Book Board Chat

Hi, Jo-Anne! I remember old Las Vegas well; I happened to travel there with a friend from work and her parents, who were driving through on the way to CA. I didn't have a lot of money with me but I had decided I wanted to take a real vacation and see Vegas. That was ages ago, in the 60s. Well. I wandered around town for a bit, and ended up at the Horseshoe, where I decided to try my luck at Craps. For awhile I was somewhat ahead, but ended up losing about $87.00. I forgot that the chips were MY money. I went to the Mint, down the street, and spoke to a manager and asked for a job. I thought I would just work for a couple of weeks and go back to my job in MT. He laughed a little when I told him the truth, but gave me a job as a "change girl", wearing an apron with rolls of coins and responding to people playing slots who needed coins. Heavy, tiring work, but at least I knew I could eat and stay somewhere without having to call my folks to bail me out. I loved it; and would take my meagre tips to a nickle slot machine after work and sometimes could run it into a few dollars. It did dawn on me that if I didn't leave, I would end up there forever, playing 21 (my favorite game, and back then, you could play for $1 a hand) until I was old and decrepit. My mother was scandalized when I told her I had considered going to dealer's school to learn how to deal cards. I abandoned that idea, and did leave after nearly a year in Sin City (which then was not all that sinful - the Mob ran things and it was safe to wander around alone without fear of being attacked. I've since been back once, around 2000 or so, and it was incredibly built up and I remember the casino at the place we stayed in was understaffed so that overflowing ash trays and empt y glasses were everywhere; gone were the freebies like drinks for the gamblers, even free packs of cigarettes, passes to the buffets, etc. A huge difference. And I did hit a jackpot at one machine and had to carry the coins in a bucket and stand in line at a cashier booth to turn in the tokens for around $400. I belong to a FB group called "Do you Remember Old Las Vegas" which is so interesting, because some people who grew up there post many pictures of the way it was in the earlier days, and talk of their experiences and the stars who came to perform in the lounge shows as well as the theaters. I saw many of them in lounge shows and heard a lot of good bands. It was great! I can't imagine being in that town by myself now. Jeez, sorry to ramble on like this. I guess that's what oldpharts do - and I are one!