Las Vegas Experience

[cpm9ball]

Mom and I finally returned from the city that never sleeps, and we are still playing catch-up in that department. It was a real pleasure to get to meet Mark and Victor during our stay, but it was too bad they couldn't be there at the same time.

 

Mark arrived from his desert testing on Friday, June 9 and we arranged to meet at the Riviera (where we stayed) to get something to eat. The Riv comps all of our meals so it didn't cost anything for the three of us. When we first met in the hotel lobby, I was a little surprised because Mark doesn't look quite like the picture he posted of himself in another thread. His hair is a sandy brown and he didn't have the beard, just a few days growth of stubble from his time in the desert. I don't know if anyone remembers the wisecrack I made last year about Hoot having to wear stacked-heel cowboy boots, but I'll have to eat my words because he is tall. Fortunately for me, I didn't have to worry about removing the silverware during lunch because Mark didn't order a beer. We actually spent most of the time telling one another about ourselves rather than talking about coins, and I'll have to admit that I hadn't anticipated Mark's soft-spoken manner. It was a real pleasure listening to him tell about his work. Does anyone know how deep an earthworm can burrow?

 

Once again at the Riviera on Wednesday, June 14, Mom and I met with Victor, his daughter, Hannah, and her two girlfriends. The girls were typical teenagers...........carefree and crazy! On the other hand, there were no surprises when it came to Victor. As I surmised from many of his posts, he is an outgoing and funloving kind of guy. He insisted on paying for the meal at the Riviera despite my telling him that it could be comped. After the meal, Mom sprang for each of the girls to pick out an oyster for a pearl. You never know what kind of pearl may be inside, but it seemed appropriate that the three pearls were almost identical in size and color. To me, it seemed a symbol of the close friendship of the three girls. Then, I showed them where the pool tournaments were being played, but we weren't able to spend much time together because Victor had to get busy loading his truck for the trip to Arkansas.

 

Most of our time was spent in the (pool) tournament room and the casinos at the Riviera, Slots-A-Fun and the Stardust. Mom and I were able to accumulate fifty-three $10 Silver Strikes from across the street and we gave one each from Slots-A-Fun to Mark and Victor. Slots-A-Fun has five different encapsulated Silver Strikes in each of two machines and you never know which one you will get.....an eagle, a big horn sheep, a tortoise, a gray wolf or the harder-to-get, red-encapsulated Valley of Fire. Once at home, I checked eBay and found that the Slots-A-Fun Silver Strikes with the wildlife are selling for $13-$18 and the Valley of Fire is selling for $40. We have thirty-nine wildlife, five of the Valley of Fire and seven from the Stardust. I don't know how much the Silver Strikes from the Stardust are worth, but I may hold on to them until after the Stardust closes next year.

 

I went into self-destruct mode for the 9-Ball Tournament, but was able to recover for the 8-Ball Tournament and tie for 5th Place. It was too bad that we couldn't have continued play into the wee hours of Tuesday morning because I had really gotten into a groove. I had already beaten two of the players in the double-elimination format that made it to the Final Four. I'm satisfied, though!

 

The casino action was lots of fun. One evening, Mom and I played Blackjack for seven hours until 3:30 AM and I came out ahead $100. The $10 single-deck table was full the entire time and the other players were just as crazy as me. Needless to say, we drove the dealers and the pit bosses nuts. I had several good "hits" on penny, multiliine video slots........$756, $644, $435 and a bunch for more than $200. At Slots-A-Fun, I also hit a natural Royal Flush on a Deuces Wild machine for $1000.

 

As Victor mentioned in another thread, I was able to buy a nice 1880-S DMPL Morgan for $125 from "Frank's Coins" in the Riviera. The shop is run by Frank's brother, Patrick, and as Victor also said, he spends much of his time playing the slots. The mirrors on this coin are so deep on both sides that I can read print from 12-14 inches. It has some nice toning on the reverse that you can read through, too. Patrick listed it for $160 but accepted my offer of $125. This was probably due to the fact that it has a small carbon spot on the reverse between the "E" and "D" of ONE DOLLAR. I plan to have it conserved, but I don't know how that will affect the toning on the reverse. That, however, is not an issue that will bother me.

 

Altogether, it was a great trip. For the entire 10 days, I spent $1200 of the cash I took with me. I still have 51 Silver Strikes with a face value of $510, the DMPL Morgan and 11-$5 Riviera Commemorative Chips for a friend who will reimburse me.

 

The only thing that has me slightly confused is...................How can someone as ugly as Victor have a daughter as attractive as Hannah?

 

Chris

[IGWT]

That was a fun read. Welcome back!

[EZ_E]

I see that you made it back. Hannah and I got here in Arkansas about 9:00 PM Friday night. It was pitch black and raining with no one home. She was like, dad, can't you get another assignment somewhere...PLEASE! Well, it was like a Lassie movie where they arrive in similar circumstances but the next morning, when the sun comes up over the mountains then it's like...wow. But the chickens spoiled the whole scenario when they came inside the house and started eating Caleb's dog food. Only in Arkansas and maybe Indiana ( Vengeance is mine, Jeff!).

 

It was certainly a pleasure to meet you guys. And I didn't hear you say that the casino would comp the meal!

 

p.s. That last jab on the above comment was out of repressed envy though, I'm sure.

 

I hope to maybe see you in Florida eventually, Chris. Shoot! 5th place is all. I may just kick your hiney in pool. Well, maybe not.

[Timulty]

Arkansas eh? PM me if need to find places of interest to look at, EZ.

[EZ_E]

Arkansas eh? PM me if need to find places of interest to look at, EZ.

 

 

I actually should be looking on the business end of a hammer and saw but I think that I'm going to scrounge up another assignment instead. It is much more pleasant working outside during the winter instead of in this heat and humidity.

 

You're over by Jonesboro?

[Timulty]

I am southwest of you 170 miles. I live south of Little Rock 32 miles.

[HaydenTubbs]

The only thing that has me slightly confused is...................How can someone as ugly as Victor have a daughter as attractive as Hannah?

 

Chris

 

 

Maybe he borrowed Shane's shirt?

[IGWT]

Maybe he borrowed Shane's shirt?

 

I see a Photoshop opportunity; but, alas, I'm too busy.