the
towel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Instead</span> her voice eased up and said,
‘Oh you like looking at my titties, don’t you?’ I wanted to run away so bad but
I couldn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She took a step closer and
said in a soft throaty way, ‘you little sex maniac.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess you won’t be satisfied unless you
feel them.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She guided my hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In no time, I was using both hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anna said, ‘I know you want to kiss and
suck them.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She put her hand on my hard
dick and angrily said, ‘I knew it, I knew it, you are a pervert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m telling Mom!’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I must’ve sniveled I’m sorry ten times until
she said, ‘Okay, I won’t tell but you’ll have to do everything I tell
you.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She led me onto our parent’s
bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Twice a month, for over three
years...we did it all.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">That was the most uncomfortable I ever
felt in my life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I was glad when the stickman’s cry,
“We’re coming out,” broke my uneasiness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Our game was opened for only a minute
when a well-dressed couple, both around fifty approached Bob’s end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Big Bob-A-Lou, how are you?” proclaimed the stocky,
gangster-like cigar-chomping man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before
Bob could answer, the man leaned over the table and whispered, “Bobby thanks
for them ‘heaters.’ How’d you remember I smoke Berings?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cocksure Bob broadcasted, “Mr.
C., the best deserves the best and you got me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now, who might this vision of loveliness be?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Oh, this is Therese, my
mother-in-law?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“My daughter,” Therese said, “wherever
the hell she is, liked the flowers.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">They remained on our game for hours,
swilling scotch and being entertained by Bob.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Mr. C. toked us continuously in ten-dollar increments and Therese did
the same, almost as frequently with fives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It was after 2:00AM, when drunken Mrs.
C. made her grand appearance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was
carrying her black stiletto heels and decadently dragging a narrow gray fur
behind her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was a plainly pretty, petite,
brunette around thirty years old. She was wearing a bright red silk blouse, a tight, black skirt cut above the knees and a gold <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fleur-de-lis</i>
stickpin adorned the lapel of her matching black jacket. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mrs. C. and her mother started
bickering in whispers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Therese said, “It’s getting late, I’ll
take Francine up now.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mr. C. played until we were going
home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He tipped his loose twenty-two dollars
plus a fifty dollar bill and said, “I’m going up. You guys were great, see you
tomorrow.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">That night, after skimming thirty-two
dollars per man for layoffs, we each took home $345.00 (mostly from Mr. C and Therese). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Outside the employee entrance Bob swaggered,
“It’s a good thing I’m not an, ‘I told you so,’ kind of guy.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Indeed, we were humbled for having doubted
him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bob called out sick the next night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The casino stuck us with an Asian kid off the
extra-board who was scared stiff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
first half of the shift, we made only a few dollars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At 1:00AM Mr. C.
showed up and asked me, “Is Bobby on a break?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“No, he called out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Oh, I hope he’s okay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Make sure you tell him Tom Cabroni was here.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mr. C. played with us but I struggled to duplicate Bob’s energy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I handed-off a winning come bet and set
up his new one with odds and asked, “Where’s the rest of your team?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“We ate in the Bacchanal Room at Caesar’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They stayed to see Dangerfield and some
singer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By now, I guess they’re playing
their quarter machines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know how
people can do that all night...it’s fucking boring. You play slots?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Caught off guard, I stammered, “N-Nah.
Slots are for women. Craps is my game.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“My Francine is addicted to that shit.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a thoughtful pause he added, “At least
she budgets herself to three hundred dollars. Would you believe it, one night last
year she didn’t come back to the room till seven in the morning?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And broke even.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr. C. chugged a double Johnny Walker Black
and said, “Either way, what a waste of time.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mr. C. took care of us but he never got
lucky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After an hour, of losing, he tipped us his last $12.00 in chips and added a twenty dollar bill. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He said, "Sorry, you guys are great but Bobby's the best. I bet even when he's sick, he's a load of fun to be around." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cabroni bounced from one table to another and was still playing when our shift was over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Two weeks later on July sixteenth, Bob came to my condo
in his mint condition 1963, split window coupe Corvette. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> He was proud to</span> describe how he chiseled down the price before bragging, “This ‘vette’ isn't a car, it's an investment.”
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> I said, </span>“It looks more
like mental masturbation.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Hey, I like
that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cryptically, he then
implied that the mental masturbation had cost over fifteen thousand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He stroked the
hood and said, “This is the original paint, they call it <u>ermine</u> white.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pointed to the red interior and added,
“Those seats are <u>leather</u>.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My eye caught his
“B-BACK” vanity license plate and I asked, “How did you explain that to your
wife?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Easy,” Bob chirped as we went inside.
“That’s my nickname, ‘B-Back Bob’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
told her the name comes from telling it to my favorite players.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She doesn’t have to know they’re females.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In my garden, Bob marveled at how well
my banana squash crop was doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While he made crude
dildo references, he explicitly toyed with the longest one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Suddenly, he stopped, “I knew
there was something I wanted to show you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Oh yeah,” I remembered. “How did it go
with Candee Cotton?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“No, no this first.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From his billfold, Bob removed a wallet-sized
photo of a woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Carefully, he put his
thumb over the face and gushed, “What do you think?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“She’s okay.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“OKAY!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What are you fucking blind?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I took a second look at the
spread-eagled woman posed with her hands clasped behind her head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I focused on her satiny black crotch-less panties
and her matching bra with cutouts at the nipples.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“It’s just a picture. Without the face,
it’s meaningless.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Swear you won’t tell anyone,” Bob warned
as he exposed the familiar face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
Francine Cabroni, Mr. C’s wife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Yes, this is definitely a great picture,”
I cooed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“For her, I call-out once a year and
she bankrolls everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time
after we got wasted, she wanted to go to the pornos...the first flick was
called, ‘Double Penetration Nation.’ When the second one came on, I gave her a
Quaalude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She got so horny; I had to
fight her off until we got to Crest Motel...Dennis the bell captain's connection gets me a cut-rate room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Believe me,
this minx is insatiable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> La</span>ter, I stick
her in a cab and what’s left from three hundred, I keep.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“So,” I impatiently asked, “what about
the birthday boy?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bob reluctantly changed the subject, “It’s no big deal.” But soon he began, “I’m getting ready to take
Louis to the Dunes and I didn’t like the way he was dressed. So, I told him to
put on slacks and shoes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Out of the
clear blue he said, ‘Dad you seem jumpy, I hope you aren’t sending me there for
sex...you do remember, I have a girlfriend?’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Whoa!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That must have been awkward,” I said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Louis said, ‘’cause that’s not what I
want for my birthday.’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I scratched my head and said, “Oh.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bob got worked-up, “I told the little
shit, this is the daughter of a high-roller, you gotta go! You wouldn’t want to
disappoint her? Then Louis bellyached, ‘but dad...’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I had to think fast and said; if you’re sure
that’s the way you want it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘Yeah dad, I
get sex any time I want.’ So tell me I said; what <b>do</b> you want for your
birthday?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘That’s easy, a new
bike.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean, that’s great. I’ll get you a bike.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bob paused.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">“I wanted to protect myself in case he
was flimflamming me,” Bob said. “So, I made one condition; you can
have any bike you want as long as it </span><b style="text-indent: 0.5in;">doesn’t</b><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> have a motor.”</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Well that must have sucked,” I said.
“No refund on your two-fifty from the prostitute, plus the price of a bicycle.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Melodramatically, Bob emoted ala Ronald
Colman, “It’s a far, far better thing that I am doing...”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I didn’t understand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“No refunds my ass,” Bob laughed. “I
made Candee Cotton my birthday present. I went in his place.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“That’s what I love about you; you always
come out on top.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He furrowed his wrinkled brow and concluded, “WRONG!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I should've said any bike from Sear's. I didn’t realize Louis was a frigging competitive
cyclist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He took me to a bicycle store and picked out a piece of shit imported from France. That sucker cost me seventeen
hundred and eighty nine bucks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Could you believe it...for that kind of money...it didn't have a motor.”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> *</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i><b>In 2005, I found out that Bob, (in his seventies) was still dealing craps at the Stardust. For a guy that who knew every investment angle, was flipping houses before the term was invented and probably still had the milk money his parents gave him when he was a child, it was sad to imagine him bent over a craps table at that age. Of course, he may have needed a truss and Viagra but it would have been worth it if his legions were still willing to be-back and be bent over themselves.</b></i></span></div>
Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12392111410804449860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787822525441125324.post-18170994750598888922019-02-03T00:43:00.000-05:002019-02-03T22:18:35.077-05:00THE PERFECT CASINO CRIME, STEALING THE MEGA SUPER BOWL BOX POOL MONEY<b><i>Philosophy-101, if you got robbed and it wasn't in your best interest to complain, was a crime committed? Even better, when a trusted person accepts illegal responsibility for a group who can't complain when they get robbed, where does his accountability end...if he too was a victim. </i></b><br />
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In the early 1990's, fifty-year old William "Bill" Derry was an Atlantic City casino floor supervisor and coworker of mine. From the outside looking in, most people would think he had the world by the balls. But Derry had four major vices; three of which he handled well but the fourth, (unseen to nearly everybody) was his downfall.<br />
<br />
Bill's first vice was being an all-consumed wheeler-dealer with an incredible energy to legally earn money. Derry owed much of his success to his semi-retired father's connections with a bus rental agency in Chester Pennsylvania.<br />
<br />
Derry capitalized on dad's influence to inexpensively charter buses, (later, he bought his own). He started by organizing sightseeing trips for casino workers, (plus friends and family), to New York City, Washington DC, Boston, Baltimore and Philadelphia.<br />
<br />
He soon parlayed his service to include Broadway shows, concerts and sporting events. Derry's all-inclusive service earned a loyal following because he provided a sandwich, chips and soft drinks to all the passengers...plus a customer satisfaction guarantee. So when one of his buses to Baltimore broke down on I-95 after an Orioles game at Memorial Stadium, he refunded 100% to everyone who suffered through the three-hour wait for another bus home.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibWYuUMPbELZYuwD0LTfc0ZkbnZ-Nf9TiIK1Lb8OCm2Q7Pafi55P0RF7hgbXQFr07_EtHaMADD17j33brgTjHrxPftZFRK2G0NNXCgU-gDNzWW2OTiSq1FNn_maA9KQVIomQN3cm8zEHDL/s1600/z+-+memorial+stadium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibWYuUMPbELZYuwD0LTfc0ZkbnZ-Nf9TiIK1Lb8OCm2Q7Pafi55P0RF7hgbXQFr07_EtHaMADD17j33brgTjHrxPftZFRK2G0NNXCgU-gDNzWW2OTiSq1FNn_maA9KQVIomQN3cm8zEHDL/s1600/z+-+memorial+stadium.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>THE 1990 GOODWILL REFUND FROM THE BALTIMORE TRIP REWARDED BILL DERRY WITH A RESPECTED REPUTATION WHICH RESULTED IN A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF POSITIVE, WORD-OF-MOUTH ADVERTISING.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Derry's broadening empire soon included buying two more buses. He used them to bring gamblers from New York's Chinatown, to, two different Atlantic City casinos. Those buses eventually grew to make three trips a day, every day of the year. He and his partner in Manhattan got a cut from each bus ticket sold and a casino kick-back too.<br />
<br />
Derry's next vice was being an excessive over-eater. Due to his weight, he earned his hated nickname, Bill "William the Refrigerator" Derry or simply, "Fridge."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDudcznTqkMMAJzR-X3ImUh7kySvBTBbqfHjZ86LXJcbVnUyohlB10RWHaKFvRUJ9T6moQpu8xFvZ2qAHqtlPvwEUNfH-gBoDFhAzz7OZVaEH_iX7NXwQ6I-sXjGMpJJUM477nud7IVtZ/s1600/z+-+fridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDudcznTqkMMAJzR-X3ImUh7kySvBTBbqfHjZ86LXJcbVnUyohlB10RWHaKFvRUJ9T6moQpu8xFvZ2qAHqtlPvwEUNfH-gBoDFhAzz7OZVaEH_iX7NXwQ6I-sXjGMpJJUM477nud7IVtZ/s1600/z+-+fridge.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>WILLIAM "THE REFRIGERATOR" PERRY (1962-PRESENT) PLAYED IN THE NFL FROM 1985-1993. HIS NICKNAME WAS IN REFERENCE TO HIS ENORMOUS SIZE, 6 FOOT 2 AND 335 POUNDS. BILL DERRY WAS NO ATHLETE AND WASN'T NEARLY THAT BIG...STILL THE NAME FIT.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Like William Perry (above) Bill Derry had an engaging, upbeat personality. So, he never let petty barbs get in the way of his cash flow.<br />
<br />
It's hard to believe that Bill's life-of-the-party spirit could ever get more robust but it did when his third vice kicked in...drinking. Derry was famous for leading hordes of people, after to work, to his favorite watering holes, (maybe he was getting a cut from bar owners too)? Bill was usually the first to order a round for everyone...even for the leeches who never bought anyone else a drink.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT1zjmpURCoPEZmL1GZpe-oBMVvWJcc4pX9NIk17NL5FpHwLfqftnTQ-5aqKfDW5I17LJKpz9LFzgThgo7A4xgI5K2l25C7UUcUVZHZVWdf3vBOl4j8vCMPVLtNoZ2bOvlpcHrUpblcSIT/s1600/z+-+heine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT1zjmpURCoPEZmL1GZpe-oBMVvWJcc4pX9NIk17NL5FpHwLfqftnTQ-5aqKfDW5I17LJKpz9LFzgThgo7A4xgI5K2l25C7UUcUVZHZVWdf3vBOl4j8vCMPVLtNoZ2bOvlpcHrUpblcSIT/s1600/z+-+heine.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>BILL WAS PARTIAL TO CHASING JAMESON SHOTS WITH HEINEKEN.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Bill held his liquor well and was never out of control. But when he was well-lubricated, he was usually an easy touch for sponge with a family or health crisis. Even at work, he was generous and likely to volunteer a donation to a bad situation or to help celebrate wedding and baby showers, special birthdays, retirees etc.<br />
<br />
In support of Derry, he had a live-in girlfriend Reiko "Reeko" Dunlap. A blackjack dealer in our high action baccarat pit, Reeko was a forty-year old, Indonesian divorcee. She combined a delicate femininity with an exotic look of raw sexuality. Reeko's flirtatious, outgoing nature and years of experience dealing in Las Vegas made her a toke (tip) earning magnet; as she made many high-rollers think they had a romantic shot with her. Even our jet-setter coworkers who tried to woo her with their self-professed machismo and offers of cocaine etc. were gently turned down. On the job, there were always gossip-mongers and jealous haters but no decent person I knew doubted her fidelity.<br />
