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This Will Cost You One Sip Of That Whiskey
14 · Jan · 2007
(This entry (previously unpublished here) stolen from my Myspace and dolled up for 2007)
In the fourth grade at a new school I felt I had no choice but to enter the talent show. Everyone else was doing it. (and when they all jumped off that cliff together the previous summer – well, I couldn’t experience that kind of loneliness again) My friend Shelly came up with some lame skit that involved me wearing clown make-up, and though I’m sure our performance was excruciating, I mainly remember my awe while watching the other performances, most notably, Shane Williams, and Chris Ewing’s skit to Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler”.
Gambling was always been frowned upon in my family. While smoking and drinking was the norm among relatives, gambling was just plain stupid, according to mom. Watching Chris and Shane mime the words to the Gambler was, in my eyes, a lot like watching a nine year old girl sing Reba McIntyre’s song about a hooker named Fancy. (no offense, Fanci Pants!) It was simply wrong.
Here I am (with Miranda, Charlie, Jeff & Steve circa 2004) not gambling in Vegas, but apparently looking to get arrested if that skirt falls any lower.
It was then that I began to see that gambling isn’t a big deal to most people. They don’t mind tossing their money into a slot machine and watching it disappear because they believe there will come a day when they will get that money back, maybe even 100 times multiplied. It’s the thrill, I’m told, the hope. It’s fun. I’ve been to Vegas twice and to some casinos between Nashville and Oklahoma. I’ve invested about $60 in the high of gambling and so far, not once, have I felt anything but bored and foolish while gambling. Even just typing this now, I want my $60 back.
A while back at a Mike Doughty show I sat in wonder as he performed his own rendition of the Gambler. The crowd loved it. But it crossed my mind to stand up and shout “What the hell?” What is so great about the Gambler? What’s with this song?
But as it turns out, I knew all the words. I sang along and found myself agreeing.
You got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em,
Know when to walk away and know when to run.
You never count your money when you’re sittin’ at the table.
There’ll be time enough for countin’ when the dealin’s done.
My attitude toward gambling and those who enjoy it is often misunderstood. A few years ago Kelly Irish’s birthday party Jake and MJ were excitedly talking about the upcoming season opening of The Races at Del Mar. When I said I don’t like gambling, I got the impression they thought I said, “I don’t like puppies.”
Apparently gambling is a favorite pastime of many people I associate with, so it struck me as odd that I have no fond feelings about it whatsoever. Gambling, to me is the equivalent of walking up to a deep dark sea and tossing my money into it. Maybe the gods will think me generous and give me it back one day ten fold! In short, I do not BELIEVE in gambling. I do not share that hope. But my friends aren’t idiots and they believe. (At least in part they must) But why not me? Why don’t I believe?
Or do I?
All my life I have weighed the consequences of my actions before I made my move. Can I handle the worst-case scenario? Yes? Then I do it. The problem with me is that I tend to think I can handle a lot. I would go out, knowing I’d be grounded when I got home. I ditched class willing to flunk. I move across the globe expecting to be poor and hungry for months. It’s crazy, but I believed in the small chance that my way (however it looked to others) just might work.
Which brings me back to Kenny Rogers, er, the advice we can gleam from his cheesy 80’s hit.
Know when to walk away. Know when to run – this is the part that always appealed to me. I can run from a problem so fast I deserve an Olympic medal.
But remember this line:
’cause every hand’s a winner and every hand’s a loser,
Life IS what you make it. A lot of people leave Vegas empty handed and happy. My parents call me stubborn, but my determination to make whatever hand I was given, the winning hand finally worked.
Something to think about as we work our way into 2007.
PS- Mom and dad are regular gamblers now - go figure.
Posted by Penny Rene at January 14, 2007 11:44 AM
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Comments
I hate to break it to you. You are a gambler. Maybe not with money, which is what I think you dislike about the thought of gambling, but with your life decisions (like you said). Everyone gambles.
As you know, I like to play poker. I would, however, never buy lotto tickets. I find the lotto a complete waste of time and my odds of winning are far greater playing poker than the lotto. I love playing blackjack in casinos too and I try to stop when I'm ahead.
I think that the problem with gambling is that people are willing to gamble away their money in hopes to make more to pay bills. They use it as a way to make money instead of for pleasure. I'll admit, the $500 that I saved specifically for gambling in Vegas several years ago would have come in handy for other purposes like rent, bills, food, etc. but I spent it exactly on what I intended it for. Had I taken that money to Vegas in hopes to win more to pay my rent that would have been a problem.
Anywho. There's my two cents. And PS, I know someone who sang "Fancy" in the 7th grade talent show. No lie.
Posted by: Larry on January 14, 2007 09:32 PM
Three words for that 7th grader:
Jon.
Bone'.
Ramsey.
Posted by: Penny on January 15, 2007 03:11 PM