Viva Las Vegas...Or is that Shreveport?

Friday afternoon,the phone rings My friend B is on the line. Don't make plans for tomorrow. We are going to the boats to go gambling.

Now being the responsible person I am, I ask how long will we be gone? I mean I have a dog and cat I have to take care of.

B responds by saying that we may spend the night so make sure that I make the arrangements.

B's sister is going through a divorce so B invited her, B's brother and his nephew. So at 2:00 pm we loaded up the Expedition and off we went.

Seems it was prom night in Shreveport. We know because we saw two accidents and beside one of the accidents were teenagers in their formals and tuxs. There was even a dwarf (vertically challenged if I'm being politically correct) in a tux (that's another blog).

Upon arrival, we went to Isle of Capri. We decided to start at one end and we would move down from there. The guys played craps and we looked for a $5.00 card game. Since there were none to be found, we tried our hand at the slots. After several hours and no winnings, we decided to move on.

Next stop, the Hollywood Casino. (I bet my advertisements above will be for online gambling!). After about an hour I was becoming discouraged. B and I decided we'd go to the back of the boat. Finally, on the nickel machines, I won $115.00!! (Nevermind that I'd already lost $180.00.)

I then decided I would look for a card game. I found a $5.00 Caribbean stud game and there were some seats (usually means no one is winning). I sat down and like magic, my money had disappeared.

I saw B's brother and nephew playing at a table across from me so I decided I would go see how they were doing. They were playing at a $10.00 table. Both of the guys told me to sit down, that the table was hot. I told them to hold my place and I went to cash my last $100 traveler's check.

Well besides the two guys (to my right), there were two other guys from St. Louis there. One slightly more tipsy than the other one. As soon as I sat down, the one guy (the tipsy one) informed me that in order to sit at the table I had to agree that if I won the jackpot of $141,000.00 that I would give everyone at the table $15,000. That was what everyone had agreed too. I agreed.

Right off the bat I won the first 3 hands. Soon, my $100 had multiplied to $250.00. I was liking this.

Then a man followed by two young guys sat down at the table. He put $400.00 on the ante (we each had $10 or $15). He was obviously drunk and the "big" pit boss was standing by his side. The rest of us were starting to hyperventilate. The cards were handed out. I felt like I was being watched. I never have felt that way before. It was kind of scary. A crowd started to gather around us. The man with the large bet folds. We all are like OMG dude, you just lost $400 in 30 seconds. No biggie...

The cocktail waitress had been scarce most of the evening. But once the big spender tipped her $100.00, well we couldn't get her to leave. I was drinking coffee and B's nephew was ordering milk! The dealer said he had never witnessed anyone drinking milk before.

Next hand, here comes another three hundred. Now the drunk guy from St. Louis starts a conversation with the big spending drunk. (By the way, the big spender was from Center, Texas - wherever that is). We can't hear what they are saying but the big spender tells the St. Louis man "HEY, if you want to kick my azz, we'll take it outside". The two guys behind the big spender crowd around...I'm thinking...OK, I'm out of here.

The St. Louis guys says..."Well why the $@#% did you call me a woodpecker?" The big spender says.."I said do you want to hear a joke about a woodpecker!!" Well everyone backed down. I'm thinking..MEN!

After losing about $2000, the big spender leaves. About that time B and her sister come up to us and said that they were ready to go. Neither one had won. I too was beginning to lose, (back down to $195.00). So at 2:00 am we left Shreveport for the 3 1/2 hour drive home. And guess who had to drive? :)