Sunday, January 06, 2008

SOS - Vegas, baby


Soap Opera Sunday is back, both here and at Brillig and Walking Kateastrophe's, the co-creators of the day for us to share sudsy tales.

Amazing Guy likes Vegas. Loves Vegas. Really, really loves Vegas.

I, not so much.

I have been to Vegas once in 1992. I was driving from Louisiana to Los Angeles in the early summer and my two traveling companions wanted to go to Vegas. I wanted to go see places featuring Native American culture.

I was outvoted.

The one night we spent in Vegas I walked into a huge room filled with slot machines. In front of me was an elderly man in a wheelchair, his arms shaking, as someone helped him lift his hand to place a coin in the slot of the flashing machine.

In tears I promptly turned around to run back to the hotel room and spent the entire night there. My entertainment was watching one of the walls move as some folks in the next room were engaged in some loud, wall-moving activities.

That was my one night in Vegas.

So in 2002 when Amazing Guy announced he wanted to go to Vegas on New Year's Day 2003 and stay for a few days for poker and drinking, I told him to have a good time. I didn't want to go, didn't need to go, and didn't need to know what happened there. Figured he would have his 2-3 days of Vegas and he would be happy for the year.

Of course when he left for the airport he set the alarm to ring when anyone walked in the house, not for when the door was opened. I set off the alarm at 4:30 am.

In 2004 I was five months pregnant with our daughter. Gambling Man Amazing Guy mistakenly took every single key for the house and cars to the airport with him. I got the call at 5:00 am that AG had given a cab driver $70, the keys and our address. I had visions of a cabbie trying to to extort more money from me. Of him not showing up for hours because he was making copies of the keys. Of him forcing his way into the house while the boys were sleeping upstairs.

None of that happened. He showed up within half an hour and was a perfect gentleman.

Then in 2005 I was two weeks into a new job. AG called from Vegas and I told him there was a huge snow storm coming. I suggested he cut short his trip. He ignored my suggestion.

The airport was closed for two days and he couldn't get on a flight for another two. He was gone an entire week.

Surprisingly the last two years' trips didn't involve house alarms, blizzards or house keys in cabs.

So one guess where we went for our couple's trip this past week.

20 comments:

Heather said...

You are one tolerant woman, you know that?

Jen said...

Have you changed your mind on Vegas? It looks like you had at least one desert hike. And yes, I echo Heather.

painted maypole said...

ha ha.

you know, vegas can be very entertaining, if you're up for it. We're not much for gambling, adn there is a lot of sad stuff to see, but the people watching can be fascinating, and my hubby and I just gawked at the crazy buildings.

I posted about Day to Read today, by the way.

Suzanne said...

So, will the yearly jaunts to Vegas continue now that you've gone with? Or will you revert to sending him on his way?

I, personally, have no desire to go to Vegas. None. I love CSI, though, so I'll call that my weekly visit to Vegas, k?

Wholly Burble said...

I've never been, but my nephew likes it there so well he built a house there. Must have some merits LOL.

And now, are you going to be a Vegas girl? I've heard the food is good and quite affordable.

As for me, I'd hit the live shows--I'm a sucker for live performances.

Kateastrophe said...

I am so with you! I am not a huge Vegas fan! I have to go there every year for a work conference and if not for the great restaurants, I might die!!

Flower Child said...

I have no desire whatsoever. Really. Oddly enough, my non-gambling husband likes it. I wonder why.

Jan said...

I have never been there either but I agree with WB..... give me the live shows.

Jenn in Holland said...

You know, or perhaps you don't know, we lived in Vegas for a few years while Don finished up his undergrad work. That Vegas is EVER anyone's destination of choice will continue to amaze and confuse me for years.
And to be fair, Vegas--away from the Strip--is a fine town. Exceptional in some ways. For instance the library system in Clark County is second to none, and there are no taxes of note in the city. Thanks to the gamblers and others for taking up that economic slack. But it's not high on my list to ever return to, for a visit or for a residence. If you are going to be a desert dweller, that gets even better one state south...
Though, point of fact, it is true that the food and the shows are terrific!

And now I complete my post within your comment section...

Gunfighter said...

I hope that you had a good time, and that your trip was "event" free.

I have never been to Las Vegas, and I have no real desire to go. The closest I have ever been to LV was Reno... and what a pest-hole THAT place was.

Alex Elliot said...

Wow! And that's a second "wow" because the first was the response when you told me the story at the Ecotarium. So what did you think? I actually had a good time when I went there, but there are so many other places I would rather visit that it's hard for me to imagine picking Vegas again.

tripleZmom said...

I hope this trip was better than your last.

I have never been and I would like to go, just to see it. Being a non-gambler, I don't know how much I'll like it.

Anonymous said...

Wasn't the snowstorm trip when you got those two pairs of shoes?

Any excuse to get shoes is a good one.

the dragonfly said...

We drove through there once, when we were moving to (from? can't remember) California.

I have absolutely no desire to spend any time there. Except, perhaps, to see Avenue Q.

Wholly Burble said...

For my special day tomorrow, I'm joining in on MUSIC MONDAY! Thought I'd let you know--I'm primed and ready.

Jen said...

btw... I'm up and running for Music Monday - count me IN! ;-)

Shellie said...

Amazing Guy has an amazing wife! SO did you finally try Vegas again?

Brillig said...

Sorry... I'm still stuck on "My entertainment was watching one of the walls move as some folks in the next room were engaged in some loud, wall-moving activities." HAHAHAHAHA. Yikes!!!!

Goofball said...

going to Vegas seems to be a bit of a gamble no?

Anonymous said...

I would love to go to vegas someday, I would love to go there and see all the sights maybe play a few slotmachines and play some bingo. Through in a Tom Jones concert if he still does them. see some ratpack tributes. Would love to have seen Frank sinatra live in vegas.ahhhhhhh one day.I have been playing the demo games on this online casino uk site. I have also got into playing keno games which is similiar to bingo except you get to pick your numbers before the game starts. I like playing neptunes keno the most. they have also got online fruit machine demos too. its all given me the taste for Vegas.