Finally I've had some time to relax, and I've needed it. I ended up working six nights in a row, and it's been busier than hell this week. Everyone's on vacation, and they're all coming to Vegas. Luckily I don't have to go back to work until 10pm tomorrow night (ugh--I hate that shift).
Well, I've had the new bed for about, oh, 56 hours now, and I think I've managed to sleep about 30 of 'em. Very nice. It's so comfy that it's almost impossible to wake up. I slept until well past noon today, and that's my plan for tomorrow, too.
In case you're wondering why I'm making such a big deal out of the new bed, it's because I haven't had one since I moved here. When I left Nashville, I was debating whether or not to rent a big truck and bring all my furniture out, towing my car, or go cheap and just get a small U-haul trailer and just tow the essentials behind the ghetto sled. Besides, my family was eyeing my stuff--my mom wanted my queen-sized pillowtop bed and bookshelves, Amy wanted my file cabinet, etc, so I figured it'd be less work to just leave it all behind, so I went the cheap route, thinking I could just buy new stuff once I got out here--hell, I had over five grand in the bank when I left town.
Unfortunately, sixty miles out of Nashville, the transmission blew out of my car, forcing me to pay for a big truck and trailer anyways (and at much higher last-minute prices) and then drop about $2000 on a new transmission once I got to town. So between all of that expense, plus the towing and rental car, I was tapped. My friend Dougie organized a 'rescue mission' to help me get back on my feet, for which I'll be forever grateful, but funds were really tight once I got to town.
So I was sleeping on the floor with a couple of foam pads that I use for camping. It's ok in a pinch, but it was a sucky arrangement. However, once I moved out of the 'Stripper House', my gal at the time, Lara, offered me the use of her bed for a few months--she had a spare. But it was only a full-sized one--too small for entertaining, and much too soft, so I usually had a slight backache most of the time. When I moved out of there, I had to leave it behind, because she was moving in and needed it. So basically I've been sleeping on the floor since the beginning of October.
Maybe I'm just catching up on all the sleep I've missed in the past three months.
Anyhow...
I had an enjoyable evening again last night. Scott and Alice Lee were still in town, so we got together again for drinks and cigars over at Napoleon's Lounge at the Paris. Fortunately we got there early enough to avoid the crapass dueling piano show they have every night and got to enjoy an hour or so in relative peace. I had some crazy 'Mon Cheri' drink that featured copious amounts of booze and lots of cherries. I felt like I got my vitamins, at least, while they drank more normal stuff--lemon drops and the like.
But they were dead tired, and Alice Lee decided she'd had enough after just one round and headed up to bed, leaving me and Scotty to wander the town unsupervised.
We didn't get into too much trouble--we just found a $15 Pai Gow table and played for awhile. It was a fun group, one guy in particular ordering Apple Martinis for everyone. Now that I've had one, I can't say I'm a big fan. But we were still having a lot of laughs at the table and everyone was enjoying themselves. I usually never play the Fortune Bonus, it's kind of a sucker bet, but on one hand the dealer talked me into it and then was kind enough to deal me four Sevens with a pair of Kings on top. Very nice! I'll take the 25-1 payoff anytime, thank you very much.
We played for about an hour, I left with about a $60 profit (woulda been $90, but I stayed one hand too long, again) and I think Scotty actually lost about a hundred. We said our goodbyes and I headed back to the garage, intending on heading to the grocery store.
We didn't get much of a holiday bonus there at the casino, but we got a little something--a $25 Albertson's gift card. Normally I shop at Vons because Albertsons has the most ridiculous prices I've ever seen, but since I had the gift card I figured I could make an exception this time around. Unfortunately, I pulled up just as they were closing for the night. Another point in Von's favor--they're open 24 hours.
I was starving at the time, having eaten nothing that day except a grilled stuffed burrito from Taco Bell about 12 hours earlier, so I wanted to grab a bite. As luck would have it, there was a Blueberry Hill 24-hour diner in the same parking lot. I was actually thinking of going to the one on Flamingo, but it's always so crowded, and had forgotten about the one in my neighborhood. So around midnight or so I was happily dining on pancakes, bacon, eggs, sausage, coffee, and orange juice. Talk about hitting the spot!
While I was munching away I heard an annoying buzzer going off. I didn't think too much of it, but I was browsing all of the flip-card propaganda on the edge of the table and it mentioned that the buzz you hear while eating is a reminder for all employees to stop what they're doing and go wash their hands. Hmmm...I sure hope that hasn't been a problem in the past, otherwise I'd be pretty grossed out. But I think it's a good policy.
Since I moved out here, I've become a total germ-o-phobe. I'll use the public restroom in my casino two or three times a night during my shift, and I see three or four guys every time refusing to wash their hands. Unfortunately, since I'm wearing the ol' nametag and uniform, I can't call them out. (However, when I'm in street clothes and I see some nasty loser not washing his hands, I call them out all the time. Just doing my part to change the world, one dirtbag at a time...)
And there's one guy in particular, nice guy, just annoying as hell, who always wants to shake my hand when he's at my table. But I've seen him in the bathroom TWICE not washing his hands, so I refuse to touch the filthy motherfarker. I can't wait till he tries again and asks me why when I refuse.
No wonder I've been sick for the past three weeks--the casinos are full of people with nasty grooming habits. Just think about that next time you lick a Thousand Dollar Chip from Mandalay Bay and stick it to your forehead in a moment of spontaneous celebration.
I finally made it back to Albertson's this afternoon. My first purchase? Ok, a bottle of rum. But my second purchase--Hand Sanitizer.
I'm turning into Jerry Seinfeld, without the kooky neighbor.
Mikey
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