It's the end of the work week and the end of the second week of this road trip. I have fallen ungraciously from the highs of winning in New Mexico: I have lost back just about everything except $400 and the clothes on my back. Maybe gambling isn't the dream I envisioned, maybe it is really unbeatable. My despair is great- I don't want to stay in Las Vegas.
I woke up and left the Oasis Casino in Mesquite, Nevada around 11:00 am, the check-out time. It's been 5 days of convenience and little hardships- sleeping comfortably, waking up with running warm water, and a flushable toilet. It's difficult to beat $22.50 per night for such hospitable rooms, especially when it's being paid for with the winnings from New Mexico. Five dollars was left in the room for the house keeping personnel.
Before going to bed last night, I played in the Oasis and finally won $15 after 3 hours. An older, married lady in her 40's was flirting with me. Her leg was touching mine under the table all night. She was here with her 3 sisters, without their spouses, from Colorado on vacation for 3 days to play golf and gamble. She and her sister were pulling chips from their bras, and on one occassion, I accidentally saw a tattoo on her chest. I suppose it is true: people do come to Nevada for the freedom, and sometimes leave their morals one step behind.
The whole day was spent playing at the downtown casinos on Fremont in Las Vegas, Nevada. Unfortunately, I was able to seize defeat from the jaws of victory and lost everything at Fritzgerald's, a casino I've never lost at before. The bottom I felt in Mesquite is now a deeper hole, an almost endless chasm of hopelessness.
There was a pullout on Snow Mountain Road on Highway 95 which I used to park and sleep for the night. About an hour and a half later, a policeman drove up and questioned my position. He agreed it was okay to stay, but I needed to leave in the morning because this was Indian reservation land. He passed by once more in the night, but no other cars accessed the road.
Before falling asleep, I contemplated going back to New Mexico, but foolishly rationalized playing in Las Vegas one more time by withdrawing $300 in the morning. I needed to play during uncrowded conditions.
To be continued...