Although I enjoy the rush of a win, I’m not a big gambler. I’ve gone to casinos and literally not spent a dime because I knew my chances of winning weren’t good. My mom enjoys the casino, and I enjoy going with her, because we have so much fun together when the slot machine gives us an exciting bonus.
I was thinking of my mom when I added this to my Memory List. I imagined being with her, at a casino somewhere in Ontario, while on vacation in the Toronto area this summer, after we’d both been vaccinated against COVID-19. And with the news that she’ll be getting her 2nd shot in the next few days, my confidence is high that this will still happen in a couple months, but it won’t be the first time this year making this particular memory.
That’s because I went gambling last night.
I went with a friend, who happens to really enjoy the entertainment value of a casino.I went, for the sole purpose of making this memory. I went, fully prepared to lose the money I had strategically and thoughtfully put in my wallet.
Of course, I was hoping to not lose it all. I was hoping to not lose any of it. Who am I kidding? I was hoping to make money. I wanted to win.
I put on my lucky lesbian shoes. (They’re just Adidas Superstar shoes, but I feel more connected to my lesbianism when I wear them.) I wore a lucky necklace, to make me feel like a warrior. (It’s made of koa wood from Hawaii, which translates to “warrior”.) And I pulled out all the positive vibes from the Universe, harnessing them and holding them tightly.
Being the Friday night of Memorial Day weekend, the casino was packed. It was loud, with a light cloud of cigarette smoke hanging in the air. I’d say about three quarters of the people weren’t wearing masks. The latest statistics show that only 40% of the US is fully vaccinated, so I have to assume that a number of people were assuming both health and financial risks by being there.
The minimum bets at the tables were too rich for my friend and me. I’m not about to drop $25 per hand! I’d lose my money so quickly, and the 45-minute drive out to the casino wouldn’t have been worth the entertainment time. So, instead, we sauntered our way to the slot machines and waited to feel a connection to one of them.
I lost my first $20 in a few minutes. Pretty on par with my expectations. We went looking for a better machine; one that was ready to pay out.
To my surprise, I found one. I made my money back and then some. After a half hour, I was about $30 up, and I was happy. Then I saw a bank of slot machines with cool dragon graphics. The machine second from the end called to me.
Those dragons were good to me. They gave me a number of wild wins, but it was when they helped me hit a bonus that things really paid off. Get it? Ha! That bonus won me $77 on a dollar bet. Not too shabby. I cashed out immediately, preventing those dragons from clawing back that money.
Overall, we spent about an hour strolling the casino floor. I redeemed my ticket and walked out of there $157 richer than when I walked in. Now that’s a great memory!
My Memory List 