And then, it was time for a day off!
Monday, we were up before sunrise (something we don’t normally do). While Cindy had to go to work at the neighbor’s farm, Bev, Mom and I were headed for a day of fun in Mesquite, NV.
Even though Bev was pretty sore from falling off Neche, she was still able to drive the Senior Citizen bus to St. George where we hooked up with the other seniors and boarded a comfy tour bus for the short ride to Mesquite.
Interestingly, as you go down I-15, it’s only about 10 miles to the border… of Arizona. Just after entering Arizona, you descend through the Virgin River Gorge… quite a marvel of shale cliffs and a narrow river bed. At times it seems the highway is nearly on top of the river bed.
Within another 25 or so miles, we cross into Nevada and the gambling mecca of Mesquite. This town’s claim to fame is that it’s the closest place to gamble when you live in Southern Utah.
After getting checked in at the Gold Card Services, we were off to seek the riches.
Considering it wasn’t yet 10AM, this was nearly a shock to my system. I’d visited Spirit Mountain in Oregon, but generally didn’t get there until late afternoon… somehow sitting at a video poker machine bright and early on Monday morning didn’t stir my juices.
I guess I had “that aura” and the machines new it… my money wasn’t going far.
Bev and Mom were having better luck, and Barb (Bev’s cousin) was “the big winner”. I caught up with her as she was hastily rounding up little buckets. She had hit a “900 nickel” jackpot and the machine was spitting nickels at her. And that was her SECOND JACKPOT!
Have you ever considered how many nickels that is? That’s over 22 ROLLS of nickels!
We gathered little buckets and big buckets, until finally she had filled four big buckets of nickels. Time to find a cashier and get some folding money. What a sight… both of us lugging these heavy little buckets from the far end of the casino, to the middle, where we found the cashier.
Total winnings… over 80 bucks. Now, I think she put about 30 bucks into the machine, but that’s still a nice little profit.
In the meantime, Mom had hit a little jackpot and cashed in, so she was playing on the casino’s money, too.
Oh… about that time, I finally looked at the coupon book we were given. Lo and behold… there was one for a free beer… Yeah, it was still early and I’d only recently found my first cup of coffee… but the possibility of a really cold, good beer set me on the hunt.
Oh barkeep! What’s that… you have Sam Adams on tap? I’d like one of those on this here coupon. Splat, phusuuoop! Geez… the keg is empty.
Ok, make a Coors Original, please.
Ah, the sweet taste of a good beer… one with all the alcohol still there. Yep, this one is a 5% by content as opposed to that watered down stuff you get in Utah… maximum 3.2% on ALL BEER.
Pretty soon now, we head for lunch… again a casino freebie. The buffet looks a lot better than it tastes. Nothing really wrong with the taste, it’s just that nothing is spectacular. I have a breaded pork chop that’s a bit dry. Bev has stuff green peppers and fried chicken. They’re ok, but nothing spectacular. Barb goes for the rainbow trout and announces it’s overcooked. Mom finds the liver and onions and is quite happy.
Deserts hit the spot… homestyle bread pudding with vanilla sauce, and frozen chocolate and vanilla yogurt with chocolate syrup.
We still have two or more hours to gamble. I’ve been hanging on to a few bucks, just in case I smell better to the machines. As luck would have it, Mom let’s me have here beer coupon… she doesn’t drink. Another Coors please.
I spend the afternoon wandering around, sipping my beer, and finding other seniors. Slowly we begin gathering at the front door for the return ride to St. George and home.
Shortly after 7:30 pm (over 12 hours since we first left home) we arrive home again. All in all, Mom’s ahead a little. Bev’s ahead a little… and I’m the big loser.
We all agree on one thing… don’t need to go to Mesquite again for another year.
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