Playing with Dr. John

You know what's savvy? Playing 5 quarters found in a pocket in a coin-dropper Treasure Chest machine and getting a quad on it. And then picking a 180 quarter chest.

Before I continue with the trip report, I want to take a quick time out to recognize some of the great folks out there.

First of all, I'd like to thank the people that donated to support my habit the blog. There are real out-of-pocket costs to this, and of course, the time it takes Jimmy Poon to do the tech stuff and ghost-write all the posts. But two people donated $100!!!! You guys are AMAZING.

Thank you, thank you, thank you so very much to:

• P. E.
• Pete G.
• Casey
• Bobby G
• Chris M.
• Timothy
• T. Hook

I'd also like to thank you for reading the blog, for engaging with cool questions and helpful hints, for sharing posts and tweets, and for clicking the like button. It's also great fun to meet some of you in person, I met some great folks this trip.

OK, onward.

The Quad Queen was on a roll, chuffed after her 10-play success.

All trip long, as usual, we'd seen luck move from one person to the other. I have no explanation for this. For a while I could do no wrong, and QQ couldn't hit anything. Now, it seemed like she had the gambling stick, as it were.

Sometimes we both lose, and rarely, we both win at the same time. But usually it's one or the other.

The Binion's money I'd won, plus the Four Queens Jacks money had lasted me all day. It was nice to play that long on a $120 stake. But I was even, and it was time to either win, or lose.

I finished packing for the most part (meaning that when we came back to the room later, with 30 minutes to go before departure, I'd be panicking, trying to cram everything into my carryon). It's always like this.

Blog done and posted, shower and shave done, I headed down to join Mrs. F. in the Main Street Station casino.

We headed to the bar to play some Jacks, but there was only one spot available. The Quad Queen really wanted to get back to multiplay, so she let me have it.

I put a ticket in that had $8.75 on it or something and pulled up the 9/6 Jacks. I heard a voice beside me say something.

"You going to use the Strict Rules of Parlay?"

What the hell?!

"I sure am," I said, "I wish I had a way of remembering the rules, though."

The guy next to me took out his wallet and pulled out an Official Royal Flusher Business Card v 2.0.

I took out my wallet and pulled one out from the stash I keep there.

"Trade you," I said.

We traded cards, shook hands, and the gent turned out to be none other than Dr. John.

Seriously!

And not the poser, phoney piano playing Dr. John, the real Dr. John.

It turns out that John is a huge supporter of the blog (including three-time donator, which explains why he had a card - I mailed it to him, I think), so we had a really nice chat for 45 minutes or so.

Great to meet you, John!

I rejoined the Quad Queen, and we played a little of this and that and then had our final meal in Vegas for the trip - at the buffet.

It was pretty good, as always, and the server guy we had was astonishingly attentive - to the point of dropping off extra straws, and wipes, and toothpicks for us.

I've never had a grown man lay out a welcoming spread of toothpicks to choose from, but, by gum, that's what happened.

After eating, the QQ wanted one more bash at 10-play. I wanted to play a few other things, and then I'd join her on triple or five-play.

How many of these must I endure?

And for once, we were both winning at the same time!

I ran my $100 buy-in up to $300 easily - and I got overconfident. What a twit! Sometimes you are playing along, winning, you relax, and you keep playing but don't really notice the credits going down. By the time you are back to your buy-in, you are desperately trying to get that winning feeling again - and you crash.

And that's what happened and I felt like a dope. I could have had a winning day - it was in my hands, or rather, on my meter.

One of these days, I'll hit the home run. If I'd been dealt that fourth Pointy, I'd be looking at twelve Pointies, and more importantly, $3,000.

The amazing Quad Queen cashed out another $500 ticket, putting her at an amazing and wonderful $1020. I ended down $200 on the day, and I had to admit, collectively, we'd had a good day.

And it wasn't quite over.

There was still time for more customer service fuck-ups, and a last chance shot at the airport.

(And the post-trip accounting spin.)