<br />
On a rare occasion, Reeko spent her break at work alone. She had a way of sitting in a booth with her legs tucked under her body and putting on a pouty, I need male companionship face. This stance always caught my attention and made me think she was posing for a nudie magazine.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM1jMqQHTtSTzIEEY9pwvQW9iE5fbRrzDaCArWBYUDjgn5phLI64OXIMpfKnsRJKgvsEonbtZiYtu2fkGFxHufib_66yE7gAD70p8ML_l9pAFG-OkTRUKJCWbxelu7e6y4RCCXOEtRivw-/s1600/z+-+asian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM1jMqQHTtSTzIEEY9pwvQW9iE5fbRrzDaCArWBYUDjgn5phLI64OXIMpfKnsRJKgvsEonbtZiYtu2fkGFxHufib_66yE7gAD70p8ML_l9pAFG-OkTRUKJCWbxelu7e6y4RCCXOEtRivw-/s1600/z+-+asian.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>(Stock Photo) AT FORTY, REEKO WAS A FANTASY MACHINE. IT WOULDN'T SURPRISE ME IF SHE LOOKED LIKE THIS WHEN SHE WAS TWENTY.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Together Bill and Reeko were the ultimate power couple. Even though he was obese and she was nearly perfect, these soul mates were always on the same page. Their public shows of affection didn't occur often however the sexual chemistry between them was obvious. More importantly, this odd couple was most amazing when their sizzling gift of gab was channeled to satisfy their thirst for money, (he often bragged how they double-teamed a New York businessman, to solidify the Chinatown to Atlantic City casino bus junkets).<br />
<br />
Most people had to be at least a little envious of them. But there were red flags that should have been a clue to underlying problems. Bill and Reeko lived in a crumby apartment in Pleasantville and shared an unimpressive, eight-year old sedan. The reason why they lived like that and never went on vacation...was Bill's fourth vice.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ2oA94Sac-to3fcP5HDUOo9oAEgoUqILKTML2_NHtN4q0llFpeXUNXiG7Xk16PLyTBWMaY4b-mQdRVQBWwInGQStxNs0NHdzcxU_X6PXb_TbFXjWEUuVRJowP4l_9FkstTGm1IkxIZsgb/s1600/z+-+lebaron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ2oA94Sac-to3fcP5HDUOo9oAEgoUqILKTML2_NHtN4q0llFpeXUNXiG7Xk16PLyTBWMaY4b-mQdRVQBWwInGQStxNs0NHdzcxU_X6PXb_TbFXjWEUuVRJowP4l_9FkstTGm1IkxIZsgb/s1600/z+-+lebaron.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>EVEN ON THE DAY IT WAS INTRODUCED, THE CHRYSLER LeBARON WAS NEVER A COOL CAR!</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It was so out of character that Bill drove such a beaten-down, boring car. Far worse was the comical contradiction that when that hunk-of-junk was in the shop, he drove around in a little, yellow nursery school-sized bus with Pennsylvania license plates, (which was probably supplied through his dad's influence).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMmN-1s4aNE0Qo9XZI4u5aeu4YaZhutAyg5digHsXX_z1a7mFQysQkHqAz1sFmZ8uurHTGRjUE3CxorGCG5j1HGYyQ6MQbXMLx-o0kPLPXx2QwREQvAdAuJThJ0d0fZ46KvZHQBB8ry6ZM/s1600/z+-+bus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMmN-1s4aNE0Qo9XZI4u5aeu4YaZhutAyg5digHsXX_z1a7mFQysQkHqAz1sFmZ8uurHTGRjUE3CxorGCG5j1HGYyQ6MQbXMLx-o0kPLPXx2QwREQvAdAuJThJ0d0fZ46KvZHQBB8ry6ZM/s1600/z+-+bus.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>I REMEMBER HOW SHOCKED I WAS THE FIRST TIME I SAW BILL PULL INTO THE EMPLOYEE LOT IN THAT LITTLE, YELLOW SCHOOL BUS. BUT I WASN'T SHARP ENOUGH TO IMAGINE THE SYMBOLIC RELEVANCE OF SUCH A COOL GUY, DRIVING A GOD-AWFUL LeBARON <u>AND</u> HAVING A NURSERY SCHOOL BUS... IMPORTED FROM PENNSYLVANIA...AS A BACK-UP.</b> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
At that time, New Jersey casino workers weren't permitted to gamble in Atlantic City. So Bill feverishly entered into negotiations with the elders at the Foxwoods Casino, to bus his gambling deprived New Jerseyians to the Nutmeg State.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxfM9-ihK1AhV-kIUZVfd0R5YGRoYstgtKKFpJfkw56HzR8qCWL-PT7geSBnh3VCe5s67VRsubVd0P9oOSv7DuUJsA4drDxWg_JTatYEoZyvM2XE8HrayiTsupz3SM9Zx5vqXC_pzl7PeO/s1600/z+-+foxwoodsCas.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxfM9-ihK1AhV-kIUZVfd0R5YGRoYstgtKKFpJfkw56HzR8qCWL-PT7geSBnh3VCe5s67VRsubVd0P9oOSv7DuUJsA4drDxWg_JTatYEoZyvM2XE8HrayiTsupz3SM9Zx5vqXC_pzl7PeO/s1600/z+-+foxwoodsCas.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>BEFORE FOXWOODS OPENED IN 1986, NEW JERSEY CASINO LICENSE HOLDERS HAD TO GO TO LAS VEGAS TO GAMBLE...OR THEY STAYED IN ATLANTIC CITY AND WORE OUTLANDISH DISGUISES TO DIMINISH THE POSSIBILITY OF GETTING CAUGHT. NATURALLY, THE REALLY RIDICULOUS GET-UPS DREW <u>MORE</u> ATTENTION TO THE KNUCKLEHEAD TRYING TO KEEP A LOW PROFILE.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
One of our pit bosses heard that Derry was trying to make a deal with the Indians and said, "In the mean time, you and Reeko should come up to Connecticut with us and take a shot." <br />
<br />
Bill said, "No way! It's okay for my customers to work forty hours a week in a casino and then drive three hours each way on their days off...just to spend more time in one..." <br />
<br />
The boss said, "Yeah but..." <br />
<br />
Bill interrupted, "Me gambling in a casino, is like a Greyhound driver taking a vacation by bus."<br />
<br />
The hidden truth was Bill was already addicted to gambling but not on table games. He was a glutton for punishment through bookies. His first love was the ponies but during football and basketball season and to a lesser extent baseball, sports betting trumped his three other shortcomings.<br />
<br />
Bill kept this weakness secret. So despite his outward generosity when he had money, he was overwhelmingly broke. He was caught in a trap, riding a roller coaster lifestyle with more down cycles than up. Far worse, later it became known that his father's wish to permanently retire was hampered by having to bail his son out from dangerous, strong-armed collectors.<br />
<br />
While waiting for the contracts with Foxwoods to be finalized, Bill and Reeko got the idea of brokering a cruise. They found out that while plenty of people would go to Connecticut by bus, others with more discerning taste were willing to cough-up big bucks to do something colossal and unique with a group of friends...that included legally gambling, out at sea. Bill figured they'd get a volume discount from the cruise ship, give his customers a perceived deal while getting a commission for each cabin filled. In the end, they would get <u>paid</u>, to take a <u>free</u> vacation.<br />
<br />
At that time, (December 1991), Bill's friend, (a shift manager from his former job), told him that corporate lawyers had forced his old casino to officially ban Super Bowl box pools on the property. Bill's mind went into hyper-drive while his buddy blithered on about the usual yaddy-yada phrases like, "disciplinary action up to and including termination." Bill realized, in the past, upper management in Atlantic City turned a blind eye to these illegal, but highly publicized pools, (for different, yet modest amounts).<br />
<br />
Bill mulled this information and felt that the end of "legal" box pools was drawing near. That's when he recalled that Wall Street, executives have a Super Bowl box pool with a million-dollars at stake. That's when he hatched the idea for his own exclusive Super Bowl pool that would net him a free chance to make; $30,000.00, $15,000.00, $7,500.00 or a combination of those amounts.<br />
<br />
Derry's Atlantic City Super Bowl box pool would be the biggest in town, <b>EVER</b>! At a cost of $600.00 per box, he would create $60,000.00 in prize money, (there were a hundred boxes), Bill got the word out to every casino in Atlantic City. Like wildfire, the news spread quickly even beyond the gaming halls.<br />
<br />
At first, the payments came in slowly. But Bill took no chances on friends or strangers and extended no credit. All through January, while the NFL playoff tournament played-out, gamblers, (some weren't even football fans) came out of the woodwork to meet him, privately pick a box and pay.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiTpZr9bg6gzlc5XUY3UDtV3daxPXXrE5vy9ALhgzkPDQq0dvhwVogV2gT-BxcpLQhsuyuxqgcY5IswXZXQzF9JZy_VZVTlHNPWGhii5QwC4nQysuzDXvgWnjVAbWV6EKkS1mtkU1PF45N/s1600/z+-+box+pool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiTpZr9bg6gzlc5XUY3UDtV3daxPXXrE5vy9ALhgzkPDQq0dvhwVogV2gT-BxcpLQhsuyuxqgcY5IswXZXQzF9JZy_VZVTlHNPWGhii5QwC4nQysuzDXvgWnjVAbWV6EKkS1mtkU1PF45N/s1600/z+-+box+pool.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>A BOX POOL IS UNLIKE BETTING ON A SPECIFIC TEAM. EVERYONE HAS AN EQUAL CHANCE BECAUSE THE WINNERS ARE ARBITRARILY DETERMINED BY THE LAST NUMBER OF EACH TEAM'S SCORE. THE POOL STARTS WITH A TEN-BY-TEN GRID OF EMPTY BOXES. THE TEAM DESIGNATED AS THE HOME TEAM IS WRITTEN ACROSS THE TOP. THE VISITOR IS WRITTEN ON THE SIDE. BEFORE THE NUMBERED SEQUENCES ARE ESTABLISHED, THE BUYER SELECTS A RANDOM BOX. .</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In case of a surprise legal hassle, to avoid trouble, fictitious names are used in the boxes to protect the participants from incriminating them self. Some of the encrypted identities are simple initials but more creative ones include; nicknames (Ice-Pick), cute phrases (Dead and Buried), favorite teams, (Vikings #1), home towns, (The Nutley Nuisance) or toilet humor (Sir Farts A Lot) and of course perverted ones, (Opti-Lingis).<br />
<br />
Bill alone knew the real names and phone numbers of his encoded customers. When the next to last box was filled, Bill took the last one for himself, (he fronted the money but it was a virtual freebie because the winners almost always tipped the organizer).<br />
<br />
In the past, for other people's box pools, Bill used, "Bonnie and Clyde." But for his own, he merely wrote,"72," (a sarcastic reference to William "The Refrigerator" Perry's uniform number).<br />
<br />
Most everyone at work knew where Bill's dumpy apartment was. So as a precaution against theft, he told people, in confidence, that his father was holding the $60,000.00, in Pennsylvania. The reality was, the money was buried in one of Reeko's Neimann Marcus boot boxes, at the bottom of their bedroom closet. To insure a quick and efficient delivery, he had separated the jackpots into two packets of $7,500.00 and one each of $15,000.00 and $30,000.00.<br />
<br />
A few days before the big game, a ceremonial meeting took place to establish the positioning of the all-important numbers. To do this, twenty playing cards are used from a normal deck, (specifically the ace through ten of a black suit {spades} and the ace through ten of a red suit, {diamonds}). To avoid any hint of cheating or collusion, these cards are "washed," "riffled," "shuffled" and cut, (note the box pool sample above, it identifies the sequence of the cards and placement of the numbers for that pool).<br />
<br />
The winners are determined by the last number of score after the first quarter, halftime, the end of the third quarter and the final score. Like the old board game, <b>"BATTLESHIP,"</b> if you search where the two numbers meet, you'll find the winner's name.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYw6sZmJ9T4ptUrTFalQQiCZnInpcq9N_BD4NlyDnxhRagbprluWvX_5yb0FPsO76CFxJ7ENBIAS975AAlnmcIZCubs34HokCvzkNNXoe29BCjRLhVnffBdogQQD0CzOhdzntF0yshbR9P/s1600/z+-+battle.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYw6sZmJ9T4ptUrTFalQQiCZnInpcq9N_BD4NlyDnxhRagbprluWvX_5yb0FPsO76CFxJ7ENBIAS975AAlnmcIZCubs34HokCvzkNNXoe29BCjRLhVnffBdogQQD0CzOhdzntF0yshbR9P/s1600/z+-+battle.gif" width="299" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>HASBRO'S "BATTLESHIP" USES LETTERS AND NUMBERS TO FIND IT'S TARGET, (THEREFORE, "B-6" WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT SELECTION TO SINK YOUR RIVAL'S BATTLESHIP). THE SUPER BOWL POOL USES RED AND BLACK NUMBERS TO DETERMINE ITS WINNERS</b>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
So instead of sinking enemy war ships, by using the box pool grid (scroll up), you can see that "RS" was the first quarter winner because the Patriots (red) had 7 and the Giants (blue) had 3. If the score at halftime was Patriots 10 and the Giants 3, that would explain why "BB" won. If the score was Patriots 24 and Giants 17 after three quarters you can see why "BA" won. If the final score was Giants 27, Patriots 24...then "BA" would have won the third quarter prize as well as the grand prize final score, (because the Patriot stayed on 4 and the Giants added ten points and remained on 7).<br />
<br />
If that grid represented Bill's pool, "RS" would have won $7,500.00 for the first quarter. "BB" would have won $15,000.00 for halftime. And "BA" would have won $7,500.00 plus the $30,000.00 bonanza.<br />
<br />
On Sunday January 26, 1992, the actual Super Bowl for Bill's pool featured the Washington Redskins and Buffalo Bills. I had to work that night but Bill and Reeko were off. In a party-like atmosphere, Bill arranged a free buffet at a bar in Egg Harbor Township which drew a crowd of participants, their friends and curiosity seekers from work.<br />
<br />
On one of my breaks during the early second quarter, the game was tied at zero. I was sitting next to roulette floorman Jimmy Hu. <br />
<br />
Hu pointed at the Xerox sheet that Bill Derry provided with all the boxes and numbers and said, "I got the shittiest numbers." Hu showed me the 8-8 box that had his coded name, <b>"WHO'S ON FIRST.</b>" He added, "I got no shot." When I shrugged he pointed at 0-0 and said, "Do you know <b>'GIRL POWER,' </b>he won the $7,500.00 first quarter."<br />
<br />
The halftime score was Washington Redskins 17 and Buffalo Bills 0. So whoever <b>"JELLO-n-MILK"</b> was, they had black, zero and red, seven and won $15,000.00.<br />
<br />
The score after three quarters was Washington 31 and Buffalo 10 that made a $7,500.00 winner out of <b>"GOOFY AND PLUTO."</b><br />
<br />
I wasn't involved with betting on the game so to me it was a dull blow-out. Towards the end, I was sitting on break next to a pit boss. He was silent as we watched the game's last few minutes dwindle. When the Bills scored what seemed like a meaningless touchdown, the score became 37-23. A crazy bolt of electricity shot through him. <br />
<br />
I asked, "Are you okay?" <br />
<br />
He whispered, "If Norwood kicks this extra point..." He took out his pool sheet and showed me the box where the red 7 box, met the black 4 box...it read: <b>"COL. STINK-FINGER." </b>He said, "Then, if there is isn't any more scoring...I win thirty grand!" <br />
<br />
I said, "What if he misses?" <br />
<br />
He gave me a dirty look, found the red 7, black 3 coordinate and murmured, "Then this, <b>'BRAIN DONOR NEEDED,'</b> guy wins."<br />
<br />
I wasn't on his shit list long because the kick <u>was</u> good and the scoring <u>was</u> over.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, twenty miles away at Bill's Super Bowl party, everyone in the bar was begging Bill for Col. Stink-Finger's identity. Bill never noticed during the game but Reeko kept handing him phantom Jameson shots that she bought. He was still in control but he was noticeably drunk as he announced who the big winner was.<br />
<br />
Lost in the excitement, Reeko got in Bill's LeBaron and went home. An hour later, Bill didn't need to be a Sherlock Holmes to figure out why Reeko and his car were missing. He got in a taxi and sped home. He was relieved to see his car out front. But the apartment was empty and so was the boot box with $60,000.00.<br />
<br />
It was the perfect crime. Bill couldn't involve the police. He correctly assumed that she would be abandoning her job so complaining to his employer would only jeopardize his position.<br />
<br />
In desperation, Bill called every casual friend Reeko had. He questioned coworkers and came up empty. He realized the only people out-of-town that she was in contact with was a cousin and her family, a girlfriend (Nadine) and Reggie Dunlap, her ex-husband...all of whom lived in Las Vegas.<br />
<br />
On Wednesday afternoon Bill Derry landed in Vegas. He knew the addresses and casinos where they all lived and worked. Bill staked-out Reeko's cousin's house and accosted her in the street. He was so angry the innocent girl cried. He believed that she hadn't seen or heard from Reeko.<br />
<br />
Nadine dealt blackjack at the Frontier Casino. <br />
<br />
When he got there, a pit boss said, "She called out yesterday and today." <br />
<br />
Bill went to Nadine's apartment. He sat on a park bench across the street for hours until Reeko and her friend came home. They were carrying several bags from high-end department stores. Bill was annoyed by Reeko's new cowboy hat. An impulse came to mind of how great she looked in a tight skirt and spiked heels when she dealt. He snapped out of his daydream, timed his approach and came upon them as the front door opened. He forced his way inside. A violent argument started. Bill searched the guest room as the girlfriend screamed for help. <br />
<br />
Bill said, "Go ahead, call the fuckin' cops too." <br />
<br />
The girl stopped yelling as Bill found a treasure trove of cash. He knew that he had carefully packaged the money so he could see at a glance that a big chunk was missing.<br />
<br />
"Where's the rest of it?" <br />
<br />
Reeko snarled, "I spent it..it gone." <br />
<br />
He readied a backhand slap but Reeko defiantly, stood her ground. Bill stopped himself and grabbed up as many shopping bags as he could. At the door, he threw them down in futility. He was about to tell Reeko that he loved her as Nadine lashed out in a profanity laced tirade. <br />
<br />
Reeko cut her off and softly said, "'Fridge,' be happy with what you have and go." <br />
<br />
Bill stood frozen in disbelieve for several seconds. He reflected on the biggest fights in their gambling, codependent relationship and that she never called him by any form of his hated nickname. Defeated, without speaking, he slunk away.<br />
<br />
On the flight home, Bill regretted not going through the rest of the apartment or Reeko's purse. He was $22,000.00 short of the jackpot money. He made five phone calls. The last four was to inform the pool winners that he would pay them in full...in installments. The first call was to tell his father why he needed so much more money. Now, almost thirty years later, I wonder if the senior Mr. Derry ever got to fully enjoy retirement.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><i>Bill Derry made good on his word and paid his mega Super Bowl box pool winners in full. Even without his right hand (Reeko), he continued being enterprising for quite some time. I can't remember when or how he separated with my casino. But I do know the only time I ever saw him in the employee lot without that beat up Le Baron, he was driving a little yellow school bus.</i></b>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12392111410804449860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787822525441125324.post-66724831278793153512019-01-21T00:43:00.000-05:002019-01-21T00:43:05.810-05:00PART-3, PETER PARTY<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><i><b>The first two parts of "PETER PARTY" set the stage for the lethal, worldwide epidemic that few people understood in 1979. Part three goes beyond homophobia and the painful struggle of one man. It identifies the culprit that changed all sexuality before this mass murderer had a name.</b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> *</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Peter and Gregory were calling each other Dopey and Grumpy in anticipation of their two-day romp through Disneyland. They had no way of knowing their fun would be derailed in just a few hours. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> In the hot, smoggy, Southern California sun, t</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">hey were each toting bulky packages from the Lenox
Shop.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Peter stopped, felt faint and dragged himself to a shaded picnic table.
