benbrownjr
Low-Roller
This trip was actually planned 7 months ago as my high school classmates all turn 50 this year so 42 of us are meeting up in vegas. Many of us have known each other since elementary school. This will be my first time back to Vegas since the passing of my dear friend eric (see my previous report "saddest trip of my life") so I was hoping to make new memories.
Left LA around 9:30 and arrived at the DTG at 2:30. I received a 2 night comp with a little free play. Check in went fast and i went down to play. Went over to the D and because I watch the show I played the TMZ slot machine. I thought it was fun and I managed to win $50 off it.
Walked over to the 2 craps tables and both had new shooters. This happened the last time I was here but I picked the right table last time so I chose the same table and made $100 net profit. Went down to the El Cortez and walked away from the table with a $230 profit. Walked to MSS and played slots
Now my regular dice dealer at the El Cortez quit and now works at the linq so he texted me that he was assigned to a craps table that night so I made a rare strip gambling session so we could visit although I ended up losing $300.
Thursday I stayed at the DTG and played slots but did not win a thing. Ate a slice of pepperoni pizza from pizza rock which is always good. Everything I won the previous day I lost...not my best day.
Friday is moving day to the California so I decided to tackle two things. When I wrote the last TR I was still talking with erics sister but things have deteriorated to the point of hurtful emails. When she found out about the tattoo she called me pathetic and mentally ill (she is a social worker in Atlanta) and out of spite I sent her a picture of eric after he was dead. I know I shouldn't have but I did. I drove over to the southern nevada health department in an attempt to get a copy of erics death certificate so I can close out a few of his obligations but because I am not a relative I can't. I explained that one agency that needs it is southern nevada housing authority and they said if I can get a letter from them that they are working with me on behalf of eric they could give a copy of his death certificate. Sat in the car and cried for a few minutes then took a deep breath and drove over to erics apartment as the landlord has not issued a refund for his secuity deposit. I arrive and, surprise, he said he never got the letter so I handed him a copy of it and he said he will contact his accountant. By this time I was able to check in at the California. Friends are arriving today so I hit the craps table at MSS. One shooter had to make a 9 but all he seems to hit the six and eight. I went from a $6 bet on those numbers to $197. Left the table with $550 profit and met up with friends.
Side note: the classmate who set this up was flying in on standby from Seattle. When she went to park her car at long-term lot someone had just gotten shot in there car. After a 2 hour delay on the plane she was off to Vegas but 20 minutes before landing the pilot asks if there is a paramedic or doctor on board. The pilot does a real quick drop and landing. She can see they are performing CPR on the passenger. They were asked to remain seated so emergency staff can get on the plane. Well when they arrived the person had died and they had to leave the body for the coroner so everyone had to exit out of the back of the plane onto the tarnac, walk around the plane and up the stairs to the terminal. WOW
As more of us gathered we met at 777 brewery and chatted and laughed until 4am (we went to school in Hawaii so the ones that flew in feel like it's only 2am)
Saturday was spent with old friends. Gambled a little but lost. Our get together started at 6pm in the ohana room and it was great. Afterwards half went to Fremont street while the rest went to watch the UH vs UNLV in the cals new sports book.
Sunday I said goodbye to my friends. With the main part of my done I found my friends memory creeping up on me. I stood and looked out the window on the sidewalk below and in the distance toward erics place. I thought of all the things we did and times we were walking down those same sidewalks and I cried. Spent the evening walking around Fremont with no real destination in mind carrying the largest long Island iced tea I could find.
Monday I packed up and had breakfast. I had $40 on food credit but my bill was just $10 so I had the waitress give me some of the other guests bills so I could cover them. Gassed up the car and got on the fwy. I was trying to hold it together but as I was getting on at Sahara the puff daddy song "I'll be missing you" came on the radio and that pushed me over the edge. As the city faded into my rear view mirror I settle in for the drive home. I made it back home by 7pm.
Overall I lost on gambling but managed to made some happy memories too. Was it too soon to go back? Yeah. Will I go November? No. In order to channel the grief I had joined the gym and not going to the gym in 6 days only confirms it.
