A Val and an Ex-Mayor Walk Out of a Car

Once we arrived at the casino, Ex-Mayor and Hick pulled the vehicles under the roof, in the valet lane. I was shocked to see that the entire disembarking area was covered with frozen slush and chunks of salt. With temps at 19 degrees, and the cloudy sunset about to arrive, that salt could not melt the ice. Surely they could have shovled it, or sprinkled kitty litter or something over it! That's what we'd do in Missouri, by cracky! 

I was apprehensive about gimping over that surface with my cane, while pulling my suitcase. It's times like this that really made me miss having The Pony with us, since he always pulled my suitcase as well as his own. Ex-Mayor, while able-bodied, had his own issues. It's like he and Sis brought enough equipment to storm the beach at Normandy. They each had a large suitcase, and another suitcase, and a cooler, and a large shopping bag that had a package of popcorn peeping out.

I started the long walk to the check-in desk, after wiping off the rubber tip of my cane, so as not to slip on the granite floor. Hick volunteered to sit under a big metal globe statue, keeping our bags with him. Sis also parked herself there, while Ex-Mayor wondered aloud whether they could get a cart to transport their luggage. I've never seen one there. It's a nice place, but it ain't The Ritz. 

Anyhoo... Ex-Mayor and I headed to the check-in desk. I got in line first, weaving through the black strap maze attached to metal poles. Two clerks were working, each serving customers. I knew I'd be next. Ex-Mayor was behind me. Telling me how he had to re-pack his BIG suitcase, to bring all his stuff, and that Sis made fun of him. "I have to sleep with my breather, and I have braces for both wrists so my hands don't fall asleep. And a brace for my knee. And a body pillow to put between my knees so my hip doesn't hurt." Heh, heh! He might have less physical ailments if he didn't haul so much luggage to the casino!

Let the record show that every time we make this trip together, Sis and Ex-Mayor sail through the check-in with no problem. They might as well walk by and wave their credit cart without slowing down. But I always seem to have an issue that delays us. I was excited to be called over to the desk before Ex-Mayor. My elation was short-lived.

My clerk was very polite. And very thorough. She's ask me things, and then say she saw them on the screen as I answered. It's like she double/triple/quadruple checked everything. Ex-Mayor was already getting his room cards handed to him when a worker rushed in from the back and told Ex-Mayor's clerk to call security.

"These people say one of the valets just fell down and cracked his head. He's bleeding. Call security so they can handle it."

Of course Ex-Mayor's clerk told MY clerk to do it. But she didn't know how. So Ex-Mayor's clerk had to tell her step by step. Meanwhile, a valet could have been bleeding out! I don't know why the first clerk didn't just do it herself.

Anyhoo... Ex-Mayor was done and headed to his room before I even got my key cards and signed the paper. Neither of us had to pay anything, having free rooms for two nights, but they require a credit card until you check out and they see you haven't stolen or damaged anything.

Hick and I finally had our key cards, and headed to our own room. Which was in the "old" tower, closest to the casino, because that's what I asked for. Sis and Ex-Mayor usually stay in the newer tower, which is down past the check-in desk.

We settled in and stretched out on the bed a minute, to relieve the kinks of the long drive. Then I called Sis to see what time we wanted to meet downstairs. She didn't answer, but called me back in a few minutes.

"We JUST NOW got into our room!"

"How's that? You got checked in way ahead of us. And you walk faster."

"Well. We got all our stuff up to the room, and then our key cards didn't work. So Ex-Mayor went back down to the desk to tell them. I stood there in the hall outside our door, hoping nobody would see me and think I was suspicious! He came back and the cards worked. We opened the door, and saw AN OPEN SUITCASE ON THE BED! And makeup in front of the mirror. And toiletries set out on the bathroom counter! We got out of there fast! And took everything back down to the desk, and explained what happened. So we got a different room, and hauled everything back up there. I bet the people in that first room find out their key cards won't work when they come back..."

Hick was shocked. "That's how people get killed!" He's a bit dramatic sometimes.

Tomorrow: THE WEIRDOS.