Confused, Gregory watched Peter swoon as his eyes roll up into his head. Gregory propped him up for ten seconds. In a panic, he slapped Peter.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Disoriented, Peter moaned, “Was I out long?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Gregory
gasped, “I’m getting help.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Between coughs, Peter
woozily called out, “Where’s my Lenox? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Later
after some rest and superficial treatment, Peter was discharged from the first
aid station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> In a courtesy wheelchair, a </span>teenage hostess pushed Peter
out of the park with his cherished, glass, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," figurines on his lap.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> *</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> On the afternoon of
the “Leather and Lace Ball,” Peter rang our bell. Toby opened the door. He was leaning against the exterior wall, frozen pathetically in a frail posture with facial bruises and cuts.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">She ushered him in and ran for her
medical kit. Stu lectured him about dumping Gregory as</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> l</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">istless Peter plopped into the Frobel's La-Z-Boy recliner.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Toby
was swabbing Mercurochrome on his injuries when I mentioned to Stu, “Toby’s
very nurturing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’ll be a great
mom.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Stu responded with a harsh dirty look. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">I
suddenly realized that having children was a touchy subject as Peter struggled
to catch his breath, “It w-w-was like that scene in ‘Psycho.’ Gregory came
after me with my twelve-inch serrated chef’s knife.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Stu bellowed, “How much did you give him
this time?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Nothing,” Peter said, “I told him to kill
me...that way he won’t get <b>any</b> of my money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I said the <st1:place w:st="on">Union</st1:place>
76 station was hiring and that pumping gas would be good for what's left of his soul."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I said, "Good for you."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Peter said, "No. The lout cut the wires off my
stereo and threw it in my car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tried to stop him when he came back for the speakers but he knocked me down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Gregory came back again with an empty oilcan carton. He probably found that disgusting box in the trash and c</span>rudely threw my
new Disney Lenox in it. I grabbed his arm and he attacked
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s probably at a pawn shop right
now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">While
Peter was recuperating Toby sighed, “I gotta go, I promised to help Larry-Wayne dress for the ball.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Peter gasped, “I’ll be okay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You don’t want to keep our <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">prima
donna</i> drag queen waiting.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Glossy-eyed Peter looked terrible but he was anxious to be apprised of Larry-Wayne's metamorphosis. He called his apartment
three times for updates. Finally, Toby took the phone off the hook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peter managed to stand. He paced for a minute like an expectant father until collapsing back into the chair. He blew his nose and complained about dizziness until falling asleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">I
ran some errands. Two hours later I found Peter snoring in the same
spot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">He woke up as</span> Toby triumphantly
returned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">She opened the door and arranged Peter, Stu and I on the sectional sofa. She began humming the “Miss </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">” theme but Larry-Wayne
wasn’t responding to his cue.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">In
a singsong voice Toby called out, “Hortense honey, your public awaits.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Larry-Wayne appeared in the doorway in a Garbo-like pose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He entered in white pumps and struggled with
his balance to gracefully pass us in heels. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Stu
commented, “Hey lady, you’re the best dressed guy here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Larry-Wayne
was wearing an ankle-length; ecru gown with lacy edging that Toby found at
Goodwill. She altered this backless frock that now featured a provocative
slit up the front.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His
ensemble was accessorized with elegant, long white gloves and costume jewelry. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Larry-Wayne
tried to be campy but he was also bursting with pride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He stumbled through the living room,
completed a loop via the kitchen and gave us a congenial wave as he passed the
transom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">“What
do you think?” Toby crowed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Peter
said, “Lovely. But he <b>is</b> going to shave?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">“Yes,”
Larry-Wayne said impatiently with a little stomp of his foot. “My face, but <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">not</b> the mustache.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Sensing
Larry-Wayne was getting defensive Toby injected, “Just wait till I finish his
make-up.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">“If
those gloves were a little longer,” Stu mused.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Your arm hair wouldn’t show.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">I
had no relationship with Larry-Wayne but I thought it was harmless to add, “For
such a special occasion, a nice girl would shave her back.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Annoyed,
Larry-Wayne put his foot on the coffee table and said, “Do you think I
should shave my legs too?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">From a foot away we
looked at his overly hairy leg.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Slowly
the gap in the material parted as his dress’ slit widened past his knee until
his exposed penis was staring us in the face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Simultaneously Stu and I rose to scream our
disapproval.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Larry-Wayne felt threatened.
He jumped out of his high-heels and ran, laughing all the way back to his
apartment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">That night, Toby, Stu and I got to Peter’s cocktail party fashionably late. His apartment was crammed with gays in masquerade costumes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Larry-Wayne, fully made-up and resplendent in
dazzling, faux, gold earrings grabbed a copper soup tureen and started banging it
with a wooden spoon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Announcement, announcement,” he decreed while motioning towards Peter. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Peter was not dressed for the occasion. Instead, on this warm night, he wore jeans and a cable-knit sweater. He staggered to his feet at the kitchen table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> He looked worse since the afternoon because I noticed d</span>arker hollow pockets under each eye and his lesion-like pimple was bigger and contrasted
his ghostly pale face. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Peter
was shivering as he squinted and pointed to us in the cluttered doorway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">In a weakened, yet dignified tone he uttered,
“These are my straight friends, please don’t hit on them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Ostracized,
Gregory sat alone in the furthest corner of the room swilling beer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the kitchen, Larry-Wayne was stirring his
version of bug juice as his latest pretty-boy pawed at his posterior. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Peter whispered to the Frobels, “I’m feel awfully sick...I’m not going to the
ball.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stu joked, “What is it...Irritated Bowel
Syndrome?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“No silly. I’m having trouble...” After
muffling a cough Peter panted, “I’m having trouble breathing.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Suddenly,
Larry-Wayne more emphatically banged the copper tureen and screamed,
“Emergency, emergency! Fuckin’ Gregory threw fuckin' acid in the fuckin' punch.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">To
the distinct clinking sound of glasses being set down, fleeing Gregory pushed through the throng on his way out. Seconds later as the
sound of beer bottles being twisted open filled the air, everyone’s attention
went to the kitchen table. Peter had fallen off his chair and lost
consciousness. Stu tried to resuscitate him but Peter wasn’t responding to his
amateurish try.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
an attempt to assure everyone Peter was okay and to clear the room Stu
broadcasted, “You go ahead. Peter’ll catch up soon.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stu and I, with a great sense of urgency
carried the limp body to Frobel’s car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
was left to close up the apartment as Toby and Stu sped Peter off to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">Valley</st1:placetype> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Hospital</st1:placetype></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">In his three days in the hospital, Gregory never
visited or called.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> On the fourth day, Toby, Stu and I were shocked to find out that Peter Party </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">succumbed to what was diagnosed as walking pneumonia</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> A week later, Larry-Wayne told Toby about the autopsy results. He also said that Gregory was not only interrogated by the police but they did a criminal investigation on him. There was no evidence of foul play so charges were never filed.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Even the
tainted bug juice wound up being a hoax.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">An over-flow crowd lined the perimeter of Peter’s non-sectarian funeral. The
mortuary’s assistant director was conducting a dispassionate eulogy as a murmur
filled the air. Distracted, most eyes turned off the speaker as intoxicated
Gregory brusquely entered the standing-room-only chapel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Sloppily
attired, wearing army fatigue pants and his new purple tie-dyed Mickey Mouse
tee shirt, Gregory stumbled forward. The disruption continued as he loudly
struggled to find a seat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually, at
the front row, Gregory rudely jammed in next to Larry-Wayne.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Larry-Wayne shunned him and got up to stand against the far sidewall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Upon
finishing his tribute, the assistant director individually called five others
to the rostrum to say some benevolent words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Larry-Wayne was the last of these people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Larry-Wayne was not a gifted public speaker. He bent down
until his lips almost touched the microphone’s bulbous end while grasping its
long shaft with his right hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Larry-Wayne contorted his body to read directly from his prepared
text.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> He r</span>ecognized his futility, looked away from his index cards and leered at Gregory. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">In that awkward moment, Larry-Wayne took a deep breath </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">and stammered, “B-b-bad things happen to n-nice
people.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Larry-Wayne couldn't continue. He sobbed as the gallery gaped at Gregory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pressured, Gregory hustled towards the exit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Larry-Wayne ripped the microphone from its
mooring, pointed at escaping Gregory and cried, “And good things happen to bad
people!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">The reading of the
will took place at the law offices of Dewey, Horowitz and Howe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Along with a stenographer, Executor Jerome
Horowitz sat on one side of an oblong conference table. Opposite him were
Peter’s uncle and his lawyer who had flown in from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Cannon Falls</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">Minnesota</st1:state></st1:place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To their left was Larry-Wayne.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At each end of the table was a conservatively
dressed stranger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">At
precisely 10:00AM, Horowitz welcomed everyone and introduced himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He expressed his sympathies, checked his
watch and asked the stenographer if she was ready.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">“It
doesn’t look as if anyone else is coming,” Horowitz stated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“This will is uncomplicated and I anticipate
our meeting will be brief.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">After
some ancillary details were addressed, tension filled the room as the reading
started. The Frobel's were included in a short group of uninvited friends and associates who were given $25,000.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“To Laurence Wayne Tate,” Horowitz continued. A
list of thirty semi-precious and household items were read into the
record.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The solemn mood was broken as the room's polished oak door slowly
opened. Gregory wistfully poked his head in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Holding a safari hat, he sheepishly entered wearing the same camouflage
pants from the funeral and a florescent lemon-yellow Izod shirt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gregory, beaming haughtily, settled himself
between the stranger at the far right and Peter’s uncle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Horowitz
cleared his throat to diplomatically signal for decorum and continued,
“Additionally, I entrust to Mr. Tate, the responsibility and well being of my
cat, Precocious.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Gregory
leaned forward and caught eye contact with uneasy Larry-Wayne.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">“To
defray costs and to properly support this endeavor,” Horowitz concluded, “I
bequeath to Mr. Tate the sum of $100,000.00.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Gregory, who had collected on Peter’s $100,000.00 life insurance policy
earlier in the week, cockily stared at Larry-Wayne.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Intimidated, the recipient didn’t notice
Gregory curl his lower lip and nod as if to say, not bad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Horowitz cleared his throat and stated,
“To Gregory Yale Billingsley, I leave my cremains.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From a cabinet behind him, the lawyer
produced an ornate bronze urn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> H</span>e said to Gregory, “I will discuss privately the manner in which Peter's ashes are to be dispersed.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Horowitz added, “Moreover, I bequeath to Mr. Billingsley
$100,000.00 and the remainder of my worldly possessions.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">There
was a brief moment of quiet before Gregory jumped out of his seat and cried,
“That’s it...a hundred fuckin' G's?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Horowitz resembled a judge as he pounded
the table with his palm and demanded, “Sit!” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> It was now Peter’s uncle and to a
lesser extent, his counselor’s turn to smirk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Greater
apprehension filled the room as Horowitz deliberately rearranged his papers
before announcing, “And in finality.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Peter’s
uncle, smelling blood, lurched forward and greedily glowed in anticipation.
Gregory, feeling robbed of the bulk of Peter’s fortune muttered profanities as
he listened intently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Uncertain,
Larry-Wayne looked out the window and worried about having to be chained to the cat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
bereft of emotion, the two polarized strangers idly observed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Horowitz repeated, “In finality... I leave
the remainder of my estate, in excess of $672,000.00, to be divided evenly with
the Las Vegas ASPCA and the Nevada Burn Victims Fund.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Wailing, Peter’s uncle ranted into the
Horowitz’ face as his attorney spouted legal precedent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">The
two strangers were calmly shaking hands when Horowitz again pounded his table
and asserted, “This will is valid and incontestable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These proceedings are over.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Gregory took a cab to a bar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Alone, in a quiet alcove, h</span>e set Peter's cremains on the table and thought about lawyer’s
suggestion to “discreetly” spread Peter’s ashes throughout <st1:place w:st="on">Disneyland.</st1:place></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> He was wasted when he took another taxi home. Instead of walking towards the path that led
to his apartment, Gregory went two-hundred feet out of his way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At a dumpster, he callously tossed in
Peter’s funerary canister.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Inside
the apartment, Gregory immediately telephoned a used furniture store and began a week-long process of
liquidating everything...even articles earmarked for Larry-Wayne.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wouldn’t matter because Larry-Wayne had already came, packed
his scant belongings and left with no intention of returning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Two days later, Larry-Wayne realized he "forgot" the cat but didn't care. He had no way of knowing but t</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "courier new";">he
issue of caring for Precocious was moot because Gregory had already poisoned
it.</span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Poetically, Peter’s ashes and his
cat’s remains were interred in the same garbage heap.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Displaying similar
symptoms as Peter, three other attendees of his funeral soon died.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The authorities never linked Gregory to what
would become a rapidly developing global epidemic. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">In 1983, I put a
TV talk show on in the middle of a stand-up comedian’s routine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> He joked that he had AIDS. I had</span> never heard the term.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">The
comic finished his act by saying, “So I told my mother, don’t worry I’m not gay...I’m
Haitian.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t understand but the
audience responded as if it was the funniest thing they ever heard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoHeader" style="tab-stops: .5in;">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">In the style of a
wealthy vagabond, Gregory, a carrier of the deadly disease, crisscrossed the
country infecting countless men with <b>A</b>cquired <b>I</b>mmune <b>D</b>eficiency
<b>S</b>yndrome.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Thirty-five years later, no longer sexually active, “healthy” Gregory lives a comfortable, eccentric hermit's life, in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Key West</st1:place></st1:city>.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> *</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><b><i>By 2016, it was estimated that 36.7 million men, women and children have died from Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Since awareness has risen and treatment options have improved, the numbers have decreased. However, there's still no cure.</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><b><i>Through education, the public has a better understanding that AIDS victims are not singularly homosexual. So while the percentage of ignorant, intolerant people may have decreased over time, the sheer number of them still see the gays as pariahs.</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><b><i>We all have freewill. So whether you support the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) community or not, we should respect everyone's right to choose what's right for them. Yes, gays do live difficult lives.</i></b> </span><br />
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<br />Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12392111410804449860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787822525441125324.post-4716888984584731592019-01-14T00:43:00.000-05:002019-01-14T08:23:33.198-05:00PART-2, PETER PARTY<br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "courier new";">In <u>PART-1</u> of this story, </span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "courier new";">homophobia and </span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "courier new";">the </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">general attitude towards gays in the l</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">ate-1970's were addressed. </span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> <u>PART-2</u> will now discuss the tendency of the straight community to forget that gays </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">aside from their sexuality, </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">have the same wants, needs and aspirations as they have.</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><b><i> Before the reader finishes this section, the inevitability of <u>PART-3</u> will be obvious.</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Ciro drove us to the party at Stu Frobel's apartment.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Along the way, I was thinking of the Spear’s when I commented, “You’ll
know this place is a real shit-box if I don’t move in.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">The
Flamingo Royale Apartments was a beautifully landscaped series of four, three-tiered units with their own grassy, chaise lounge-filled courtyard and pool. A fifth, </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">premium-priced </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">section that included the management office, clubhouse with a gym, lit tennis courts, an Olympic-sized pool, Jacuzzi, sauna and laundry room was in the center.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Stu Frobel's place was in an outer arm of the complex. From
the parking lot, Ciro and I were easily attracted to unit #65 by an invisible divining
rod that used raucous music and the alluring aroma of barbecue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stu, with an Italian sub in hand, saw me turn
into his courtyard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He waved us
over and handed Ciro and me a Mason jar. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> He pointed to a plastic tub filled with icy liquor and floating fruit chunks, “Try the bug-juice.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Over thirty
people were dancing, swimming and laughing. Tipsy Stu introduced us as we mingled through his neighbors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">I nudged Ciro, “Just like the
parties Hal Spear would throw.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">“C’mon,”
Stu said as he handed us each a burger, “follow me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Inside his apartment, we met his wife
Toby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I soon found out that she was
friendly, quick-witted and intelligent...and another fellow New Yorker, (Flushing Queens).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Toby (27) was over-qualified at a furniture
store where she put in <i>beaucoup </i>hours and netted a scant living as a
commissioned salesperson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At a hundred
thirty-five pounds, Toby was a squat five-foot-two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had long stringy auburn hair, wild
reddened eyes and a set of blackened teeth that caused her to avoid smiling. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before giving us the grand tour, Toby
handed Stu a tray of hot <i>hors d’oeuvres</i> and said, “Bring these out.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">I
soon realized that the only thing better than her personality; was the spacious
living quarters that she was offering me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Back at poolside,
Toby called over a thin man in his late twenties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This cheerful fellow was wearing a
tawny, yellow polo shirt with a solid red bandana, tied like the letter “X”
around his neck. A small dark pimple on his cheek distracted an otherwise
immaculate, pale complexion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Toby
teased, “Somebody has that freshly laid look about him.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He blushed with a swishy head shake conveying
that nothing could be further from the truth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">“This
is Peter, from two doors down,” she said. “We call him Peter Party because this
shindig isn’t shit compared to the bashes he throws.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Dainty Peter dipped his jar into the punch for a
taste and in an effeminate voice pouted, “Ugh, it’s so watery.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Purposefully, he scooted off to his apartment and
returned with partial bottles of grain alcohol and vodka. Peter victoriously
emptied their contents into the mixture. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> He sampled the concoction and throatily
uttered, “Much better.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Peter I love your bandana,” Toby said as
she sipped from her Grateful Dead coffee mug.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Is it new?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Yes I just got it,” he answered.
