flying carpets

Later this evening, we will be celebrating Jerry's youngest's 21st birthday by visiting the casino, Silver Star. Years ago, ya know, back when I was a grad student; I used to visit Silver Star in order to scarf down crab legs several times per semester. But I never actually visited the floor, ya know, the actual casino; well, other than to cut thru on my way to the buffet.

For some reason, I don't remember the blinking buzzing bright neon lights and pinging binging zipping zinging sounds that I'm sure are to be found on the floor with all the slot machines, poker tables, blackjack, and roulette wheels with rattling balls. No, what I remember is the carpet. The loud colorful carpet bloomed in reds, yellows, blues, greens, purples, golds, browns, oranges, teal, silver, and every other shade, tint, and color that you can imagine. Flowers, grasses, squiggles, blooms, dips, birds, rainbows, leaves, tigers, hearts, and just about every organic, fantasy, and cartoon critter danced, lept, and whirled across the floor.

I know this is to camoflauge all the wear, tear, scuffs, spills, etc that accumulate on the floor over the years. But all that busy loud carpet would make my eyes hurt. I actually would get nauseous from focusing on that carpet while moving toward the bathroom. I couldn't not look tho, ya know how that is? It's like trying to not stare at cojoined twins, you just can't not look.

It's odd to me, that the carpet is what I remember. There is so much to look forward to, and yet, that carpet is the thing that I keep returning to...I wonder, is it the same? I'd be thinking about the room we'll be staying in, and I'd wonder if the carpeting there is the same as down on the casino floor. I'd be thinking about the fun wonderful excitement of seeing and being with Jerry and his daughter and her husband, and that damn carpet is there, just beneath my booted feet.

I've decided, that I will gawk at the carpet first. Just to get it out of the way. So that I can enjoy the rest of the experience.

Yea! I'm gonna go to a casino! Yea!!