Forgetters Gonna Forget

Just before Hick bestowed my Valentine's Day gambling quilt upon me, my sister the ex-mayor's wife sent me a text:

"We have to leave the house tomorrow because our cleaning ladies are coming. Ex-Mayor said he would "take me" to the casino for Valentine's Day. If you are interested."

I knew right away that she was inviting us to go along. Not just bragging about her cleaning ladies and having a Valentine's Day date for the casino. This would take some planning. I called Hick, who said we could go. I called Sis, and set a time for us to pick them up. You know. To avoid their cleaning ladies. Let the record show that we arrived on the exact minute agreed upon. We might have been late, if we'd gone back for Hick's player's card. He decided that he'd just get a new one made when we got there. Anyhoo... once we arrived at their garage door, I sent another text so they would come out. It took a few minutes.

"Oh, that one cleaning lady loves to talk and talk. Her partner isn't even here yet. We had to get away."

Not that Sis is snobby or anything. She just had plans (that she'd made to avoid being in the house with the cleaning lady). We were at the end of the driveway when I asked if Ex-Mayor had his player's card. Not pointing a finger, but he has been known to forget things. Like that time we were on the original CasinoPalooza, and got back to the hotel parking lot, and he couldn't find his car keys. Which were at the very first of the six casinos we had Paloozed. So Hick drove him back. Ex-Mayor also lost his car keys in Kansas City at a casino, and security had to track him on their surveillance cameras to where he'd lost them. AND he left his phone laying on a slot at our old favorite casino. So I just felt like it would be prudent that I asked.

"OH! NO! I don't have it! It's upstairs! Let's go back."

Hick backed A-Cad up the curved blacktop driveway. If you think riding forward while he sweaves is scary, you should try riding backwards, when he only watches the backup camera screen! While back-sweaving, Sis declared that she, too, had forgotten her card. So we went back, Ex-Mayor cut through the garage and into the kitchen door (their usual method of entry), and returned with both cards. I asked if he had his keys, and he said that Sis had hers, that he always makes sure now that she carries a set.

Anyhoo... we were off to the casino, tale(s) of which will be forthcoming. For now, we will jump to the return trip, 4/5 of the way home, almost to Bill-Paying Town, when Sis asked Ex-Mayor:

"Do you have the garage door opener?"

"Uh...no."

"How are we going to get in?"

"I don't know. I wasn't thinking, with the cleaning lady there. I didn't even think about needing the garage door opener to get back in. I always pick it up, but my routine was off. Do you have a key to the back door?"

"I don't know. We never use it. Can you even tell what that key looks like?"

"I think so. It's kind of extra-long. There. I think that's it."

"Don't leave us when you drop us off! We might not be able to get in!"

"We could call Niecy, and have her bring a spare key..."

"If she's even home!"

Let the record show that we waited, and that Sis did indeed have a key to the back door, so we got rid of them and didn't have to adopt them and give them Genius's room.

I don't know what else there is to be forgotten. For now, my departure checklist will include: player's card, phone, keys, garage door opener.