“Actually, it’s a neckerchief.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Stu, between hiccups interrupted, “I thought it
was a ribbon.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">We all laughed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peter huffed, “I’m
exhausted. I must sit down.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was
singing, “Tie a <b><u>Red</u></b> Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree,” as he
pranced away like a woodland sprite. At an umbrella table, he hugged and politely kissed a bare-chested, muscular, dark complected man with long black hair and sat down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Toby took Ciro and me away from the
mainstream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She rehashed the perks of
living there and described where the amenities were.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> Ciro chimed in, “Dimi (his nickname for me) if you
don’t move in, I’m breaking <u>my</u> fuckin’ lease.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Toby went into a comical repartee that cut-up her neighbors
with catty remarks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Who are our hosts?” I asked. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“They left fashionably early,” she began.
“The boyfriend showed us the sex toys they bought from the jackpot he hit.
They’re probably neck-deep in tapioca trying them out right now.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were all laughing as she continued,
“Now ‘Mr. Red Ribbon’ on the other hand, he's a real sweetheart.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I said, “Peter?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Toby said, “Yeah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> H</span>e’s really loaded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few years back he inherited a ton of
money.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">“Wow,
that’s so cool,” Ciro said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">“Not
exactly,” she whispered. “His folks were killed in a car accident back in <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Minnesota</st1:place></st1:state>; his younger
brother was badly burned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kid survived
a couple of surgeries but died too. Later, some uncle had the brass balls to
contest the will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The asshole had no
case but Peter’s sexuality was dragged through the mud. In such a small town,
Peter’s life was in shambles so he moved here.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Dumbfounded,
Ciro and I gaped at each.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">“Peter doesn't need to work," </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Toby said, "b</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">ut he likes being a maitre'd in one of the gourmet rooms at the Sands.” </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">She then pointed out a gaunt man with beady
eyes sitting alone. “That’s Gregory (40)...” In a vexed manner she sneered, “That prick is Peter’s anti-social, unemployed other half. He’s out of his mind. Nobody likes him.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">“Sounds
real wholesome,” I mused, “Peter’s folks would have been so proud.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">“It
gets worse,” Toby said. “In their other bedroom, they have Larry-Wayne, another leech. It’s annoying to Peter that Larry-Wayne's a whore and brings home 'flavor of the week,' strays.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Ciro
and I laughed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">“It’s
not funny,” she asserted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Peter is a
doll and pays all the bills. Those freeloaders do nothing but sponge-off
him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">My eye caught a tall, skinny, formless blond in a bulky, blue gingham bikini crossing in front of
us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her face was
gloomy, bony and plain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stood alone at the pool's edge and slugged down a giant cup of bug juice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Seconds later, w</span>e watched her pound a second helping down her throat before sipping on another refill. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“That’s Lona Ekadamitzky (25),” Toby said,
“she’s a change-person at Sam’s Town. The poor girl is insecure and doesn’t say much. Her husband is always loudly accusing her of
cheating on him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But she’s not the type.
That douche-bag is so stuck on himself that he takes her devotion for granted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some bastards just feel better when
they knock their women around.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Ciro
broke the tension with an unintentional belch </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">and asked, “Which of these geniuses is her husband?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“We won’t see him tonight, he’s working.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Horst deals BJ on swing shift at the Maxim.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Horst Ekadamitzky!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s he a foreigner?” wondered Ciro.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Nah,” Toby shrugged, “he’s from <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ohio</st1:place></st1:state>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Beyond Lona, near the diving board, two women were having a private conversation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suddenly the brunette rose up, removed her
bikini top and dove into the pool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
other hesitated and soon followed by doing a cannonball.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were giggling and splashing each other
when Lona, going with the trend undid her top, (revealing practically nothing).
Unsteadily, the inebriated Lona jumped in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She swam to the others who were now tightly embraced and kissing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Upon arrival, the couple's passion stopped to give L</span>ona a dirty stare down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Rejected, she </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">slithered away. Before Lona could get a foothold on the ladder, the </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">black-haired man</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> who Peter sat with intercepted her. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Lona </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">covered her chest with her arms and </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">crouched rigidly below the waterline</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Her frowning, undignified face was all we could see as he </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">engaged her in a strained conversation.
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">L</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">ona was made more uncomfortable as he </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">shortened the distance between them and </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">lowered his body to be face to face with her.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">She looked panic-stricken as he
tenderly stroked her cheek.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> T</span>he tension in her face eased into a blossoming smile. He pecked her cheek, kissed her neck and then her mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Lona</span> resisted for a few seconds until kissing him back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their fervor escalated. The pool wall obscured
our vision but underwater, they were obviously pleasuring each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> Unashamed, t</span>opless Mona
came out of the pool. In front of all those witnesses, they groped one another and passionately kissed
while toweling each other off. He was sporting an enormous cylindrical bulge in his crimson
Speedos as they passed us, arm-in-arm. Lona grinned as her free hand decadently dragged her bikini top along the
ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Ciro said, "Ain't that the guy Peter kissed?"</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I said, "Maybe Casanova plays for both teams?"</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Frampton’s, “Show Me the Way” was blaring as </span>Toby sighed, “She looks pretty. But if one of these <i>yentas</i> blabs to Horst tomorrow, she'll look pretty messed up.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Seconds later, between the Frobel’s and Peter’s apartment, they
vanished into unit #67...curiously, the door was left ajar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> Despite being wasted, </span>Ciro staggered over to peek through the open door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the corner of the threshold, he made-out their bonded silhouette in
the darkened kitchen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dissatisfied by
the indistinguishable show, Ciro was about to leave when the refrigerator door
opened. The man bent down and reached in. Ciro could see Lona, massaging
his groin from behind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He took out a
bottle of Beck’s and turned to face Lona.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She took down his trunks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The man
spotlighted by the little fridge bulb was gulping beer as Lona
enthusiastically performed oral sex.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ciro dashed away as they turned towards
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He hid under the exterior staircase
on the opposite side of the courtyard and childishly laid in wait. But the door
never closed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ciro sensed it was safe
and returned for another look.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He saw Lona kick off her bikini bottom and get carried over this man’s shoulder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were entering the bedroom when she got a
stinging slap on her butt...Lona didn’t protest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> I</span>nexplicably, Ciro entered the Ekadamitzky's apartment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Clouded by the bug juice, he assumed it was a “gang-bang.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ciro patiently waited his turn on the love
seat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soon, he overheard their small
talk evolve into moaning and eventually to the rhythm of the headboard slamming
against the wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>At the same time, Toby and I were getting
along like old friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told her my
situation with the Spear’s and she offered me the room for $130.00/month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before I could accept, she mentioned her
babies: Spode, Colette and Smokey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Because the window is always open for the
cats,” she started, “you won’t have to pay <u>any</u> utilities.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To seal the deal, I offered her my hand.
Instead, she hugged me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Suddenly she pulled away and muttered, “Oh
shit!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Frantically, she looked for Stu
but it was too late; Horst was marching up from the parking lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of German and Russian ancestry, Horst had an
Aryan look and an unapproachable demeanor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He had taken an “early-out” and was about to walk-in on Lona.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> Ciro, t</span>o pass the time, was cleaning under
his fingernails with a key when Horst entered the quiet apartment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without challenging the stranger’s presence, stoic Ekadamitzky greeted Ciro with a nod before advancing
through the darkness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Ciro
was irked that this man was rifling through the kitchen cabinets like he owned the
joint. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">He
was about to defend his place in line when Horst picked the cold, half-finished
beer bottle off the counter and asked, “This yours?” </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Ciro shook his head as
Horst opened the fridge.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">The
refrigerator light illuminated the floor. Horst discovered the black-haired man’s discarded, little red swimsuit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He turned on the lights and was about to
pounce on Ciro when the sound of the headboard smashing the wall started
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the same time under the coffee
table, Horst noticed his wife’s bikini bottom; he charged into the bedroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amid screaming, Ciro ran out towards the
parking lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seconds later, the black-haired
man streaked past Toby and me holding his Speedos.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">She said, "How do you guys run with something that big between your legs?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">I said, "I can't relate." We laughed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">In my new room, Ciro
and I slept the party off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were about
to leave the next morning when Peter clutching his pedigreed Himalayan cat
“Precocious,” knocked on the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
was bleeding from the mouth, had a fresh scratch on his forehead and his pimple
was now a glistening open sore.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Toby cried, “Did Gregory do this to you
again?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peter nodded as Stu said, “Did he want
money?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Toby's motherly instinct held Peter close as he
whimpered, “H-he used up all his allowance and had the audacity to ask for
fifty more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We all know why he wants
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I’m not paying him to cheat on
me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Get rid of him,” Stu said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Peter gnashed his teeth, “Please, don’t
tell me there’s plenty of fish in the sea.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Stu was speechless as Peter looked his fluffy white cat in the eye and
said, “Don’t worry, we’ll always be together. I know Gregory doesn’t have the
same enthusiasm for monogamy as we do...but I love him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Precocious mewed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">“Besides,” Peter added, “he'd never
really hurt me."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Stu said, "But..."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Peter cut him off, "I changed my will again."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Toby said, "No..."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Peter said, "Yes. And this time I made him sole
beneficiary.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Stu recognized the
contradiction and went on to remind Peter of Gregory's beatings, the times he's been robbed and death threats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Peter started crying. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">I
said, “C’mon, we gotta go.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">In the car Ciro asked, “You don’t think Gregory has the balls to kill
Peter for the money?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">I
didn’t answer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Instead
I reflected on meeting Stu at the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Fremont</st1:place></st1:city>
and said, “Gays do lead difficult lives.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">I was happy the
Spear’s weren’t home. I got ready for work, gathered my things and without
complications left their apartment for the last time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> The Fremont was four blocks from the El Cortez. </span>On my first break, I hustled over to
tell Hal what’s what and get my twenty dollar deposit back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Luckily when I arrived, his table was
standing dead. Hal was slunk low on his boxman’s stool, staring off into space.
His dealers were chatting among themselves. From their body language, I guessed that they didn’t like Hal. This was a great opportunity for me to say my
peace, recover my money and get back to work</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">He was intensely sucking a cigarette when his face brightened at seeing
me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Why didn’t you call. We were worried,” he
whined as he squashed out the last nub of his Old Gold into the full ashtray
atop the chip bank.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I owed him no explanation and said, “Oops.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Who’s the lucky girl?” he probed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">To
avoid conversation I said, “Hal, I have some news...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> H</span>e cut me short and grumbled, “Suzie loves me fifth best.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I should have just interrupted him; instead
I shrugged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Number five," </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">he bellowed, "c</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">an you believe it?” .</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> A dealer snickered, "No. Not again..."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Hal plowed on, “She loves her mother, father, brother and even
Arbuckle their ratty chihuahua better than me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Impatiently I looked at my watch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His voice cracked, “She left me! After
nine years of bliss, she flew back to <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New
York</st1:place></st1:state> this morning.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">I
was thinking; maybe it's because you’re an asshole but said, “She’s probably homesick.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In a clear and upbeat tone Hal changed the
subject, “I hate to do this but with her out of the picture, you <b>DO</b> understand that I’m forced to jack-up your rent to $135.00<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">...<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">plus</span></b> half the power bill.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had he not been at work, I would have told
him where he could shove his apartment, the two real palm trees and the grill
“they” use for parties. Hal took my hesitation as a bargaining ploy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Poker-faced with a long meaningful drag on
a fresh cigarette he reasoned, “I know you’re short on dough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll make it an even buck and a quarter...and
I’ll throw in the first two months electricity, free!” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">In emphasizing his
point, Hal’s hand upset the ashtray, spilling its filth onto the table’s chip bank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With
his head down struggling to clean the mess, I tossed his key across the craps
table. I winked at one of the smirking dealers and without confrontation, left.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Besides furnishing
me with a solid home, the Frobel’s became good friends. At first, they seemed
equally co-dependant on having fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
soon it was apparent that Toby took on all their responsibility.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although I liked Stu, I gravitated to Toby’s
earthiness and she rapidly became a trusted confidant.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> *</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">At
my first dinner party at Peter’s, his lavishly decorated, rented apartment
impressed me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one could ever guess
that our units had identical floor plans. His looked like it belonged in a
magazine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had a full chef’s kitchen
featuring; expensive copper cookware hanging from the ceiling and walls,
granite counter tops and a hand-carved wood block, containing twenty professional
knives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I was glad that Ciro was invited because the gourmet fare that night included; king crab, broiled filet
mignon wrapped in bacon, asparagus in cream sauce and twice-baked
potatoes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">These
festivities also served as my formal introduction to Peter’s caustic life-mate Gregory.
