Winner of Almost!

Day 5 Sunday Sept 8, 2024

I'm starting to get worried about this trip. The first three days, I sailed through thanks to some decent wins that put me up on the trip.

Yesterday I had a nickel quad, and a quarter quad for $62.50 and that's it. And I racked up my first losing day.

That's okay, it's normal, but the atmosphere on the strip is just not as positive.

I feel this trip starting to slip away, in terms of gambling. Maybe I can get some decent wins this day and get back on the winning track.

Now, a number of you have noted that some of my meals, although technically healthy, are not exactly appetizing. Like, for example, the oatmeal snot in a cup.

I've had some very nice donors provide sufficient funds such that the directives to 'for the love of God, get some actual food! Eat a real breakfast!' has become an imminent possibility.

And with that in mind, post coffee in the room, I sauntered off to Luxor to eat a real breakfast.

The Pyramid Cafe, where I've eaten so many meals since Luxor opened, received me promptly at 7 on the clock.

I ordered the standard breakfast - 2 eggs over hard, sausages, hash browns, skip the toast, and coffee.

It was served up hot and fresh, and really hit the spot!

What an improvement over my usual dungeon cell gruel at the Excalibur Correctional Institution!

Prices have indeed continued to rise on the strip. See for yourself.

Some of the old Keno machines that I used to love playing still survive, although their ranks have been significantly culled.

I got into a fairly long session of nickel video Keno, playing for almost 2 hours.

But I hit no jackpots. Just a number of 'almost' hands.

This significantly pared down the cushion provided by my winnings on the trip.

Dammit.

I dealt with this by retreating to the room. So far I've been very disciplined about not having too much cash on me at any one time, to counter my Bankroll Tourettes.

Now I don't mean to make fun at the expense of people who are afflicted with this illness. In fact, I know very well someone with the disease. But I also have a disease, a mania coupled with compulsive tendencies that can see me go on absolute fucking tilt and blow way more money than is wise. Alcohol is often a factor in such lack of decision making.

The only cure is to keep the cash in the safe (if you have any).

So, as I meant to say, back in the room I puttered around, took a long shower and had a shave, and got ready to meet up with my video Keno compadre, YOLeven.

The plan was to have lunch at China Poblano, and then maybe diddle a few buttons on the machines. After that, I penciled in a stop at Resorts World, and then a visit to Encore for some full pay video Keno and their one or two of their excellent mojitos.

I took the shoe leather express to Cosmo, getting some much needed steps in.

I followed the shade as much as I could heading north on the Strip, and the walk wasn't too bad. Today wasn't quite as hot, and some cloud cover moving in helped keep the inferno at bay.

China Poblano was fantastic. YOleven was pretty sure I would enjoy it, and he was right.

We had the guacamole, which they prepare fresh to your liking right at the table. I learned the hard way not to pick up the 66 pound bowl it's served in.

YOleven had a fried rice dish and I had the Mongolian beef with lettuce. Everything was top notch. I was so busy digging in I forgot to photograph the beef. Use your bovine imaginations.

YO' and I agreed that should either of us become wealthy beyond belief, we will have under our employ a guacamole cabana boy whose sole responsibilities will be two-fold.

One, to tend the avocado groves, and two, to prepare guac to our liking upon command at any time of the day or night.

Imagine picking up the phone and punching in an extension. One ring and the phone is answered.

"Si, Senor?"

"Carlos... I'VE GOT A HANKERING FOR GUACAMOLE!"

Yeah, I definitely need to become rich. Maybe I'll have a 24 hour pork chop chef too.

So, in the pursuit of the aforementioned riches, we saddled up to the Chandelier bar and fired up video Keno.

And I would be remiss if I didn't mention that YOleven, in the spirit of the brotherhood of video Keno degenerates, assisted with my Cheap Magnificent Bastard gambling budget in a very meaningful way.

Another aspect of the Brotherhood is that when either one of us is in Vegas, we solicit 5 lucky numbers from the other fella, and play fifty $1 pulls on video Keno, splitting the winnings, if any.

I'll be honest - YOleven is a grand master at the game (although conceitedly, I taught him many of the advanced video Keno techniques he employs) and has provided the Lion's share of wins. It's great fun, and a little bit of Vegas for whoever is stuck at home.

