My Real Job Cont.

Rewind to Tuesday the 12th, just a week and a half ago. I was back to looking for any kind of work here in Vegas, and the 110+ degree temperatures were making it pretty miserable. I had gone to a few places to follow up on applications I had put in, but none of the people I needed to see were working. I decided to try downtown again, since I had put in an application to the Golden Nugget at a job fair back in late April.

The first obstacle I faced was parking. I finally settled into a side lot next to the Gold Spike casino, just 1 block off of Freemont Street on the northeast side. They had several large signs in the parking lot stating that parking was for Gold Spike patrons only, violators will be violated etc. So I put on a good show and darted in the first casino door. It was strange, because it actually took a few extra seconds after breathing for the awful stench to hit me. The place was really a dive strong with the stench of stale smoke, sweat and rotting garbage. I gagged and stepped right back outside, resigned to being violated for not being a patron. I didn't have to worry, because in the two times I used their parking lot, nobody ever said a word.

I walked the block over to Freemont Street without incident, and once I was under the canopy (The Freemont Street Experience) it cooled off a little. Maybe only 108 instead of 115. Golden Nugget 1 block Straight ahead.

I had never visited the poker room at the Golden Nugget and didn't know what to expect. Turns out that the Golden Nugget is one of the nicer places in downtown Vegas, but the Poker Room is kind of smallish and out of the way. I stopped in and asked about my application, but no one there was able to help me. As I walked out the door I saw Binions across the street and realized where I was. I crossed and went inside to the poker room. I happened to show up on the perfect day at the perfect time, as they were hiring dealers on the spot to help keep up without the overflow from the World Series of Poker Finals that were to be held there in two days.

I gave them a resume answered 3 or 4 questions and, without even auditioning I was hired and told to come back Wednesday morning at 9:30am to get processed. I showed up the next day, parked at Gold Spike again and walked over to Binions where I was told to come back at 1:00pm because HR wasn't there to process us. (there were 10 or so others there to process also).

My house is 20 minutes from Binions, and by the time I got out it was already 10:45, so I decided to stay downtown and look around a little, even though I was shortstacked - had about $6.78 in assorted change and bills. I looked into several of the gift shops and casinos up and down the street. I was up on one end when approached by a 'got some spare change? Guy'. I brushed him off with the excuse that I was looking for a cheap lunch myself. Would you believe he recommended the hotdog/beer for $2.00 special at the Gold Spike? Incredible....

Anyways, to shorten this up a little, I'll just say that I showed up at 1:00, got processed, and was home by 1:45, with instructions to return the same night at 7:30pm for my first shift.

OK, one gripe here..... The uniform. Basic black and whites - that is black slacks and shoes and a plain white long sleeved dress shirt. That part I don't mind. Its the tie. Colonel freakin Sanders to be exact. If my neck were an ankle, I'd look like a shoe. Small price to pay for greatness I guess.

7:30 shift - Painless. Great money, easy games, and other than finding my way around all of the newness, everything ran smooth. The two most memorable things were actually upstairs. The break room is up on the 3rd floor, and every time I'd go to break, I walked past the entrance of Bennys Bullpen, a kind of convention room on the 2nd floor. The doors were open, and past the curtains I could see the play area and bleachers being set up for the 3 final tables of the World Series of Poker that would be played there the following day. Kind of awesome to see it happening right there in front of my eyes. The other cool thing was the break room itself. They have a full kitchen/buffet line set up. From what I could see, it looked like you swiped your badge and walked through a turnstile, then you loaded up whatever you wanted. Since I hadn't been issued a badge, I just sat off to the side and watched TV. It wasn't until 2 days later that I figured out that you didn't need a badge, it was just one big free for all. I felt kind of stupid for starving myself the first two days...

I was placed on day shift for the rest of the weekend. I was to report 11am sharp the very next day, so I went straight home at 2am and crashed in anticipation of the main event happening while I was working.

coming soon - recap of my first day shift and the second to last day of the World Series Of Poker.