Luckily as Gregory got drunker, his “butch” mentality softened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soon, he captivated us with poignant combat experiences from <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Vietnam</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But when his mood shifted, he went on a
distasteful rant, in explicit detail, how he was sexually “passed around” by
bullies in his platoon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">I
whispered to Ciro, “I hope that was just his fantasy.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gregory’s lurid depictions abruptly ended as
Precocious jumped onto Peter’s lap. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cat arrogantly posed while pampering
Peter stroked her nape and groaned, “Toby, I’m sorry I didn’t make those
canapés you adore.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Forget about me. You made all your
favorites and hardly ate anything.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>While reaching for a tissue with the air of
a Victorian dowager Peter said, “I haven’t had much of an appetite lately.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He dabbed his nose. “I’m spent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t explain it.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Genteelly, he blew his nose and added, “All I
want to do is sit.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Toby said, “Trust me. Everything tonight was super.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Everyone
was nodding in agreement when Gregory grabbed the bread knife and took a swipe
at the cat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Precocious
scampered to safety as Gregory growled, “One day that fuzzy piece of shit is
going to get too close to the trash compactor.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Toby pulled me aside, “I told you he’s
crazy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did I tell you, he’s trying to
sue the Army, the Federal Government and the State Department?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Why?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Tittering she said, “He’s claiming the
whole military thing made him a fag.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I said, “Really?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t seem possible.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Get this,” she concluded, “Peter has
footed all the legal fees. We’re talkin’ ten thousand minimum and they have no shot.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Larry-Wayne (30) stopped our conversation when he came out of his bedroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> He </span>grabbed two beers and disappeared back inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">A
six-footer, with long, thick, sandy hair, Larry-Wayne was shirtless and wearing
an unbuttoned, brown, hand-crocheted vest that displayed his well-developed
hairy chest and arms. He had blue, denim cut-offs and his scruffy cowboy boots were
pointy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Larry-Wayne’s
handsome, rugged, western look was completed by a coarse five o’clock shadow
and a bushy mustache.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Based solely on
his looks, few people would guess he led an alternative lifestyle. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Throughout
the early stages of the party, he remained on the sofa, in permanent lip-lock
with a kid who looked sixteen. Before the Caesar salad had been served, the
horny couple retired to Larry-Wayne’s room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Stu softly said, “Hortense is such a tramp.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone laughed except me, so I asked,
“Who’s Hortense?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Toby’s contorted lips hid her discolored
teeth as she giggled, “Larry-Wayne is proud to be a whore and likes to be
called Hortense.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">I
nodded but didn’t understand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Stu gestured with his thumb at the closed
door and whispered, “Who’s this new one?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What happened to Apollo?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Toby chuckled, “Didn’t he call that one
Lorelei?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Peter
reached for another tissue, shook his head as he rolled his eyes, “Lorelei
wasn’t named Apollo either; his name was Nunzio. That one was married with a
kid.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Toby segued, “Peter, is this the same cold
from weeks ago?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peter bobbed his head
as he patted his nose dry in a refined manner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>While looking at him, I noticed that the pimple on his cheek had grown
bigger and darker.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Later, on our way out Peter announced, “In
two weeks, the Flamingo-Hilton is hosting the annual, ‘Leather and Lace
Ball.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before we go over there, I’m
having a cocktail hour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ll be the
only ‘straights’ but I do hope you stop in for a drink.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoHeader" style="tab-stops: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">The week before the
Ball, Peter was so tired that he took a few days off from work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He took Gregory to visit his friends in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Venice</st1:city>, <st1:state w:st="on">California</st1:state></st1:place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the beach house, Gregory was his usual
unsocial self. He was happy to drink alone as Peter and his friends shopped the
arty community, ate in contemporary restaurants and went clubbing after
dark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peter felt somewhat revitalized after
three days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But he resented his friends’
negative observations about Gregory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This discomfort worsened when they suggested he seek medical care for
his condition. They compared his “cold” to something being called “G.R.I.D.;”
that was mysteriously killing homosexuals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Peter was in denial over having possibly contracted “<b>G</b>ay <b>R</b>elated
<b>I</b>mmuno <b>D</b>eficiency” and felt compelled to leave. Gregory was so
delighted at this change of plans that he didn’t squawk at going to <st1:place w:st="on">Disneyland</st1:place> for two days instead of one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><b><i>Yes, there are good and bad people in every walk of life. You will find out in <u>PART-3</u> that bad things happen to good people and good things happen to the bad.</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><b><i>While the early phases of "PETER PARTY," concentrate on one victim, the entirety of the piece is really about the late 1970's wild card that nobody imagined possible, the "G.R.I.D." We all know now what the epidemic, "Gay Related Immuno Deficiency," soon became known as and how it impacted all sexuality, on a global scale.</i></b></span></div>
Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12392111410804449860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787822525441125324.post-90612370395822652302019-01-07T23:55:00.000-05:002019-01-18T10:35:03.051-05:00PART-1, PETER PARTY<b><i><br /></i></b>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><b><i>This story's theme is freewill. Regardless of how we got the gift of choice, not enough people appreciate it and far too many take it for granted.</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><b><i> My life experiences in Las Vegas taught me many lessons. One lesson, starting in September 1979, may have been a hard sell but slowly, over time, I have evolved and righted my flawed thinking. </i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><b><i> I'm far from perfect but I am more enlightened to the lifestyles of others. In the end, all they (we) want to do is live. </i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><i><b> Due to the complexity of the central issue, this blog will be separated into three weekly parts. It will begin with the general ignorance of most people, continue with the struggles of the main character and hopefully will end with a better understanding and appreciation that your freewill is only good and pure, if you respect that others have the same privilege.</b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> *</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Halfway up the rickety, exterior stairway, heavyset Hal Spear (34) was winded. To rest
and mask his shortness of breath, he stopped to call my attention to the
concrete public area.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">I scanned his tired, two-tiered horseshoe complex, (the modest pool stood out to me as the only positive).
Hal’s luxurious description of the Fiesta Apartments and his Utopian </span><st1:city style="font-family: "courier new";" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Las Vegas</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> lifestyle there
had been greatly exaggerated.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">“Both
those palm trees are real,” he gasped as he flicked his Old Gold cigarette butt
over the rail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“P.S.,” he added, “and they use the grills for parties.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">A
man crossed our path at the landing. I thought it was odd that neither he nor
Hal acknowledged each other. Hal remained mute as we went the length of the long
creaking walkway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">When he heard the door
of that man’s ground floor unit close he whispered, “Goddamned faggot.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Hal’s
was the last apartment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The door’s faded
orange enamel was cracked and rusty, bare metal was exposed where minute paint
chips had flaked off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Three
diamond-shaped, gold appliqués emblazoned with the black numerals identified his apartment number: 1-0-1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Inside, the one-minute tour of the amenities included: a narrow rectangular living room and a kitchenette with a hidden breakfast nook, in a far right alcove. The left corner featured a full bath and midway down that unadorned wall was the bedroom
door. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hal led me to the only piece of furniture
in the room, a cheap MacDonald plaid convertible sofa.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“This is where you’ll sleep,” he announced
as he lit up another cigarette.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While
demonstrating the “simplicity” of opening it into a bed, his second tug
resulted in nipping his finger on a sharp edge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">He sucked the blood from his wound until diverting my attention to a portable TV, on a chintzy, rolling stand.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> “This baby is a Quasar.” He
elbowed my ribs and bragged, “Seventeen inches.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The picture was slow to come up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">“We
get great reception,” Hal bragged as the black and white image finally
appeared. He showed me some tacky flower-print aluminum snack tables and
explained, “You can eat while watching your favorite program.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">While Hal suffered through a prolonged
coughing spell, I noticed a thick snowy band creep up the TV screen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hal noticed too and switched it off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Hal
took a handkerchief from his pocket and trumpeted his nose without turning away
from me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">When he composed himself, he
made a gesture suggesting a vastness to his empire and said, “And it’s all
yours for fifty-flat a month, plus your long distance.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">I
had just started dealing craps at Hotel Fremont (September 1979) and needed a
temporary place to stay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I
accepted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">We
were shaking on the deal as the door opened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Hal’s bespectacled wife strode past us with two large grocery
sacks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In silence, she advanced directly
to the kitchen. Hal followed her, opened a box of generic saltines and took several out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">He extended a cracker toward me, “Want?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">I shook
my head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Awkwardly the three of us
looked at each other without introductions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">I
said, “Are there more bags in the car?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Hal
laughed, “She’s legally blind...she can’t drive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Besides it’s only a six-block walk to the
shopping center.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Angrily
she said, “Three more bagsh.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">She left. I instinctively followed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">We walked the length of the complex to the
stairs before she asked, “Are you going to shtay with ush?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Yes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>On our way down she said, “You’ll be very
happy here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">She left the
supermarket cart behind as we carried up the rest of the packages.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">An
unseen shrill voice from the ground floor called out, “Don’t leave that damned
wagon here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">She
peeked over the railing and meekly answered, “Yesh Mishter Hanrahan. Right away
shur.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Hanrahan came into view and snapped, “And be quick about it.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">I
recognized him as the same neighbor Hal just identified as a homosexual.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">I chirped, “Everyone’s so friendly here.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Mortified,
she gulped and stammered, “Y-yesh, v-very.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">“He
didn’t seem gay to me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">She
looked at me queerly and said, “Why would you think that? He ishn’t gay.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">In
the apartment, we found Hal with cracker crumbs on his lap, sitting on “my” bed
watching, “The Price Is Right.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The slug
just sat there examining the register tape without even offering to help his
wife store anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">In
the kitchen, I got a better look at Mrs. Spear. She had short-cropped, stale, straw-like blond
hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her mousy face featured a
continuous Stepford-esque half-smile and she spoke so softly that I could
barely hear her speech impediment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her
frail arms were disproportionately short for her small body and I soon learned that
Hal took joy in referring to them as “twigs.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However her oddest physical attribute was her anemic skin tone that
resembled the color of frozen chicken. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">She finished with the groceries and was about to leave when Hal blurted out,
“Suzie, why didn’t you get the General Mills variety pack?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Post don’t make Cherrios.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">That was the first
time I heard her name.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Suzie responded, “Had a coupon.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hal said, “Oh.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>At the door she said, “Gotta bring the cart
back to Shafeway.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wasn’t out of the apartment ten seconds when the suddenly spry Hal ran to the window to witness her
disappear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the closet, he produced
a rusty left-handed pitching wedge and began whacking Whiffle golf balls. I was
hoping the club’s head would fly off and break the TV screen. H</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">e
“teed-off” again and the ball ricocheted off the blank wall, the front door and hit my leg. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Hal boasted, "I'm getting better every day. And by the way, did I tell you, the </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">El Cortez (Casino), </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">promoted me to boxman."</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> I didn’t let on that
I thought a boxman was an old man job but I was impressed that he had
accumulated over $12K in his profit sharing account. Even though I wasn’t
exactly certain what profit sharing meant, I <u>was</u> certain who was sleeping on
whose couch for fifty dollars a month.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Later, Hal and I spoke of our previous day’s chance meeting at the Boulevard Mall. We reminisced about attending the New York School of Gambling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I soon realized,
we shared few mutual memories.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">When
Suzie returned, she immediately chastised Hal for “playing ball” in the house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">“Why
must you embarrass me in front of our new roommate?” Hal whined.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He then whispered to me loud enough for her
to hear, “And this, coming from someone who pees so loud at four in the morning
that it wakes up the whole house.” Perturbed, she looked away as Hal winked at
me, “Now that we have a paying guest, you can show some common courtesy and aim for
the porcelain.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Suzie
ignored him and invited me to sit down with her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hal clumsily squeezed between us and
engrossed himself in a rerun of “Gilligan’s <st1:place w:st="on">Island</st1:place>.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Forced to speak through Hal, I asked a
series of marriage related questions, starting with; “Where did you meet?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> Despite her detailed answers, her monotone voice and never-changing plastic smile made her responses seem phony. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Later, I hit a sour note with my last
question, “Are you planning a family?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hal’s eyes never left the screen as he
carelessly flicked off an ash and said, “Suzie can’t make babies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She don’t get no periods.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Humiliated, her body went limp. She stared
at the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought it prudent to excuse myself and
said, “I’m gonna take off now. I’ll move in after work tomorrow.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Hal puffed smoke rings and remained seated as Suzie stood up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">He
extended his left hand without looking away from the TV and hissed, “How about
that fifty?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">I gave him twenty and
promised to pay the balance at the end of the week.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">At
the door Suzie said, “You’re welcome to shtay for dinner.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">“Thanks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm meeting a friend.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Oh.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Out of curiosity I asked, “What am I
missing?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hal chimed in, “Its Tuesday, it’s variety
pack cereal night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Except we got no
Cherrios...do we Suzie.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">The next morning I
sat alone in the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Fremont</st1:place></st1:city>’s
help’s hall. I was waiting to be served when a tall, sloppy fat blackjack dealer sat next to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">“Hi.
I’m Stu Frobel. Teddy Rideout told me you’re looking for a place.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">“Sorry,
I put a deposit down yesterday,” I said. “I’m moving in tonight.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Stu,
from <st1:place w:st="on">Flushing</st1:place>, Queens was friendly and
easy-going in describing his place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
patiently listened as I recalled Hal’s outrageous depiction of the Fiesta
Apartments. Therefore, I was unmoved by Frobel’s continuing list of assets.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In an affected manner the waiter glided to
my table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He set down my breakfast and
snatched-up my meal ticket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Stu whispered, “Next time front a buck and
he won’t take your ticket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I eat
here, <b>I</b> make a profit.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rather than commenting on Stu’s girth, I
wrinkled my nose, made a limp wrist motion and said, “Your ‘friend’ is a little
light in his loafers.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stu unconsciously slid the plastic
pepper shaker across the table from one hand to another and said, “Don’t say
that. Lee’s good people...even if he didn't let me eat for free. Hell, nobody expects you to admire gays, but you gotta
admit; they do lead tough lives.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">I conceded, “Okay.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Stu
got up and scribbled out his phone number and address before saying, “Besides, who cares who’s doing who. It's none of my business. Folks is just...folks.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was considering the merit of his unsolicited philosophy as he added, “Listen, one of my neighbors hit a big slot jackpot
and is throwing a party tomorrow night. Come on over, you’ll have a blast.
While you’re there, you can see my apartment.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He read my indifference, pointed to a
flyer advertising his place on the employee information bulletin board and
said, “I’m not worried about it. I’ll rent that room with or without you.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> I read his sign after he left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stu had
mistakenly harped on tennis courts, pools and saunas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What he failed to mention was: a private bedroom and
bath, and king-sized bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">I returned to the
Spear’s apartment after work and found them sitting on the sofa eating thickly
sliced salami sandwiches and potato chips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We exchanged hellos as I noticed residue from Hal’s over-flowing
tartan beanbag ashtray was strewn all over the snack table and onto his paper
plate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suzie with her typical forced smile peered
over her <i>TV Guide</i> and said, “How wasch your day?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">I
told her of a funny circumstance that ended with, “But a guy on my crew got
fired.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She said, “I’m glad you like your new job.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Obviously, she wasn’t listening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>But she snapped to attention when Hal
roared, “Suzie napkin.” Rather than joining them on “my” bed, I brought a bar stool from the breakfast nook as Hal scraped a dollop of store-brand yellow mustard off his
shirt with his pinkie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Goody,” said Suzie. “The ‘Shound of
Music’ is coming on next.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Forget about it,” bellowed Hal as he
sucked his finger. “We ain’t watching faggot crap...right Steve.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Suzie nagged
him to let her watch it. She droned on and I realized that my attitude towards the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Fremont</st1:place></st1:city>
waiter made me as bad as Hal and Hal was an asshole. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hal snarled, “Goddamned girlie crap every
friggin’ night,” before begrudgingly giving in to her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Five minutes later, the
opening credits came up and Hal ordered, “Suzie, make me toast.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">She glanced over her shoulder and scurried to
the kitchen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the bread popped up,
she smeared oleo on and hustled back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hal took one bite and groaned as if stabbed
in the stomach, “You call this enough butter. Get me more butter.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Like Edith Bunker,
she pitifully ran to obey him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I whispered, “I thought you didn’t want to
watch this?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hal smiled, “Shush, I’m watching the movie.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">I had seen enough, I left for the night to
visit my friend Ciro the Hero, (before he became Ciro the Zero).<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> *</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">At Ciro's, I told him of my situation and added, “Hal’s a prick...and she’s killing
me with kindness.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">“It’s
obvious what you should do,” Ciro said. “Tomorrow, go see that other apartment.
I’ll come with you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">I was still
indecisive about the whole thing when I </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">got “home” after 1:00AM.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">I tiptoed into the
Spears’ apartment and in the dark, discovered my bed was turned-down and made.