We had a really good visit, a few cocktails, and whiled away the time futzing at Keno. Typically, and sadly, I could only come close, and never nailed a winner.

Not too long ago, I received an email from Resorts World. It mentioned $50 free play, $25 food, and discounted room rates. But to me, it sort of looked like that $50 free play might be 'no stay needed' free play.

Thanks to some inside information from my buddy YOleven, I knew it looked good. He'd gotten the same email, and had tested the theory out the day before.

So, after lunch, I hopped on the People's Limo and rode to Resorts World.

I had a very interesting conversation with a woman on the bus. Her work allows her to move freely around the world, and she does. She'd just been to Mexico City and dropped into Vegas for a few days. Japan, Korea, and many other ports of call have been part of her itineraries. I was reminded of I Put My Life on a Shelf and her incredible solo travels.

She scored one of the coveted official Royal Flusher Business cards and an invitation to read the blog.

Resorts World still looks shiny and new inside... and empty. Perhaps this is why these emails went out - to get some meat through the hatches, plump for the slaughtering.

I lowered my meat suit into a very comfortable chair, put my card in, and cruised through the menus, and by gosh there was the fifty in free play. And the twenty five in food!

I selected the green box, and played nickel Keno for about an hour and a quarter. Never got offered a drink. Never got a 5/5 win.

When the free play was gone, so was I. I suppose I might not mind staying at RW. The casino chairs are about as comfy as it gets, but the real draw is that they are across the street from Tacos El Gordo.

Encore is a brief hike away as well, and I proved it by hiking my briefs there.

Encore was as nice as always, and I spent an enjoyable $60 there chasing video Keno. I played just a simple, single five spot card, 25 cents a game.

Congratulations, Flushiepants, you've won "Almost".

The mojito was excellent, the video Keno was frustrating. I hit four out of five numbers no less than eight times.

Congratulations, Flushiepants, you've won "Almost".

The tide was indeed turning on my gambling fortunes. Thank goodness I suddenly thought of meatballs.

The limo stop is just outside Encore, and I found it unoccupied. Before long I was joined by a raving lunatic. First he asked me how long until the bus came. The app said just a couple of minutes and I told him so.

He shouted a bunch of things about thanking me, respect, respect you, respect me, respect brain. Then he spent a minute or two shouting across the street at... nobody. He made motions of pretending to shoot at cars and people with a rifle and yelled about killing them.

I put some distance between us and he mostly stayed in the shelter, behind the partition, but I won't say I wasn't a little scared.

The bus took a good seven or eight minutes to arrive and I let him on first. And of course his pass was no good. Much discussion with the driver, and the production of another no good pass ensued.

I figured he might not be allowed on, and backed right off the bus to give him lots of room when that happened. I didn't want to be the target of his transport wrath. And I didn't know what was in his large gym bag.

He kind of stepped to one side as he dug through pockets and I saw my chance, squeezing by, scanning the pass on my phone, muttering and a 'scuse me sir, and skedaddling upstairs.

The guy did make it onto the bus in the end, and didn't shoot me dead, so I guess I can call today a winner.

Twenty minutes later, I got off at Park MGM and three minutes after that, I was enjoying some meatballs procured from one of the stands in Eataly.

They were good, but for some reason not as good as last time. Still, a fine no-carb choice.

Some clouds had rolled into Vegas during the day, and it made being outside much more bearable. They would leave as quietly as they arrived, except their pockets would be stripped of all currency.

The sky was beautiful and I took a few moments on the walkway to enjoy the views.

Having played no video poker today, I stopped in at one of the old Game Kings I'd found yesterday.

The Royal progressive was huge - over $1900.

I decided to play a couple of twenties on Triple Double Bonus, which would give me the chance at some huge jackpots, should I get lucky. Aces kicker pay $1000 on that game. And there was the Royal.

Well, I was dealt three Aces twice and couldn't connect. It's so frustrating!

That was that and I finished the day with not a single win of any consequence. That's two days running like that, and the gambling bankroll reflects it.

Budget

Today was inexpensive on the food front, but expensive on gambling.

I had a really enjoyable day, notwithstanding losing $220, and almost getting attacked at a bus stop.

Actual Total Expenses so far are $406.

Gambling Day -$220
Gambling Trip +$23

Tomorrow, I have a mission. Stay tuned.