Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Dirty Little Secret

Project 15 - Day 24

The Music Man Beckons


My favorite location on most cruise ships is the casino. (Now you know my dirty little secret.) I am a connoisseur of the penny slot. When I find one I like, and more importantly that likes me, I can idle away many hours. The bright lights, the music of the slots, the sound of coins emptying from machines into buckets speak to me. It is casino bliss and I am happy as a clam.

I'm not in it for the big win, although that would be nice. It is more about the playing than the winning. My goal is to find a machine that will tease me, taunt me by draining my hard earned cash and then suddenly fill the coffer again, complete with flashing lights and ringing bells. It is a game. If I can make one $20 bill last until I am ready to move on then I have won. If I have more money than I started with when I am ready to call it a day, it' a jackpot win for me. If my $20 is gone in sixty seconds, I pout.

The Kid on the other hand tolerates casinos. He is immune to the lure of the bright lights and promise of riches. But he has a hidden talent. Slot machines communicate with him. They emit subliminal messages that say "I am ripe for the picking." When one speaks loudly enough he will stop and play a dollar or two. On most occasions his pockets are bulging when he walks out the door 10 minutes later.

I find this rather annoying. I am there for hours and rarely win the "big one." He is there mere minutes and more often than not emerges victorious. That's just plain wrong, immoral and unfair.

But I am supportive, after all he covers my bets.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love the colorful picture, and the story is a lot of fun. I'd be on the next slot machine to you, trying to make my $20 last a couple of hours. -k-

Audrey said...

Bobby would be right beside you - or my daughter! Neither has yet walked away with much to show for it all.... but they haven't given up hope!