On the pillow, Suzie had left a note that read: I’m so glad you’re staying with
us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In seconds after lying
down, I was pissed off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Between the thin mattress and the
creaking of the springs, there was no way I was going to get comfortable. After
thirty minutes of twisting and turning, I desperately stood up and reconfigured
it back to a couch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In so doing, I too
nipped my finger. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
finally dozed off when Hal’s thunderous snoring
started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> A few minutes into my second hour awake, </span>I decided to see Stu’s apartment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> At 3:30AM, while staring at the ceiling, I entertained myself by imagining how bad
the noise would be when they made love.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">
</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">It then occurred to me that Hal wasn’t going to be “spearing”
anyone!</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">I guess that notion soothed me
enough...I fell asleep.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">The concert started
promptly at 7:00AM.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hal opened his
performance with a prolonged overture of sneezing, wheezing and guttural phlegm
spitting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wrapped the pillow around my
head and cursed his existence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
virtuoso came out of the bedroom for a cameo appearance before continuing into
the bathroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His recital, aided by the
fine acoustics of a more intimate venue, continued with a chorus of honking
nose blows, an intense coughing spell and concluded with a crescendo of
flatulence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somehow when the shower was
turned on, I was able to nod-off for a few more minutes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Hal was still in the bathroom when he woke me again by shouting, “Suzie, did you
find my green clip-on?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">She
said, “Remember the tomato soup?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s in
the hamper.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">I
closed my eyes and curled into a fetal position. At that moment, if I had a
gun, Suzie would have been a widow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">A
tap on my back startled me as she whispered, “You awake?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">I emphasized my sarcasm, “Are you serious?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Suzie
tore open the curtains and returned to annoy me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">My
light sensitive eyes barely saw her painted on grin as she said, “C’mon
shleepyhead, it’s twenty of eight.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">I
looked directly into her frozen chicken colored face and said, “I’m buying a
gun.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Suzie
ignored me, advanced to the refrigerator and began butchering the lyrics to, “Oh
What a Beautiful Morning.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">I
muttered, “Oh boy, show tunes,” as she began rattling pots. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Her
Wendy’s uniform came into focus as she called out, “Will you be joining ush
for oatmeal?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">I
snapped, “I don’t eat breakfast.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">“Don’t
be bashful. There’s plenty and look, I’m shlicing up a banana.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">I
was nauseated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My senses were being
bombarded by everything I hated, I held my nose and sang out low, “These are a
few of my <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">least</b> favorite things.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">I
drifted back to sleep until Suzie, set down
a cup of Postum and chirped, “Have a great day.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Hal
was already dressed for work in a business suit even though his shift wouldn’t
start for three hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, instead
of his sports coat, he was wearing a silk smoking jacket with an obvious burn
hole in the lapel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">When I focused on the
hole he said, “Ah, I knew you’d like it.” Hal did an awkward
pirouette and added “Good-Will. Not bad for four bucks?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">He advanced to the window’s edge and watched Suzie leave the complex.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">When
he was certain she had started her twelve-block walk to work he asked me,
“Wanna come to Foxy’s (Firehouse Casino) and take a shot?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; text-indent: 0.5in;">Graciously I thanked him, not for the offer
to gamble, but for leaving early.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><i><b>Next week, Part-2 of "PETER PARTY," introduces the audience to flamboyant Peter, his minions and the surprising amount of people leading similar obstacles.</b></i></span><i style="font-family: "courier new";"><b> </b></i></div>
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Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12392111410804449860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787822525441125324.post-68448284235430768652018-12-31T00:43:00.000-05:002019-01-01T09:46:47.134-05:00ERIC THE GREAT'S BRIEF, CASINO SHEPHERDING MISSION<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><b><i>The story below is taken from my 2004 short story, "RIDEOUT, WHITE-OUT AND RIGHT-OUT." It's theme was; successful, long time casino employment through; the mastery of people, equipment and following directions. </i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><b><i><span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span></i></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><b><i><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Spoiler alert! You'll soon see, how I managed (by accident), to follow the right path, while my Hotel Fremont coworke</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">r Eric "</span><span style="font-family: "courier new";">Eric the Great" Crossley, months later, failed miserably at the Stardust Casino.</span></i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><b><i>To conform with my 40th anniversary in casinos blog series, this piece has been shortened and modified. </i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: medium;">In
the pre-dawn shadows of a <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Las Vegas</st1:place></st1:city> early morning, I felt like a burglar as I opened the creaking, unlocked apartment
door. Inside the one-bedroom unit<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">, my eyes struggled to get used to the </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">empty living room's </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">strange red glow</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Elvis Presley’s “Blue Christmas” was playing in the background which added to the inappropriateness because the holiday
had passed.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: medium;">My
eye was attracted to three, stubby jasmine-scented
candles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The candle in the center was
the tallest and the one on the left was unlit. Further, on the side wall, I saw
a single artificial log burning in the small fireplace. Eerily, the flame had a strobe-effect off a limp, unadorned, “too big for the room” Christmas tree. Barren
and flaccid, there was nothing joyous about this symbol of happiness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: medium;"><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Perpendicular
from the hearth was a worn, two-seat vinyl sofa with a black bearskin rug in
front of it. Above the fireplace, perched on a narrow mantel, eight fancy
picture frames with metallic edge-work shimmered in the scarlet murk.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> A</span></span><span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; font-size: medium; text-indent: 0.5in;">dding to the gloominess</span><span style="font-family: "courier new", courier, monospace; font-size: medium; text-indent: 0.5in;">, the photo’s images were blackened by
the lack of light.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">To the left of the tree, she mystically appeared. Her face glistened as she provocatively posed in the
doorjamb of the bedroom. Our eyes met as the cassette of holiday favorites
changed to Johnny Mathis’, “Sleigh Ride Together With You.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She closed the door and her enigmatic Mona
Lisa-like expression phased into a seductive gaze. She approached.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I marveled at how the dancing flames reflected on her skimpy, fuchsia kimono.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I glanced past the robe's short hem and took-in her supple long legs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When my eyes returned to her face, her full
smile blossomed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Her delicate hand slid
down her robe’s lapel and her slender fingers undid the sash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> T</span>he lyric, “a
perfect ending to a perfect day,” filled the air as she exotically shook her head. With a
whimsical fluff-up of her tresses, all but her upper arms and shoulders were
exposed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I stammered to say something but before I could udder a word, she placed her index finger on my lips. We came together in a
light embrace. Tiny pecks and gentle caresses led to deeper kisses and more
purposeful squeezes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kissed her satiny
neck and cupped her breasts. She guided my hand below her abdomen. Soon, she
began fondling my genitals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were
pleasuring each other this way until she undid my dealer pants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She followed my trousers down and rubbed her
face into my jockey shorts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Through the material, s</span>he nibbled
me and then took minute, loving bites until she paused to pull off my
shoes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I was led to the bearskin
rug where my pants and underwear were removed. She reached into her robe’s
pocket and withdrew two, oblong, gel tablets and handed them to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She smiled,
“Sweetie, you’ll love these.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Against my better instincts, I swallowed them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In one continuous lick,
she teasingly traveled from my chest to my feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She took off my socks and massaged my
feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her touch was so sensuous that a luxurious calm came over my whole body. I was shocked she was doing it, but on the other hand, I was more surprised that it
didn’t tickle. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This wonderment improved
when her tongue darted between my toes. My arousal intensified as she sucked
each individual digit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">At that moment, I became
sidetracked by the realization of how sweaty my feet were from dealing craps
all night. My uneasiness doubled, when the unknown effect of the pills I had
taken began to gnaw at me. I think these distractions helped prevent me from
prematurely exploding. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Suddenly she
stopped!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without warning, firmly with
both hands, she grabbed the sides of my right foot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She bent my foot inward. It cracked like a knuckle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt an impulse of
excruciating pain but it phased gently into euphoria.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was never so turned on in my life!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was on my back as Burl Ives’, “Holly Jolly
Christmas,” came on, as she straddled me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">A short time later, the climax of, “Come Oh Ye Faithful,” was
playing when she dismounted me...in time to intentionally take my “money-shot”
across the bridge of her nose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I watched
her tongue strain to collect the droplets and was amazed how she scraped the
unreachable excess with her pinkie before erotically inserting that finger
between her lusty lips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In a tight embrace, we basked in the
after-glow when I became disquieted by the thought that I would start
hallucinating from the pills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I forced
myself to think of something else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">My excitement grew until I
amorously looked at her and whispered, “Ready.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She recoiled and coldly
remarked, “You can send in Johnny now!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Emotionless, she re-tied
her obi and turned on the lights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She blew out the other
short candle and said, “I need a few minutes to freshen up. Tell Johnny to come
up, after I turn off the lights. You and Mark can leave, Johnny’s spending the
night.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">At a loss, I muttered,
“See you at work.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">On my way out Dean Martin was crooning, “Baby It's Cold Outside,” when I noticed the photo array on
the mantel. All the images were of a little girl and a man.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> *</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When Johnny left the car I casually mentioned to Mark, “Eric missed a great night.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He sneered, “Eric isn’t into <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">IT</b>!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“He’s gay?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“No, no, no. He’s a Jesus
freak.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I never noticed. Eric and I were hired a day apart but in our four months at the Fremont, these past few shifts were he first time we worked together. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Mark began ranting how much he dislikes Eric especially when he calls himself Eric the Great.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">To change the subject I blurted, “Mark, how do you
feel?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Creepy. Those pictures of
her dad were intense.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Heh?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“That was her dad in the
photos over the fireplace.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“What do you mean?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“I thought everyone
knew...her mom died in child birth and she was brought up by her dad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was killed by a drunk driver when she was
twelve...it was on Christmas Day.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
then speculated, “I guess that’s why she does the ‘gang-bang’ thing during the
holidays.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I felt dirty. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">After a long pause I
asked, “But...how do you feel physically?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Great,” Mark responded.
“Why?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Did she give you
anything?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Nah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was just wham-bam thank you ma’am. Hell,
she didn’t even offer me a beer.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I didn't mention getting my toes sucked was the greatest thing that ever happened to me and said, “Yeah, me too.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">We were turning onto <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Boulder Highway</st1:address></st1:street> at
the Silver Dollar Saloon when Mark remembered, “Well now that I think about it,
she gave me jellybeans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were tradin’
‘em back and forth while we sucked face.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In an unimpressed manner I
chirped, “Really,” as I tried to mask my relief and naiveté.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Downtown at Hotel Fremont
the next day, our craps crew was standing dead when Eric said, “Mark told me
about your sinful night.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Caught off guard, I
innocently shrugged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">We were both twenty-four
but Eric shook his head and said to me, “Son, you should be ashamed...didn’t
you recognize her vulnerability? Have you no respect for her, the job or yourself?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">His eyes became
glossy and as if to shun me, he turned away. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Later, I was the stickman
when a player made several bets for the dealers. On the first roll we lost them
all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Out of frustration, I grumbled
obscenities. Eric gave me a dirty look and I felt the wrath of
his condemning leer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Between dice rolls, I said, “Sorry.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Eric flippantly said, “You
shouldn’t be worried about me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> H</span>e pointed upward, closed his eyes and pontificated in a holier than
thou manner, “Perhaps, you should worry about Him?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
*<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Our pit boss, Tulio Encanarción was a cutthroat little Cuban with a
big, raspy voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was not only famous for demanding payola from craps dealers on big toke (tip) days but he’d threateningly assign entire crews or individuals tasks
that were unrelated to our job description.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One
such chore was designating random amounts of Girl Scout Cookies or some such
item to be bought from his daughters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"> The backbone of Tulio’s clout was his
authority to promote.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through his
recommendation alone, craps dealers were sent to the casino’s mother property,
the Stardust. He relished this responsibility and used it as a springboard to
extort layoffs, (bribes).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">To get his point across
he’d privately say, “You wanna go up to the Stardust?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">If you said yes, he’d tell
you where his burgundy, late model Buick <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Riviera</st1:place></st1:state>
with the vanity license plate, “WIMPY” was parked and </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">add, “I’ll leave
the car window open a crack, just wide enough to slip in an envelope.” He’d
finish by saying, “Now, we’ll see </span><b style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">how much</b><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> you want to go.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The prestige of dealing on
the strip was enough of an incentive but at the Stardust you could also count
on doubling your toke income. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Tulio interrupted Eric's sermon by saying, "The other day Mikey V. got a nice Christmas present, 'they' sent him up to the Stardust. Who knows maybe if one of you lumps keeps his nose clean, 'they' might make 1980, the best year of your life. And by the way, while you're at it, let's make Hersh's first day, an easy one."</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhenOMYdx5dUQoN91pmkBfWUeA_9P90_E68pk_pHPMlBZannX2FLZAZ4C4bhkFbwN7u9n6UmMl2fLzngIwOumUAX8rnwE5O9JsIhwB3IOMmCPIu-RMSMHDO9oho4bj3S4QY_Hswlf7yEYti/s1600/z+-+Al_Capone-around_1935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1070" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhenOMYdx5dUQoN91pmkBfWUeA_9P90_E68pk_pHPMlBZannX2FLZAZ4C4bhkFbwN7u9n6UmMl2fLzngIwOumUAX8rnwE5O9JsIhwB3IOMmCPIu-RMSMHDO9oho4bj3S4QY_Hswlf7yEYti/s200/z+-+Al_Capone-around_1935.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>INTERNET PHOTO OF AL CAPONE. ON THE AFTERNOON OF NEW YEAR'S EVE 1979, HERSCHEL "HERSCH" SCHTIERMANN WAS OUR BOXMAN (IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR). IT WAS HIS FIRST DAY EMPLOYED IN A CASINO, AT ANY POSITION. THIS NEAR CATASTROPHIC (TO ME) STORY IS NOT </b><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>RELEVANT</b></span><b> TO THIS EPISODE BUT CAN BE FOUND IN THE DECEMBER 9, 2018 BLOG, "TARGETED BY HERSCHY'S KISSES."</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Three months passed. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;">In that time, I never lost sight of the miracle of surviving </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;">the Herschel Schtiermann incident. Still, h</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">ardly a day went by that I wasn't spooked by the thought of him. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> *</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">On a random day in early March, I was
going on break and Tulio intercepted me. Ever since the problem with Hersch, </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;">I had projected a persecution complex onto myself.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;"> So out of a fear of Tulio firing me as an after thought, </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I kept a low-profile and avoided him.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Tulio’s dour expression looked past me as he silently led me to the quiet side of the pit. My throat burned after a surge of bile gushed into my mouth. The only hope I had was this being a false alarm. Maybe he was only going to weasel me into buying some shit from his kids. Hell, I was so tense, I probably would have gladly washed and waxed his stupid Riviera on my next day off.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">My eyes were fixed on the ugly red casino carpeting at my feet when he finally
squawked, “Hey man, you wanna go up to the Stardust?” <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Beyond the Hersch issue, I only had fourteen months experience. Plus, several other dealers were more polished and had seniority</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"> In a stupor of confusion, I hid my joy and mustered, “Yeah!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Tulio reminded me where his car was, its color
and his, “WIMPY” personalized plates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">He added, “I’ll leave the window open a crack, just
enough to slide an envelope through!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: large;">I
rushed off and used the sixty-one dollars in my pocket to buy, the newest, crispiest fifty-dollar bill the cashier had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> A</span>t the hotel’s front desk, I got an
