Wayne This Evening at Treasure Island

Sunday Day 9 - continued

I walk back to the California, still chuckling over what happened at the Plaza. Blackjack is being very good to me so far this trip, and I will play more of it.

I pull open the heavy outside door of the Cal, and the inner one, and as I'm walking down the few steps, I remember to head up to the mezzanine. I want to take one last look at that quarter video poker progressive before I check out.

Welcome to the Cal!

The escalator takes me up and I am surprised to see that it hasn't been hit yet. It's up to $2,700! There is no way I can walk by this.

I play a few twenties but it all just seems to be out of my reach. It's time to eat a free lunch, and then head to T.I., where I have a free room and $100 in free play waiting. Sometimes it's pretty nice being an asset to the casinos.

Lunch is large helpings of salad bar trough items, and soup. I have a photo of it. You've seen similar photos of salad plates. Take the best one and make it even better and imagine that I ate that version - it will be better than posting a photo of salad. I'll keep the photo - I'd be an ass to toss salad photos.

The Little Giant Coffee Machine packs beautifully. I clean it up, dry it, and put half my remaining pods into the water tank, and the other half in the space where the cup goes. Some dirty socks fill the empty spaces in the box and it's almost like it isn't even there in my suitcase!



I like to catch Uber and Lyft from the Main Street Station valet area (in front of Royal Flusher Park). It's actually closer, and easier to get to than the Cal valet - and easier for drivers to find, as well. I think.

My driver, Chung, takes almost 20 minutes to get to me from the Plaza. I watch his little tiny car driving around and around the block. I call him. I message him. I send up a flare.

I watch him pass me, turn left on Ogden, and turn right onto 1st, which is that dead end beside Binions.

Finally he arrives, I pile in, go easy on the guy, and make a bit of small talk. He's new to the city. New to driving. New to English. Very good at making panic faces. I leave him alone.

Of course, the Uber app tells him to take the freeway, and of course the construction on the freeway slows us to a crawl - and we're on the good side.

I just sit back and envision winning on my freeplay.

We arrive at T.I.

He leaps out of the driver's seat and runs around to the back to help me with my stuff, before I can even get unbuckled.

I get back there and pull up the handle on my carry on.

"Thanks a lot. Hey - you are probably Wayne this evening?" I ask him.

He shakes his head, smiles, nods, and makes a few gestures. All of these combined provide any answer possible.

Finally he says, "Wayne this... evening? Me?"

"Well... not just you," I say. "Everybody Wayne Chung tonight. Well, goodbye."

Because of this, morally, I have to tip him like seven bucks. It's worth it for the moment we've shared.

Checking in to T.I. is easy and fairly quick, although I am getting bored by the careful, detailed explanation I get of all the hotel things I need to know - I know them by heart. Because I am kind most of the time, I pretend that it's my first time - the lobbyist is only doing her job, and doing it well. I will not yell, "cut the crap, let me sign, give me my fucking keys - I have to drinklegamble". No I will not.

My room is one of the same fairly comfortable rooms I've been getting with these offers - with that spectacular view down the strip. I never tire of this view, and I could gaze upon the city for hours.

After 30 seconds, I head to the casino, practically running down the hallway. Freeplay!

There used to be a number of banks of good machines at T.I. Then there were three banks. Then there was one, with six 50 cent and up machines in it.

Now that number is down to three machines - half of them have been relegated to $5 and up short pay high roller sucker video poker.

It's too bad, but one machine is all I need right now, and I get to work. Without hitting a quad, I manage to play $100 free play through and cash out exactly $100. Easy money.

Next stop blackjack, and I play for an hour at $10 a hand. When I bail, I'm up about $60. Blackjack...

It's been a long day, so I find my way to refreshments at the bar. Amongst other things, I spot a woman with an enormous penis on her head. I play some high volatility Triple Double, and finally screw around with keno for two or three drinks worth. A fellow three seats over is also playing keno, but his machine has $1000 on it. His machine is loud. Mine makes no sound. I find the repetitive loud dink dink dink dink of his keno game very annoying, and more so because he's winning and I'm not.

I take a picture of a decent hit, enough to keep me going for quite a while. I also take pictures of some 'almost' hands, for whatever reason.

Good hit and super Almost.

Almost!

Almost!

Really almost!

Keno is a perfect bar game, because there's no thinking. Which is the point of a bar.

A bit more video poker and some slots round out my day, but it's late and I'm kind of aimlessly wandering around. I play some animal video slot that I have never played and don't understand. I get excited when I fill the screen with all the same leopard symbol - I know what that means - something good!

Five fucking bucks? For all those leopards? Fuck you Rumpleteazer!

I get a wee boost on the 50 cent VP, and then play a little Bonus Streak, to kill off the rest of my winnings.

I'm thoroughly disgusted when nothing big comes out of a whole set of 12x multipliers on the hands following this one:

Same thing with all these multipliers. Nada much.

CVS is a great place for dinner, and you don't have to line up to get a table. I pick out some things and cart them off to my room.

My last message to the Quad Queen is this:

"How can I heat a $1.79 burrito in the Little Giant coffee maker?"

VP and Slots - Day: -$180
Blackjack - Day: +$100
Keno - Day: -$40

Trip: +$185

I'm still up on the trip. It's amazing. I sleep deeply in preparation for a coupon run to Ellis Island the next day...

Lots more to come.