Penultimate X

Day 11 - Part 5

I took a long, helpful shower, and grabbed a rest, a nap, some internetting, and a few drinks.

Taking stock of my situation, I found I was, at this moment in my wonderful room in Mandalay Bay complete with floor and windows, up $130 on the day.

What?!

How is that even possible? Savvy gambling, that's how.

Totaling everything up, I had $610 of the $1300 some odd dollars I'd brought with me. And I had the $500 money from the marker I took at the Golden Nugget still intact. And, I had $75 freeplay with my room offer. All so tempting, no?

Encouraged, I headed down to the casino, saw the MILF Sheila, got my freeplay put on my card, and got busy.

I opted for quarter 9/5 Jacks on the 50 play machine.

And that's when attempt number five for a Royal from four-to-a-royal happened.

Do you think I got it?

No?

I don't think so either. Bloody goddamn infuriating. I took a lonnnng pull of my vodka rocks and ate two of the three oversized olives that came with it.

I shrugged it off. The royal will come when the royal comes. It can be so easy sometimes. And it can be so difficult other times. (It's easier to be philosophical when you are only down a tenth of what you were on the previous trip.)

Because I'd been such a good boy, I played some triple play 7/5 Bonus quarters. It was fun, but nothing connected.

The freeplay was gone, and I went through another twenty. Nothing much.

Because you have to play Megabucks once a trip, I did that. $21 in. Got not a farthing.

My luck seemed to have gone stone cold. I'd have to go back to nickels.

By this time I was starving and a little bit (maybe more than a little) loopy. Hussong's Cantina is a favorite, and an easy decision.

Once again, the Hostess Sheila tried to shove me into the Single Lonely Diner table, which is always the worst table in the place.

I always stand up for myself and refuse it, and you should too.

Just because one is with oneself and no other one doesn't mean that one should have any less of a quality table than other ones that are with other ones, and not just with their one's self. Harumph!

Single Lonely Diner table - DENIED.

I ated some very large corn chips. I love the salsas they provide at Hussong's, particularly the green one, or, in the parlance of those in-the-know, salsa verde (verde meaning green, for those in-the-know).

Single Lonely Diner table - DENIED.

Try saying it. Sal-sa ver-day. Green sauce. Sal-sa ver-day.

Excellent!

I ordered something new for dinner, something I've never had before, and I forget what it was. But it came with beans. And it came with... some... stuff in the middle with meat and what looks like mayo on top but isn't, it's some sort of crema stuff, and there are some sliced green things (probably afocadros) and you know what else there was on there? Some rice.

I love me some afrocadros but my grocery store always says they don't them, no matter how many times I ask.

It all tasted good, I know that much. And I pretty much finished it all too.

Back at the casino, I dipped my toe back into the world of Ultimate X nickels I first experienced with Funkhouser at Harrah's. Oh my GAWD. I am so hooked on this game. If you haven't played it... don't.

The thing was, I had 11x and 12x multipliers lined up about a dozen times and never got anything worthwhile out of it. It was so frustrating! Still fun, still titillating, but ultimately infuriating.

Which means that I would play it more tomorrow, my last day. Which means that I'd played Penultimate X, and tomorrow, would play Ultimate X.

I went through a bunch of twenties on it, and threw twenty bucks at a slot and lost.

And then I was at that point again. I'd burned through all my profit for the day. Keep going and turn it into a loser? Quit?

Yeah, I quit.

Day: $0 - Break Even Day!!!
Trip: -$625
Bankroll Left: $375

I had $375 left for my last day in Vegas! Pretty good, eh?

And I had plans... oooh what plans I had! Secret surprise plans!!!

And no Royal yet. Damn.

One more day to go!