envelope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran down an alley off <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Ogden Street</st1:address></st1:street> where pit-bosses had reserved parking. I found Tulio’s old burgundy
Buick and the passenger’s side window was indeed opened just a crack. When I slid
my envelope in, I noticed there already was another on the seat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later, Tulio handed me a letter of
introduction to the Stardust and rasped, “Hey man. Make me proud!”</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The next morning, I waited </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;">to be processed </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">inside </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;">the Stardust’s employment office. Soon,</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> Eric came in. He was holding the identical paperwork as me. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">We hugged
each other and triumphantly pounded each other’s back.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Eric pointed upward, "He who looks into the perfect law..." I knew what was coming and tuned him out. The next thing I heard was, "and perseveres." I returned to daydreaming until he put his hand on my shoulder and concluded, "will be blessed."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I said, "Yeah, yeah. Good things come to those that wait."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Soon, we were laughing about the
“good old</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> days” when I said, “What a coincidence. We both started at the Fremont together...and now the Stardust. Luck was on our side, to get on the strip with so
little experience.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Eric’s face turned serious, “He has pre-destined us. There are no coincidences. And luck had nothing to do with it either...remember, we were blessed.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I wasn't going to let Eric ruin my mood. I forced an uneven smile over my grimace and didn’t tell him off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> *</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Our first job status was
called, the “extra board.”</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">That meant, Eric and I were on twenty-four hour stand-by, in case an established dealer couldn’t
make it to work.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">During the short
orientation, we were told that an extra-board assignment <u>could</u> be turned
down without official repercussions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However it was implied <u>unofficially</u> that if you turned down a
day, you could “slip through the cracks” and never get another call.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Regardless of the
inconvenience, I accepted every call I received. On my fourth day, I bumped
into Eric. He hadn’t worked yet and he came in to complain. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I said, “I can’t believe they
haven’t called you yet.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Well, they did call me
Sunday morning but it was just as I was leaving for church.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"You gotta pair of brass
balls,” I said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">His face contorted because
of my brash language. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I plowed on, “Refusing your first chance probably wasn’t a good idea.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“No, no. They understood
why I wasn’t coming in.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I said, “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>You</u></b> don’t understand.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I gave him my interpretation and suggested,
“You should be more flexible, at least until you’re firmly established.”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> *</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Three days later I had arrived! I was off the extra board and assigned a
permanent crew on swing shift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
during my first regular day that I heard that Eric, later that night, was debuting on graveyard with his first of two, back to back shifts.<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Graveyard craps dealers
held sway to a fifty-year-old bully named Billy O’Callahan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Billy, since he was twelve, had a history of
hooliganism dating back to his poker and blackjack dealing days in <st1:place w:st="on">South Boston</st1:place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By
the time he was a teenager, he “ran numbers” until getting
“jammed up.” After serving time, he moved west. He was now a twenty-year <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Las Vegas</st1:place></st1:city> craps dealing
veteran.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">O’Callahan was only five
foot-six but he was animalistic in build and personality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some women found him attractive but he had
nearly no forehead and a thick uni-brow that narrowly separated his eyes
from his slicked-back, black hair. His deeply scarred face and discolored high
cheeks personified his beastly image.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>O’Callahan’s black eyes (the right one was slightly crossed) when
combined with his other traits, added a touch of craziness to his fierce
persona. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Billy routinely lashed out
at both customers and coworkers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His temper usually took the form of verbal abuse; however he was no
stranger to brawling, even at work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Eric took a collision
course with Billy by introducing himself as “Eric the Great!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time he made his third biblical
reference, Billy had heard enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still
everything remained quiet until Eric transgressed O’Callahan’s number-one
unwritten rule...refusing to hustle tokes!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Without any qualms, Billy ridiculed him on a live game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Eric’s snobby response to
the belligerence was, “I don’t beg, borrow or steal. And neither should you.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He was confident his
words would quell Billy’s ill-temper and help him to see the light.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Billy boiled inside, but he chose to wait
until after work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">At the Stardust, craps
dealer’s tokes were kept in slotted, locked strongboxes that were numbered to
correspond with each table. At the end of each shift, the crew would take their
box of chips to the cage. The cashier would tabulate the contents and convert
the proceeds into four equal piles of cash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That night there was three hundred and seventy-two dollars to be divvied
up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The cashier as usual asked, “How do you want
it?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Conventionally, that
amount calls for four sets of ninety-three dollars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Billy smiled and crowed in
his stereotypical Bostonian accent, “Doll, keep twelve dollars for
yourself.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She was appreciative of
the larger than usual tip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Billy kept talking while leering at Eric,
“We need <b>three</b> hundreds and <b>three </b>twenties!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">The other two dealers were handed one hundred twenty
dollars each and Billy put the remaining one-twenty into his breast
pocket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Where’s mine?” Eric
protested.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">O’Callahan stuck his right
index finger into Eric’s face and blared, “We.” He paused to point to the other dealers and himself before continuing,
“Work for tips. Today, you didn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
really hope tomorrow you’ll do a better job and work <u>with</u> us, not
against us!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Eric whined, “You can’t do
this.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Billy mockingly sighed,
“Hell hath no fury as a woman’s scorn.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He led his cronies away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eric followed behind as they
entered the series of back of the house hallways that led to the employee
entrance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Over the loudspeaker, a </span>Chopin polonaise was being pumped into the corridor as Eric,
unsynchronized to the classical music, struggled to keep up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Outside the time office,
in the warm noon sun, Eric demanded his tip money.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Billy, without animosity
explained, “We don’t want to cut you out of the tokes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s see some results and we’ll give you
tonight’s share tomorrow.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The trio marched off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eric had to run to get in front of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">While back-pedaling he
reiterated, “I don’t beg borrow or steal!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Billy backhanded Eric
across the face and shouted, “Beat it candy-ass!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Eric didn't back-down
and followed them past the barracks-like hotel rooms behind the casino’s main
tower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>O’Callahan strode away from the
direct route to the employee parking lot as if to elude Eric. He cut
towards the rooms between a big delivery truck and a tall cinder-block retaining
wall that housed trash dumpsters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Unaware he was being lured into seclusion, naive Eric followed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Suddenly Billy stopped and turned to confront him, “I had as much of your shit as I’m going to take.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Eric mustered, "Due unto...," as Billy sucker punched his face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He
reeled backwards and righted himself by grabbing the truck’s running
board.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Eric took a step towards
Billy and said, “Wait...”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">O’Callahan interrupted, “Who do you think you are, Mary Queen of
fuckin’ Scots?” </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">His two toadies chuckled as Billy buried his right fist into
Eric’s stomach. </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Doubled over, he careened
backward in agony as Billy ordered, “Grab him guys!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The accomplices took Eric
by the arms and straightened his hunched torso.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Billy punched him three more times in the
belly until Eric temporarily wriggled free.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>O’Callahan tracked him down and connected with an uppercut wallop to the
chin that sent him to the pavement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Dazed, bruised and battered, Eric was left lying in the gutter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In the near-distance, they
were laughing as Eric gasped, “And if thine eye offends thee, pluck it out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Eric’s immaculate
one-day-old dealer shirt was streaked with automotive grease and dotted with
blood as he resolved to report the incident.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> While dusting himself off, h</span>e </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 16px; text-indent: 0.5in;">realized that his right knee was scraped and his pant leg was torn. Eric </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">staggered to his feet and limped back to the casino. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He was dabbing the abrasion on his cheek
and tasted the blood from his split lip as his</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> pit boss, Rex Dolan came out of the building. He saw Eric’s condition and realized what had
happened. Eric began rehashing how he was victimized but had no way of knowing that
Dolan and O’Callahan were close golfing buddies, for ten years.</span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Further, Dolan gave all the graveyard dealers
a “license to steal” and his “efforts” were regularly rewarded by Billy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dolan’s stoic facade
masked his indifference as Eric ranted on. Even if Dolan was objective, Eric’s
use of biblical passages in his nagging tirade quickly became tiresome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Eric finished by demanding
satisfaction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dolan feigned concern and
assured Eric, “I will thoroughly investigate this matter.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When Dolan went on his
way, Eric knew he had been brushed-off and sought a higher authority. He went
back inside and looked for casino manager, Aldo “Pug” Pugliese. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Outside the baccarat pit
Eric found the boss.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Pugliese seemed sympathetic after hearing the story and responded, “First, you’re absolutely correct to
come to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hustling tokes has
never...and <u>will</u> never be tolerated!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Pug made a “V” with his fingers and said, “Second, nobody should be
forced to do anything they don’t want to do.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Eric energetically nodded
in agreement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He took a deep cleansing
breath, smiled conservatively and became more at ease.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He voiced his appreciation and closed with a
reference to David and Goliath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> T</span>o seal the deal, Eric extended his hand. Pug didn’t respond. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In a stronger less
polished manner Pug added, “Of course, sometimes you <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>DO</u></b> have to go with the flow, <i>CAPISCE</i>!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Eric’s grin faded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Kid, you realize this business ain’t for everybody.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m
sure you did uh-adequate job at the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Fremont</st1:place></st1:city>
but this is the strip. You’re in the majors now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You probably ain’t got a care in the world
but these guys got
family pressure, mortgages, car payments, child support...” Pug looked at his
watch in mid-sentence and said, “Geez, I’m late.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without further explanation, he abruptly
left. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Eric followed him to a
black glass door labeled, “PRIVATE.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">From inside, Pug turned
around and said, “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">YOU</b><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> axt for it. </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">YOU</b> ought’nt’ve fought while on the property.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">After Pug disappeared
inside, Eric pulled on the door but it was locked. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The next morning Eric
entered the time office ready for work at 3:45AM.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had difficulty finding his time-card so he
asked the timekeeper for assistance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Name,” the septuagenarian
said brusquely without looking up from his <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">TV
Guide</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He forced a smile, “Crossley sir, Eric Crossley.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The old-timer mumbled
incoherently as he shuffled some papers atop his disorganized work area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Awkwardly, he sadly
muttered, “Oh,” as he discovered a blank sheet of typing paper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The paper had Eric’s time-card as well as a
pink slip stapled to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The timekeeper
was nervous and had trouble separating the papers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The old man looked over his glasses, handed the termination notice through the transom and
said, “Sorry.” As Eric turned away the timekeeper growled under his breath,
“Goddamned slacker.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Eric went into the casino
and tracked down the graveyard shift boss, Anton Narcotti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Narcotti took a glimpse at the paper and
shoved it back to Eric.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Pug signed it,” he said.
“Take it up with him.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>On his way
out, deflated Eric looked towards the craps pit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">He caught eye-contact with
O’Callahan who obnoxiously waved and mouthed, “Bye-bye.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Eric went home and waited
till 11:00AM to return.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although he
didn’t anticipate getting his job back, he wanted to confront the man who fired
him one more time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the expectation of
taking auditions at other casinos, he wore a generic white dress shirt rather
than the sky blue Stardust dealer uniform shirt. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When Eric caught up with
Pug, he said, “I’d like to talk to you about my job Mr. Pugliese.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Whether or not Pug
recognized him was uncertain but he reacted as if Eric was a prospective
applicant, “We aren’t hiring. Try the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Fremont</st1:city></st1:place>.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">“Sir, I’m Eric Crossley, I
spoke to you yesterday.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Preoccupied, Pug focused on the distant
casino activity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Eric held up his discharge
notice and asserted, “You fired me, this is your signature and now you act like
you don’t know me!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Composed, Pug pointed to
the sunshine pouring through the main entrance. At first he spoke wryly, “Get
out ‘Eric the Great.’”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, in no
uncertain terms he snarled, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“Get right
out</b>...<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">right</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">now...or I’ll make it tough on you!”</b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When Eric didn’t budge,
Pug snapped his fingers and pointed at him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Two burly security guards and an angry-looking undercover officer in a business suit
appeared from nowhere. Eric was abruptly ushered out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Eric Crossley’s one-shift
career at the Stardust was over.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> *</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Two weeks later, I ran into Eric at a gas station. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">He shared his awful experience and said, "I returned my three dealer shirts and apron. They wouldn't accept the torn, dirty and bloodied one. My one day check had me owing them money."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">I said, "That fuckin' sucks."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Before I could apologize for using such foul language he said, "It was my fault. I failed Him. I had faith that I could make a difference. You know, raise-up the misguided in this den of iniquity."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">I said, "Heh?"</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">"I wanted to work among you sinners and save some souls." </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">I raised my eyebrows, "So, you're the savior?"</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">"Of course not. I took saving people as my personal mission and...I didn't succeed, not even once. That was supposed to be what made me great."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">I said, "I'm speechless."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Eric sighed, "When Satan reminds you of the past, remind him of the future. You'll never see me in a casino again."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">On my drive home, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"> *</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><i><b>Throughout my forty years in casinos, these people find me.</b></i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><i><b>In Eric the Great's case, I hope he found enough inner peace to lead a normal life because it looks like his stairway to heaven eluded him. Otherwise, he could be a challenge to a mental health professional and/or be heavily medicated. Either way, he never mastered people, casino equipment or following instructions.</b></i></span>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12392111410804449860noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1787822525441125324.post-14911467414359135772018-12-24T09:11:00.000-05:002018-12-24T11:09:30.646-05:00THE SIX-WEEK LIFE OF THE MAFIA STAFF CAR<b><i>Isn't it amazing to look back at a pivotal, yet accidental good decision in our youth and see how it spawned our present success.</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>This blog concerns itself with personal independence, self confidence and a willingness to persevere. In 1979, energized by buying my first car, I looked beyond my cloudy, long term prospects of being a Las Vegas craps dealer, opted to trust my instincts and patiently waited for better opportunities. Of course that radical decision was made easier, by the fact that someone told me, "NO!"</i></b><br />
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In the fall of 1978, at the New York School of Gambling, I gravitated to four guys in my craps class. They were around my age and like me, were Las Vegas bound.<br />
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Our little rat-pack, included three Italians. Ciro (before he was either Ciro the Hero or Ciro the Zero), <b>JLUPY </b>and John Heaverlo. Our enclave was rounded-out with <strong>BB, </strong>(a lush who drank his lunch at the Ireland's Eye Bar and chain smoked Merit menthol 100's)...and me.<br />
<br />
In November, Ciro and BB were the first of, "The New Mafiosa," (Ciro's nickname for our group), to graduate. They became roommates. JLUPY, John and I were invited to stay with them when we hit town, (January 1979). I arrived second, behind JLUPY. He got to sleep on the sofa. I was scheduled to have full reign over the floor but after New Year's Eve, BB took ill.<br />
