Never a Dull Vegas

My first day in Vegas started with collecting my $60 in promotional chips, which I turned into just over $100 in real cash within 10 or 20 minutes at the craps table. I took all of that to the poker room, 50 into a cash game, 50 into the buy-in of the upcoming tournament. I left the cash game with $175, and got knocked out of the tournament quickly with my A-K vs and A-8, an 8 came on the board, it happens.

I took 100 of my 175 and put it on Boston to beat the Cavs, I lost that money. 60 or more of my remaining cash was lost at the craps table, I found myself basically back at broke. This same day I received a $150 donation from great friend, so I wasn't worried about money, 150 is more than enough. Walker's friends came around, it was his birthday, and shots and beers were flowing on a typical Vegas party night.

We wound up in some club whose name I can't remember, everyone well into their intoxication comfort zone. I got caught up with a girl at the bar and lost track of everyone I was with, and eventually ended up back at the room. After a while it was just me in the room and the phone rang, security on the line. They asked me if I knew Walker, they said he had gotten in trouble at some club and would be escorted up to the room to collect his belongings and was no longer welcome on any MGM properties.

They wheeled him up eventually and he collected his bags, I asked what happened and got no notable answer from him or security, but he tossed me his phone and car keys telling me to drive to Bakersfield and San Fran, then they wheeled him away. I sat for a second contemplating what just happened, and decided to go out and find him so he wouldn't be on the street.

I walked out to the Tropicana to see if he checked in there like security had suggested, they hadn't heard of them there. I came back to the Luxor to see him being wheeled through the lobby, and followed them out. I asked the trailing security guard what the problem was, "Your friend is fucking up!", I thought of Carl and Astoria, "What's his problem?", I had no idea what happened, and the security guard didn't seem to know what the original disturbance was, just that he didn't like his attitude now.

They dropped him out of the wheel chair on the sidewalk, and after some laughs and vaugue explanation Walker told me to grab his car. I went off towards the garage and called the girls we were with earlier to see if they knew what was going on, they were currently getting kicked out of Mandalay Bay for drunkenness, but agreed to meet outside the Luxor, so I skipped getting the car and met everyone in front.

Without a sober one in the group, we hopped in a couple cars with food as motivation. We wound up at a bar around 3am way off the strip, I was kicked out immediately for not having my ID on me. I told everyone to stick around and have a good time and started walking back towards the Luxor, a good 3 or 4 miles away.

I decided to stick my thumb out as I walked back, and sure enough a cabbie pulled over just ahead of me. I ran up the window saying I didn't have any money, he said to hop in anyways, he wanted to do me a favor. He drove me back to the strip and I landed in the Luxor room. My old friend called, drunk or otherwise, and eventually ended up making a sizable donation to my bank account via the Hobo site, which was surprising and awesome.

I woke up and called Walker to make sure all was cool, it was, he crashed at his cousin's place and was still on for riding to Bakersfield the next day. I thought I'd grabbed another hour of sleep, but ended up passing out for most of the day and caught up on weeks of sleep deprivation.

I was hungry, with over 30 in cash and the thought of money coming into my account this week I thought I'd treat myself to volcano nachos or something otherwise awesome. I saw a note about a place called the Burger Bar near the Luxor that had 2 dozen beers on tap, and thought that would work. When I got there I saw the prices... a little off putting, about 10 bucks for a burger and 7+ for any given beer. A look at the beer menu and I went for it, that's what I wanted.

I ordered a Stone Ruination, a beer I'd had back in new york I really liked. Usually I'd order a beer I'd never had, but it was too tempting. The guy next to me at the bar ordered the same thing, and we got to talking basketball and beer, the hornets spurs game was on the TV. I ordered another beer, and the bar tender made a mistake with a pitcher and gave it to us for free, that's the benefit of being the only guys at the bar taking interest in the great selection of beer, she also gave us a sampler of her favorite beer.

I started talking a girl on the other side of me, and eventually the guy I'd been talking to took off giving me his card saying to look him up in Phoenix. I finished off the free pitcher and hit the bathroom. I contemplated the dine and ditch... I wondered if my bill was larger than my cash stack. My burger was decent and my beers were great, bartender rocked... I couldn't do it. I asked for my bill hoping I had enough to cover it, she told me "That guy paid for you, and he tipped really well.", I must have looked really surprised, "really?!", I asked, "Yea! It's great when people are awesome like that", and she walked away. I couldn't believe it, I slipped a 5 bill under my empty glass and took off, not believing my luck, and happy I didn't try the dine and ditch.

Back in my room I look out the slanted window from atop the pyramid here in Vegas, staring out at the traffic on the freeway. Tomorrow I should be cruising through that and on to Bako, and I'm pumped for that. Good friends fill the future, and that's never a bad thing.

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