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SIMS : ROCKS ARE FREE, AND SLINGSHOTS EASILY STOLEN.
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Thursday, November 23, 2006
Making Friends

I'm still in Las Vegas, so I went down to the Strip today, which I don't always do when I visit here, believe it or not. I've been here on more than one occasion without going inside a casino. I don't gamble much, since I lose more than I win. I look at it as entertainment, which is rarely free, so I expect to leave with less than I came in with. Still, it's fun once in awhile to throw some money on the table, and see what happens. It's an experience.


So today, I park near Tropicana Road and Las Vegas Boulevard, which is where the MGM Grand, The Tropicana, Excalibur, and New York, New York are. A point of reference for you! Enjoy.


There are walkways that go over traffic, so I'm wandering around just looking at stuff, being tourist-boy, and wishing money was no object. New York, New York is one of the more underrated casinos by my reckoning. The Brooklyn Bridge sits out front and serves as a sidewalk, and the hotel towers look like New York City skyline. Central Park is loosely recreated inside, and there are a bunch of New York-style stores and restaurants inside, not the least of which is a Nathan's. If you don't know what that is, sucks to be you. I was there when she-who-completes-me sat down at a slot machine for the first time in her life and hit a nickel at 1800-1. That's ninety bucks American, suckers.


So I head in on the LV Boulevard side, and immediately, a nice lady from the Philippines hands me coupons to use inside, including, a free dog at Nathan's. Before I can yell "EVERYBODY GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY WAY" and run upstairs, I'm gently escorted to the information desk just inside the door.


People are so friendly here! I'm being chatted up by some guy originally from San Jose who wants to know if we want to go to a magic show or one of the Cirque de Soleil extravaganzas. I'm conflicted, because I hate musical theatre, but one of them, Zumanity, has nudity.


Fine, we'll go. Twenty bucks a head instead of eighty-five.


Get this, though. There's a catch.


We'll need to be at the casino at 8:15 tomorrow morning to be bused off to some new resort (Tahiti-themed, as I recall) to take a tour, just on the off chance that we might stay there the next time we're in town. I like Tahiti, and hope to visit there someday. OK, not a dealbreaker, although I'm losing enthusiasm, which hardly seems possible, given my legendary lack in that department.


Very good, all we need to do is give the guy forty bucks, and we're all set. I have twenty in my wallet. That's right, Mister High Roller. She has left her purse in the car. They cannot take a card, or a post-dated out-of-state four-party check. I begin to see the clouds part as I realize I have just freed up my entire day for tomorrow. But the guy is a good sport.


"Any chance you can get back here in the next hour?"


"We'll do our best."


And off we went, to enjoy Thanksgiving, eating too much, watching football and enjoying the company. It's really the best holiday of them all.


posted at 8:59 PM

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