10/20/2022                                                         Interlude

Just a note from the author to see how everyone’s doing and what the audience thinks so far. I use Editor for typing my manuscripts and I consistently grade in the mid to high nineties using the Professional tab. The writings have not been subject to human opinion other than my own. You are getting first drafts of a soon to be published novel. Here’s my dilemma. I don’t know if the results from the Editor program suggest I am a writer or should I have been an English teacher. So, help a brotha out. Feedback is like oxygen that fuels the brain to produce when life’s circumstances are not optimal. I receive negative and positive comments, equally. OK, now where were we…..

I learned from the Circus that eyes are always on everyone that walks through the doors of any Hotel/Casino. The Dunes Hotel and Casino was a major upgrade. The valet parking crew were on hand day and night to assist guest arriving in their own vehicles. After parking the vehicle, they would race back to grab the ticket of a guest that was leaving and race off again. It was one of the highest paying jobs in the industry and it was predominantly through tips. The older hands became supervisors and doormen and continued to get a share of pot. Guests were whisked to the front desk, all their luggage in the care of the bellhops. By the time the check-in procedure finished the luggage was in their room. High rollers, known as whales, were greeted by host and hostesses and taken immediately to their suites. Junkets were organized bringing gamblers by the plane load from New York and New Jersey. More customers came from Asia and the Middle East. Sometimes they would stop at the casino’s main cage and deposit suitcases of cash.  The staff were highly efficient and in contrast to the employees at the Circus, the staff at the Dunes dressed to the standards of its clientele. The casino area was the only way to the rooms as the walkway split the main slot machines and the large pit containing blackjack and craps tables. The Baccarat and Poker rooms were off to the sides of the main area. The Slot Department was one of the main sources of income for the resort and it was monitored constantly to ensure the operation did not fall prey to the many cheating scams that grew with the increase of slot play. With the introduction of 5-, 25-, and 100-dollar machines and jackpots that grew into the thousands, slot operations began to challenge the table games for drawing the biggest players and gross income. I was constantly on the move and looking for things to do, above and beyond my normal duties. I became an expert in finding counting mistakes made by the change girls when checking them in and out of their shifts. It was a combination of being gifted with numbers and common sense, and a trick I learned when counting sums. It is easier to find mistakes if you reverse the order of the numbers you are adding. If you keep them in the original order, your brain will continue to make the same error when you add the numbers together. I was good with employees and customers when handling corrections or discipline with the employees, or soothing customers irate when their favorite machine malfunctioned. It had been three months and I didn’t have a single person in mind, when trying to duplicate the success I encountered at the Circus. One day I was talking to Cleo at her change booth, and she asked if I wanted to go to her church, the coming Sunday.

“I don’t know Cleo; I usually don’t get up early on Sundays. Then there’s football games and I’m busy checking my parlay cards.”

“That’s the reason ya’ll need to be in church. I know you are carousing in them clubs and whatnot. Don’t you know gambling is a sin?”, she wagged her gilted nails at me as she spoke.

I wanted to remind her of the commandments on gluttony and gossip, but instead changed the subject.

“Hey, whatever happened to the pregnant change girl? She coming back?”

Cleo jumped at the bait, “I heard she had to take the baby to somewhere in New Mexico. She took her vacation time and some maternity leave, provided through the union. Why you asking bout her anyway, ain’t you married?”

“Happily, separated Cleo, and I’m not looking.”, I replied.

“Oh yeah, I see how you and that skinny white girl, be hanging on each other.”

“Strictly coworkers and drinking buddies.”, I said, walking away.

Two weeks later, Magdalene returned to work.

“Welcome back.” I said after she had clocked in. “You ready for all this madness again.”

‘Yeah, I’m ready.”, she smiled. “And I really need the money.” “Well let’s get you checked in.” I opened the door and followed her to her change bank. Magdalene had long dark hair that fell to the small of her back. She had lost the weight from her pregnancy and as she put on her change belt, I offered to hold her hair up as she pulled the straps over her shoulders and

Two weeks later, Magdalene returned to work.

“Welcome back.” I said after she had clocked in. “You ready for all this madness again.”

‘Yeah, I’m ready.”, she smiled. “And I really need the money.” “Well let’s get you checked in.” I opened the door and followed her to her change bank. Magdalene had long dark hair that fell to the small of her back. She had lost the weight from her pregnancy and as she put on her change belt, I offered to hold her hair up as she pulled the straps over her shoulders and

Two weeks later, Magdalene returned to work.

“Welcome back.” I said after she had clocked in. “You ready for all this madness again.”

‘Yeah, I’m ready.”, she smiled. “And I really need the money.” “Well let’s get you checked in.” I opened the door and followed her to her change bank. Magdalene had long dark hair that fell to the small of her back. She had lost the weight from her pregnancy and as she put on her change belt, I offered to hold her hair up as she pulled the straps over her shoulders and

tightly cinched the belt around her waist. I studied her as she counted the bank, mouthing the totals in deep concentration before signing for the change. She thanked me and made her way to the area she was assigned to for the night. Nola ran up as she left, out of breath and late as usual.

“Thanks for covering for me Barron. I had a hard time getting a babysitter. It’s gonna take my whole check to pay bills this month. I don’t know how I can get through this month. By the way, are you that helpful to all the girls, or you looking for a senorita.”

“Sounds like someone is a little jealous.”

“That’s right, I want you all to myself!”, she bounced away, turning to see if I was checking her out.

“Promises, promises, when are you going to get rid of that deadbeat dad?”, I asked.

“Right after you file for divorce.”, she countered laughing as she walked away.

Later that night we went out for a smoke break, and I asked her if she was serious about making some money. She looked at me and said ‘

“I don’t know what you’re thinking but I’m not that kind of girl.”

“I’m not that kind of guy.”, I laughed, “If you can stop for drinks after work, I’ll explain it all to you.”

“I’ll have to pay the babysitter extra. “, she answered.

“I’ll pay for the babysitter. It will be worth it.” Nola shook her head in agreement and that night we went to a small local bar and ordered a pitcher of beer and took possession of one of the pool tables. Over the next two hours I told her about the skim at the Circus-Circus and how I wanted to do the same thing at the Dunes. Nola did not need to hear more, she agreed and thought she might have a couple of change girls in mind. I said we would start with setting up dollar machines and writing jackpot tickets. I told her about the collectors already in service and her eyes lit up in anticipation. I went on to explain that this was not a scheme to get rich, but it would serve as a nice second income. Over the next two weeks we recruited three change girls on the floor and one carousel attendant. Our first night we pulled in $2500 and met at the same pool hall and bar to go over the night and plan future operations. Nola drank too much, and I ended up driving her home. I had tried to give her an extra hundred to catch up on her bills and she had refused. I slipped the hundred into her bag when she went in to get her kids and took a cab home. The Dunes would be a little tougher because we did not have a way to draw the supervisors to other parts of the casino. I continued to work hard and soon after, I was approached by the lead slot mechanic to see if I was interested in going to school to become a slot mechanic. He had heard about my engineer schooling and had talked with Bob and other supervisors about my work ethics. I controlled my excitement and said I would love the opportunity. Best of all, it was a college level class, and the casino was paying for everything. That night Magdalene asked if I was going to go bowling, and when I said yes, she asked if I needed a ride. The casino grapevine must have let her know my car was in the shop. I said sure, and that night she drove me to the alley. After bowling, she came up for a nightcap, spent the night, and never left.

To be continued, and please comment any feedback

Barron Broomfield