As I mentioned, my in-laws moved to Las Vegas many years ago, and as locals they quickly learned where to find the good stuff. For example, while everyone knows about the big casinos – the Mirage, Caesar’s Palace, the Bellagio – the locals can tell you the places to go where winning is a bit easier and the buffets are nicer.
For my in-laws, the best place to go gambling was a little place called Jerry’s Nugget. Not the biggest casino, it wasn’t even on the strip. But, it had some good games and the machine were a bit looser there. My mother in law had many successful evenings at Jerry’s, and they all swore by it.
So there was this time we went to Vegas, and I had a free night so I went with “Baby” Aunt Nora to Jerry’s for some video poker.
(“Baby” Aunt Nora was my mother in law’s younger sister. Her older sister was “Big” Aunt Nora. It’s… complicated.)
So we’re sitting side by side playing video poker, and chatting about whatnot, when I get dealt a full house – one pair and three of a kind, for the uninitiated. Aunt Nora is happy for me.
I tell her, “You know, I always wanted to throw away the pair and go for four of a kind…”
“You’re crazy, don’t do that!”
I said, “I’m gonna do it…”
And I did, I kept the three of a kind and tossed the pair.
And I got four of a kind.
!
Aunt Nora couldn’t believe I got it, but I think she had a harder time believing I tried it to begin with. It was lots of fun.
We kept playing.
I got another full house…
I smiled at her, and she looked at me like I was crazy. “No!”
“But think of the great story I’ll have!” I said.
“I’m gonna do it…”
And I did, I kept the three of a kind and tossed the pair.
And I got… nothing.
But I did get a story.