And to quote a phrase from that puff daddy song; "everyday I live brings me closer to seeing you again."
Thanks for reading.
Left LA around 9:30 and arrived at the DTG at 2:30. I received a 2 night comp with a little free play. Check in went fast and i went down to play. Went over to the D and because I watch the show I played the TMZ slot machine. I thought it was fun and I managed to win $50 off it.
Walked over to the 2 craps tables and both had new shooters. This happened the last time I was here but I picked the right table last time so I chose the same table and made $100 net profit. Went down to the El Cortez and walked away from the table with a $230 profit. Walked to MSS and played slots
Now my regular dice dealer at the El Cortez quit and now works at the linq so he texted me that he was assigned to a craps table that night so I made a rare strip gambling session so we could visit although I ended up losing $300.
Thursday I stayed at the DTG and played slots but did not win a thing. Ate a slice of pepperoni pizza from pizza rock which is always good. Everything I won the previous day I lost...not my best day.
Friday is moving day to the California so I decided to tackle two things. When I wrote the last TR I was still talking with erics sister but things have deteriorated to the point of hurtful emails. When she found out about the tattoo she called me pathetic and mentally ill (she is a social worker in Atlanta) and out of spite I sent her a picture of eric after he was dead. I know I shouldn't have but I did. I drove over to the southern nevada health department in an attempt to get a copy of erics death certificate so I can close out a few of his obligations but because I am not a relative I can't. I explained that one agency that needs it is southern nevada housing authority and they said if I can get a letter from them that they are working with me on behalf of eric they could give a copy of his death certificate. Sat in the car and cried for a few minutes then took a deep breath and drove over to erics apartment as the landlord has not issued a refund for his secuity deposit. I arrive and, surprise, he said he never got the letter so I handed him a copy of it and he said he will contact his accountant. By this time I was able to check in at the California. Friends are arriving today so I hit the craps table at MSS. One shooter had to make a 9 but all he seems to hit the six and eight. I went from a $6 bet on those numbers to $197. Left the table with $550 profit and met up with friends.
Side note: the classmate who set this up was flying in on standby from Seattle. When she went to park her car at long-term lot someone had just gotten shot in there car. After a 2 hour delay on the plane she was off to Vegas but 20 minutes before landing the pilot asks if there is a paramedic or doctor on board. The pilot does a real quick drop and landing. She can see they are performing CPR on the passenger. They were asked to remain seated so emergency staff can get on the plane. Well when they arrived the person had died and they had to leave the body for the coroner so everyone had to exit out of the back of the plane onto the tarnac, walk around the plane and up the stairs to the terminal. WOW
As more of us gathered we met at 777 brewery and chatted and laughed until 4am (we went to school in Hawaii so the ones that flew in feel like it's only 2am)
Saturday was spent with old friends. Gambled a little but lost. Our get together started at 6pm in the ohana room and it was great. Afterwards half went to Fremont street while the rest went to watch the UH vs UNLV in the cals new sports book.
Sunday I said goodbye to my friends. With the main part of my done I found my friends memory creeping up on me. I stood and looked out the window on the sidewalk below and in the distance toward erics place. I thought of all the things we did and times we were walking down those same sidewalks and I cried. Spent the evening walking around Fremont with no real destination in mind carrying the largest long Island iced tea I could find.
Monday I packed up and had breakfast. I had $40 on food credit but my bill was just $10 so I had the waitress give me some of the other guests bills so I could cover them. Gassed up the car and got on the fwy. I was trying to hold it together but as I was getting on at Sahara the puff daddy song "I'll be missing you" came on the radio and that pushed me over the edge. As the city faded into my rear view mirror I settle in for the drive home. I made it back home by 7pm.
Overall I lost on gambling but managed to made some happy memories too. Was it too soon to go back? Yeah. Will I go November? No. In order to channel the grief I had joined the gym and not going to the gym in 6 days only confirms it.
And to quote a phrase from that puff daddy song; "everyday I live brings me closer to seeing you again."
Thanks for reading.
But really sucks what the organizer had to go through though to get to Vegas. 
And I am sorry what you have had to go through with Eric. You're obviously caring more than some others involved...