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Stereotypes should be set aside but, BB was an ethnic mix of Irish and Native American. He was probably an alcoholic before coming to Vegas so the free, top shelf booze while gambling and 50c drinks at the casino bars made him like a kid, in a candy store.<br />
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On New Year's Day 1979, BB rang in the new year by being rushed to the hospital. He was diagnosed with acute alcohol poisoning. His life was in such danger that his mother and sister flew out to be by his side. In the mean time, JLUPY slept in BB's unoccupied bed and I was upgraded to the couch.<br />
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Two days later, John Heaverlo arrived and took his place on Ciro's floor. The next day, John started dealing craps at the El Cortez and JLUPY was hired at the Lady Luck. A few days later, (January 10th), I started at the same casino as Ciro, Slots-A-Fun.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizzGKkeDPzL7kyPxCO36FUXL9gpKTLThrOpT6QY5vJH4uYInZIPeV7JKgnxt66c1qWG8qxk-q8l3BlwjnA1V3Dx_9lS1Sbfk27gYT7bqqaBlpIC_UyiyNr0v0Cjz6HculhrE310FtTo0CT/s1600/z+-+memo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1065" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizzGKkeDPzL7kyPxCO36FUXL9gpKTLThrOpT6QY5vJH4uYInZIPeV7JKgnxt66c1qWG8qxk-q8l3BlwjnA1V3Dx_9lS1Sbfk27gYT7bqqaBlpIC_UyiyNr0v0Cjz6HculhrE310FtTo0CT/s200/z+-+memo.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>SLOTS-A-FUN WAS A TERRIBLE JOB AND AN AWFUL EXPERIENCE. SOMEHOW I MANAGED TO KEEP ONE SOUVENIR...AND IT'S THE CHINTZIEST PIECE OF CASINO CRAP, IN ALL OF NEVADA. </b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
A couple of weeks later, BB made a full recovery. By that time, John Heaverlo got his own place and sent for his wife. Soon JLUPY and I became roommates at the Fiesta Apartments on Harmon Avenue, (two blocks behind the Aladdin).<br />
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JLUPY quit his Lady Luck job and joined Ciro and me at Slots-A-Fun. Unfortunately, all three of us, were on different shifts.<br />
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My roommate, JLUPY had a car. He was generous with his rides during our off time together but I had to commute to work on my own. It was a long walk to the bus stop. Soon, I realized that if I walked in a diagonal path all the way to work, it wasn't much farther.<br />
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Being a New Yorker, I didn't mind the walk because it was always sunny and usually in the sixties. By April, those morning strolls to work became tiresome, in 80+ degree temperatures. During these hikes, my mind usually wandered to the futility of my shitty job. I was considering a move to Reno where my friend, the "Amazing Mr. K" said he had juice, (help me get a good job).<br />
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A few days before flying up to visit Mr. K., I was waiting outside Slots-A-Fun, for the city bus to go home. A coworker from the change department named Dara (Da-Ra-Ra-Booms-EE-Ay) came out of the casino.<br />
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She said, "I saw you walking on Kovall Lane one morning. I live near there. Can I give you a lift?"<br />
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Dara had an overbearing personality, a big mouth...and a big everything. Plus she had a loose reputation (thus earning her nickname). I wasn't interested in her...but a ride after another in a series of bad days was another story.<br />
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I was grossing about $170.00 a week in that toilet. Dara made <u>less</u>. Her 1970, Datsun Sunny-140Y, was a rolling hunk of junk. She said she only kept the piece of shit because the "D" logo badge in the grill, made her feel that the car was personally monogrammed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPIPMm-fntjT7Emz_tqgW1aLqFJ33CHa2zA8urNlUFARtCW1QocBxOmYSv7fhI8GUMN_weYpKK38T_we39Qu1b70_AuCRp51dOY2V2GQT8t72R8FwiOmaQp1K4U1LDUVEv9B3gkcNQ83e_/s1600/z+-+dotson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPIPMm-fntjT7Emz_tqgW1aLqFJ33CHa2zA8urNlUFARtCW1QocBxOmYSv7fhI8GUMN_weYpKK38T_we39Qu1b70_AuCRp51dOY2V2GQT8t72R8FwiOmaQp1K4U1LDUVEv9B3gkcNQ83e_/s1600/z+-+dotson.jpg" usa="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><strong>DARA'S CHOCOLATE-COLORED CLUNKER WAS ACTUALLY IN SLIGHTLY BETTER SHAPE THAN THIS.</strong><br />
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On the short ride in her stale cigarette-scented car, she lit up a joint. She shrugged when I turned down her offer for a hit.<br />
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I was getting out when she said, "Aren't you going to invite me in?"<br />
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JLUPY's black, 1972 Buick Electra convertible was outside.<br />
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I knew I was safe so I said, "Okay."<br />
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To my pleasant surprise Ciro and BB were also there. JLUPY handed Dara and me a can of Olympia beer. She guzzled hers down before I took my second sip.<br />
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Ciro said, "Let's make this a party."<br />
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JLUPY said, "I'll do a beer run."<br />
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BB said, "And a bottle of Jack Daniels."<br />
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Dara said, "Shit, I gotta go. But <em><b>definitely</b></em> another time." She took my phone number and added, "I like you and <u>all</u> your friends, I'll pick you up and drive you home whenever our schedules match."<br />
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On my next day off, I flew up to see the "Amazing Mr. K." He lived up to his nickname by showing me an incredible time.<br />
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During a lull in the action, I asked about his offer, to help with getting me a good job.<br />
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He said, "I never said anything about getting you a job."<br />
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If I moved without a solid work opportunity, Reno had nothing to offer. I decided to stay in Vegas.<br />
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When I got home, my bedroom reeked of smoke. On the nightstand, I found a half-full pack of Merit menthol 100's.<br />
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The rarity of those specific cigarettes led me to ask JLUPY, "Was BB in my room?"<br />
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He said, "Yeah. Him and Da-Ra-Ra-Booms-EE-Ay, sorta spent the last two days in there...and if BB was telling the truth, you might want to turn the mattress."<br />
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I said, "Burn the mattress?"<br />
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He said, "No. <i>Turn</i> your mattress...but you might want to do both."<br />
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It pissed me off that my bed was getting more action without me. I confronted BB the next time I saw him.<br />
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Indifferently he grunted, "She was hurtin' for a squirtin'."<br />
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I said, "Yeah but..."<br />
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He cut me off, "She was groanin' for a bonin'."<br />
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I said, "No..."<br />
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BB smiled, "C'mon buddy. You know, any port in a storm."<br />
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I was still nauseated but I couldn't hold back a smile. When I factored in that he almost died, I let it slide.<br />
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In the morning I told JLUPY, "I gotta buy a car."<br />
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I ran outside and pulled the classified section from my crazy neighbor's newspaper (Old Man McHugh, the accused cat poisoner). I had $225.00 cash and was willing to spend the whole shebang to keep Dara out of my apartment and to not owe her any favors. I soon discovered that there were no cars out there I could afford. I was stymied and refused to sponge-off my dad from three thousand miles away.<br />
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JLUPY read my frustration and said, "You can get a used Vespa (scooter) for under a hundred."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOSI6SWJdkzz7QFDYdvd5jvnPdGyh_TwQNwWxq-oRomXFCwZWGO1B0Fo4i9UjcGAHzwE3PBj3RX6Zo7CTdzs9Yl_yV8ejaHjc8_d35NQ_jLS4_KShp2IH6SUqRof420W0Bf4xbBx3IWSbq/s1600/z+-+vespa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOSI6SWJdkzz7QFDYdvd5jvnPdGyh_TwQNwWxq-oRomXFCwZWGO1B0Fo4i9UjcGAHzwE3PBj3RX6Zo7CTdzs9Yl_yV8ejaHjc8_d35NQ_jLS4_KShp2IH6SUqRof420W0Bf4xbBx3IWSbq/s1600/z+-+vespa.jpg" usa="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><strong>VESPA IS ITALIAN FOR WASP. THE NAME COMES FROM THE BUZZING BEE ENGINE SOUND.</strong></td></tr>
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I said, "I don't want a scooter!"<br />
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Around that time, I started seeing Mary, (a blackjack dealer from work). Luckily, Dara kept her distance.<br />
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I left Slots-A-Fun for a better job, the Western Casino, (downtown). In early May, I quit after three weeks and got hired at the Holiday International Casino. A pit boss Paul "Shag" Darrow knew I didn't have a car and wanted to spite another dealer, (Dale Marson). So he manipulated Marson into picking me up a few times a week.<br />
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Marson was such an asshole that I began another car search. That search led me to an ad for Supreme Motors, (a used car lot). They had eight cars under $375.00. The one that caught my eye was a 1971 Pontiac Le Mans for $339.00. The caption read; <b><em>looks sharp, runs great</em>.</b><br />
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I detailed my visit to Supreme Motors in my October 29, 2018 blog, <b>"SURROUNDED BY RETREADS AND SHARPIES."</b><br />
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Unfortunately, the only car on the lot under $500.00 was a dented, faded yellow, Ford station wagon. It was priced $399.00. I had $370.00 in my pocket. I was desperate so I took it for a test drive. Later, JLUPY inspected under the hood and crawled underneath too.<br />
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He confided to me, "It's worth $399.00 but I bet you could chisel him down."<br />
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I bickered over the price and got the salesman down to a flat $390.00. Still, JLUPY had to look in his glove box and under his car seats, to scratch-out three bucks in small change, (with fifteen pennies), in order to lend me the last twenty dollars.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV9nkUPl9QZrDDyViT4TWvO6y83ehSqdmeofWSP_QOfZ5L_ykwLX5ghGd0wHZKxCXLWaBX_zj8Lo7MYoJ3Nl1WxPSUF7VfONRg9AQjyfD8eloTZfPCL8T3rDXKNDkh1M06pHwVktKxFHt7/s1600/z+-+aloose+change.jpe" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="163" data-original-width="279" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV9nkUPl9QZrDDyViT4TWvO6y83ehSqdmeofWSP_QOfZ5L_ykwLX5ghGd0wHZKxCXLWaBX_zj8Lo7MYoJ3Nl1WxPSUF7VfONRg9AQjyfD8eloTZfPCL8T3rDXKNDkh1M06pHwVktKxFHt7/s200/z+-+aloose+change.jpe" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>I MUST OF STRUCK-UP THE BEST POSSIBLE DEAL BECAUSE THE WEASEL SALESMAN HAD NO SHAME AND ACCEPTED JLUPY'S PENNIES.</b> </td></tr>
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<br />
The car might have been a bomb but it was the first one I ever bought and therefore a memorable benchmark in my life.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqD24PewvoePp6PQnWuc9nT8vlXuRS67UWWPDib2ZNzlK3eyBTUbIZxc7zYG4CYdf9VtUAhBK9L9eUIf9KeitP-7NhWPJ9fHOxJngy3DApoVmtvqU3pPqYma8CuWap5od2C_7qRGBwO1k/s1600/z+-+mafia+staff+car.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqD24PewvoePp6PQnWuc9nT8vlXuRS67UWWPDib2ZNzlK3eyBTUbIZxc7zYG4CYdf9VtUAhBK9L9eUIf9KeitP-7NhWPJ9fHOxJngy3DApoVmtvqU3pPqYma8CuWap5od2C_7qRGBwO1k/s320/z+-+mafia+staff+car.jpg" usa="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><strong>***INTERNET PHOTO*** MY CAR WAS AN EIGHT-YEAR OLD, FORD LTD WAGON. TO COVER A RUSTY DENT, CIRO GOT ME A BUMPER STICKER THAT READ; <em>MAFIA STAFF CAR</em>. BB REMARKED IN REFERENCE TO ALL THE OTHER BLEMISHES, "CIRO, YOU SHUDDA BOUGHT THIRTY OF THEM."</strong></td></tr>
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To celebrate my new found independence, I rounded up the New Mafiosa, (minus John Heaverlo) and the four of us went to a dumpy Mexican restaurant called, El Cholo, (or as Ciro called it, El Choko).<br />
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The beer and tequila was out-weighing the tacos and burritos when JLUPY said, "Let's see what your heap can do. Let's go up to Mount Charleston."<br />
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Forty miles later, lost in the midnight darkness, our excursion to the ski lodge bar was never realized. However two conclusions were gained about the Mafia staff car; it drove well in mountains and the brakes worked perfectly.<br />
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I discovered the latter as I accelerated and JLUPY pressed his foot down on top of mine.<br />
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He yelled, "Let's see what this baby can do!"<br />
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Within seconds on the pitch black, twisting road through the forest, a herd of wild horses galloped across our path. I slammed on the brakes as the last stallion scampered safely into the woods.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><strong><img alt="Image" class="photograph" height="130" src="https://photos.lasvegassun.com/media/img/photos/2010/09/14/wildhorsegather01_t653.jpg?214bc4f9d9bd7c08c7d0f6599bb3328710e01e7b" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></strong></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><strong>NEAR LAS VEGAS, ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, I SAW WILD BURROS, (DESCENDANTS OF THOSE ABANDONED BY MINERS). WILD HORSES ROAMED THE WILDERNESS TOO. THE HERD I ALMOST HIT WITH THE MAFIA STAFF CAR WAS THE ONLY TIME I SAW HORSES.</strong></td></tr>
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<br />
On the Third of July, due to Independence Day, I had trouble parking for my 6:PM shift. I ended up five blocks away, with the last spot on the roof of the Four Queens. I was walking down Fremont Street when I was stopped by a scrawny, pimple-faced girl handing out coupons in front of the Friendly Club. From inside, I heard my named called, it was BB at the bar, (still in his dealer uniform after his graveyard shift).<br />
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The bartender said, "What'll you have?"<br />
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I was shaking my head as BB got off his stool and muttered, "Any port in a storm."<br />
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He advanced on the coupon girl, offered her a Merit Menthol 100 and chatted her up.<br />
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The barman motioned me over, "Never saw anyone like your buddy. He's been slamming bourbon and beer for five hours and he's not even tipsy. Where does he put it?"<br />
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*<br />
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My casino was busy for the big weekend so we had to work two hours of overtime.<br />
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On the way out, my friend and supervisor Dick Paynlewski said, "Let's go for a drink." At the Golden Gate Casino, he swilled two double scotches before I was half-done with my draught. He had a third drink in his hand as he said, "I'm gonna play me some blackjack...sit with me."<br />
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He downed that drink and ordered another before we sat down. He was slurring his words when he bought in for eighty dollars (about his day's pay). He had lost his first two hands when his fourth double arrived with a bottle of Lowenbrau.<br />
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He lost again, sucked the beer bottle dry and giggled, "Damn the booze is expensive here."<br />
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Paynlewski struggled but managed to pile the rest of his chips in the betting circle. He belched with double-edged satisfaction when he hit to a six-card twenty. The young Asian girl dealing to him was showing an ace. Then she turned over a second ace.<br />
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Dick smiled and yelled, "Paint, paint..."<br />
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But he sank in temporary silence when the dealer revealed a nine.<br />
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He was loudly cursing her heritage and stoic expression. So I shushed him.<br />
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He grinned, "Lend me twenty till pay day."<br />
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I turned him down and added, "Let me drive you home."<br />
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He said, "I'll find Carmichael (his girlfriend), I'll borrow some dough from her."<br />
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He staggered a few feet into the keno lounge, collapsed into a seat and said, "You're a good egg...even if you don't lend me the twenty...but <em><b>will</b></em> you lend me..."<br />
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I cut him off, "No."<br />
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He was blithering nonsense until he said, "People can be such pricks. I hate all the Pollack jokes...even Carmichael uses 'em. But I have an idea. I'm going to legally change my name."<br />
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"To what? Larry Paynlewski?"<br />
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"Don't be such a jack-off," he said. "How does Richard Thomas Payne sound?"<br />
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I said, "It sounds like a good, strong name...and if you are really so annoyed...you should do it."<br />
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I re-offered him a ride home but he refused and said, "Steve, drive safe. There's a lot of drunk assholes on the roads tonight."<br />
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Outside, maybe because of Independence Day, I was mulling Dick's proposed new name when the historic significance of Thomas Paine came to mind.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnqyKU0f6ajy4HZiZEIDsipVW9tyM-JXR6oire2LWlvmi8Zaln-A-nvUO6WDcWfCyegDmSDZcFBrLKXtz-0oFN9kbrZwcwtLEcXGT3aEf1MsaazvWwRqW1PFQa6oAO01NN7tG_g4E-ifxO/s1600/z+-+a+Thomas_Paine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="330" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnqyKU0f6ajy4HZiZEIDsipVW9tyM-JXR6oire2LWlvmi8Zaln-A-nvUO6WDcWfCyegDmSDZcFBrLKXtz-0oFN9kbrZwcwtLEcXGT3aEf1MsaazvWwRqW1PFQa6oAO01NN7tG_g4E-ifxO/s200/z+-+a+Thomas_Paine.jpg" width="153" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>THOMAS PAINE (1737-1809) WAS A FOUNDING FATHER, POLITICAL ACTIVIST AND PHILOSOPHER. HE IS MOST FAMOUS FOR INSPIRING THE AMERICAN COLONISTS TO REBEL WITH HIS (1776) PAMPHLET, "COMMON SENSE."</b></td></tr>
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I laughed to myself when I considered Dick Paynlewski and the notion of "common sense" being used in the same sentence. It was even funnier when I realized that he'd be changing his name to; Dick Paine<br />
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*<br />
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At 4:30AM, on my way to my car, I was passing the Friendly Club. I ducked my head in and was shocked to see BB passed out at the bar.<br />
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A different bartender said, "This kid is one hurtin' buckaroo. He's been knockin 'em back since one in the afternoon. His roomie (Ciro) was just here. He's getting a cab to take him home."<br />
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I was curious to find out if BB got anywhere with the coupon girl but I was exhausted and left. Moments later, in the Four Queens parking lot elevator, I figured, I'd swing by and see if Ciro still needed help with BB.<br />
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At that late hour, the Mafia staff car stood alone on the top level. I stopped for a few seconds to admire the view of glittery Fremont Street. Then in the opposite distance, I was happy to see that my route home on I-10 south was free of traffic. Those distractions made me forget about BB.<br />
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In the middle lane of the interstate, I had the road to myself. The Lynyrd Skynyrd song,<strong> "FREEBIRD,"</strong> came on the radio. I was lustily singing along as I approached the Sahara Avenue exit.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjofx5D0AxGcHXppsa_3fILjK16FGXzkyaoQbAnW86Ldnu_tdLlvfI-GyXxc15tVKUMFas4QznYbe1kwA-bY2G86f2IRX-Bd4plvECMjJrGY-KOCCSDQKD4C8fRmyjTeeLVvE4WZXp0dXV0/s1600/z+-+Lynyrd-Skynyrd-Free-Bird.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjofx5D0AxGcHXppsa_3fILjK16FGXzkyaoQbAnW86Ldnu_tdLlvfI-GyXxc15tVKUMFas4QznYbe1kwA-bY2G86f2IRX-Bd4plvECMjJrGY-KOCCSDQKD4C8fRmyjTeeLVvE4WZXp0dXV0/s200/z+-+Lynyrd-Skynyrd-Free-Bird.jpg" usa="true" width="196" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><strong>1974's FREEBIRD, IS MY FAVORITE SONG AND PERSONAL ANTHEM. CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO HEAR THE 13-MINUTE FULL VERSION.</strong></td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.lyrics.com/free-bird-lyrics-lynyrd-skynyrd.html">http://www.lyrics.com/free-bird-lyrics-lynyrd-skynyrd.html</a><br />
<br />
While pouring out the lyrics, I noticed in the rear view mirror, a car flying in the left lane. He was about to whiz by when the driver veered towards me. I cut the wheel right but it was too late. I got sideswiped and lost control. He sped off as I slammed the brakes. I skidded towards the exit ramp...and BOOM ! I hit a streetlamp and careened back onto the interstate. I did a 180 degree turn and stopped, facing oncoming traffic in the center lane.<br />
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Hissing steam was coming out of my car's newly gouged V-shaped hood. I tried the ignition... and nothing. Dazed, I hobbled to the shoulder, sat on the neck of the downed street lamp and waited for the police.<br />
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It killed me to think that I was one of the few sober people out that night. Then I flashed back and wondered...if just one of the oddball things that happened that night was different, I wouldn't be in my predicament, (working overtime, drinks with Dick, stopping at the Friendly Club, not helping Ciro with BB, walking to the Four Queens, admiring the view from the roof as well as every stop sign and red light).<br />
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My $390.00 heap was totaled. I was eulogizing the short life of the Mafia staff when true anxiety gripped me, a throbbing pain in my left hand.<br />
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*<br />
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<b><i>It's crazy to think that buying the Mafia staff car and breaking my hand in the crash was a vital step in my eventual forty-year run as a casino dealer. Instead, I feel it was the standing on my own two feet and resisting the temptation of Reno's lower hanging fruit, that paved the way to my future success. The true hero of my life probably was the Amazing Mr. K. and the fact that he couldn't help me get a better job.</i></b>Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12392111410804449860noreply@blogger.com0