Please Pull My Pork

Day 16

For the second time this trip, strangely, this would be my last full day in Vegas.

The snowstorm in Toronto didn't end up affecting the flight I'd originally been booked on - but it caused all the flights to Flusherville Regional Aerodrome to be canceled. I would indeed have been stuck in YYZ.

The day began with delicious Art Bar coffee, and then back up to the laptop to pretend, again, that I was just working from home.

Jimmy Poon had convinced boss Norbert that the dynopeptic germ had evolved into a bad case of 24 hour shingles, the contagious kinds. Norbert was happy for me to answer questions over the IP phone occasionally.

Making grommets is not much of an art or science, after all. It's very much like manufacturing little size 7 rubber disks with holes in them.

In fact, it's exactly like manufacturing little size 7 rubber disks with holes in them.

I hadn't really sampled any of the Grand's restaurants, so I wandered down to the lobby, saying a few friendly 'good mornings' on the way, and topped up with Art Bar coffee before grabbing a table at Stewart and Ogden.

There's something weird about the vibe of this place that has kept me from going in, and I can't put my finger on it.

It has nice enough fittings, finish and color scheme.

Maybe it's just the fact that the room is pretty much a rectangular fishbowl off the lobby and casino?

I think I might like it better if there were some nooks and crannys or dividers or something.

Anyway, I got seated and ordered up the waffle sandwich, which was "2 eggs, crispy waffle, country sausage or smoked bacon, house potatoes with country (throw-up) gravy 11".

That's 11 dollars, by the way. The waiter offered to top up my take-out Art Bar comp coffee, which I thought was a classy touch, since the lack of a coffee order with my breakfast reduced the bill, and his tip.

When my breakfast arrived, it really was a sandwich! It had little pots of ketchup, and country throw-up gravy! And, it was pretty damn tasty.

I did a little play in the casino before heading back up to work some more, losing $100 at video poker, and winning about $65 at blackjack. It didn't start that way. I lost the first 9 of 11 hands. Then I started pressing like crazy and worked up to $125 and walked.

The morning went well enough between taking calls from the plant and starting my packing. Since I had to be in the room, I figured I might as well get a jump on it.

At lunch I stopped off at Picnic, the rooftop pool area at the Downtown Grand. It looked great, actually. Nicely finished, nice looking pool, simple, inviting surroundings.

I headed over to the Four Queens to say goodbye to the lads at the bar, but there was nary a Mike to be seen. I also made a stop at the Slot Club booth and thanked Jay again, and told him I'd filled out a comment card on his behalf for taking such good care of me.

Are they taking these machines by Keno completely out???

I still had a $10 comp for the D so I headed up there for lunch, first buying a couple of Keno ticket for 40 games each. One was a five spot ticket and the other one, I picked mostly the same numbers and debated whether to go 6 or 7 - and decided on 7 because if I was gonna win, I wanted a big win. 6 out of 6 pays $750 or something but 7 out of 7 pays $7000.

I settled on the pulled pork sandwich for lunch and it was excellent. On the way out, I spotted a guy playing that lone nickel Loose Deuces coin dropper - the one that pays over 100% with perfect play. I dropped 5 nickels in a stack next to him.

Pulled Pork at the D. D-licious.

"In case you need some spares," I said, and breezed on by. I don't know why I did it, I was just in a good mood.

The afternoon was kind of uneventful. I did a little of this and that, and played an uncarded session at the Fremont. Got a quad, and almost got a Royal. On two out of three lines. Oh well.

If I could just move a few cards around...

I picked up the car at the Grand valet to run an errand - pick up my super laundry from Super Laundry. They did a nice enough job I guess. Except for the folding. And except for the fact that my clothes reeked like they'd been steeped in liquid Bounce for a week. I hate that horrible chemical shit. The good part was I had one shirt in my order that isn't mine. Oddly, the shirt is mis-manufactured with crooked seams.

At the same time, I have no idea if any of my shirts were donated to some other lucky bastard who is probably going, 'hey this shirt has no scent!!! I miss my horrible chemical shit!!!'.

So, the Super Laundry experiment was a bust. If I could have gotten my stuff (and the free shirt)scent-free like I ordered it would be an option.

Fold job... fail.

I finished out my afternoon and finished packing. I took it easy. I reflected on my trip.

I was a pretty lucky guy this time. I was still up a respectable amount, almost enough to balance the Quad Queen's losses.

I'd stayed healthy, got tons of free stuff, had perfect weather, got my dollar royal... got those Aces.

As I pretty much got the last of my stuff stashed away, a simple relaxed smile on my face....

that...

that...

...that was the moment that I realized I couldn't remember the last time I'd seen Jimmy Poon's sleek black with silver trim $300 Start-o-matic Anti-Cheemo remote car starter key fob.