Traveling has changed my circle of friends. Instead of having all my friends in one place with a few exceptions (college) or having my friends in one place and me elsewhere (after college), the people I consider my friends are now scattered as far and wide as you can imagine across America, Europe, and Africa. I can’t say it isn’t hard, missing them. But it makes reconnecting even sweeter.
I got a text one morning from the lovely lady Sharde. We’d met in Maryland back in March, but because we both travel, hadn’t seen eachother since. However… now she’s in Longview, TX, only an hour away from me! Friday, she made the drive to Shreveport and we spent a Friday night in Louisiana’s casinos.
Louisiana being famous for its casinos, I knew it was something I wanted to explore. Going to a casino was a completely novel adventure for me. It’s also not something I would want to experience the first time (probably only time) without Sharde. Sharde is a tall, beautiful black Atlantan woman with smooth skin, tons of charisma, and a rolling laugh and love of fun. After working as a bartender earlier in life, she’s an expert at owning her space and dealing with people. We had an enormous dinner together (Sharde told waiter Patrick with a straight face that we were prostitutes and caused me to fall apart in helpless laughter) then headed into the casino proper.
Louisiana’s casinos are seedy places, even as casinos go. This truly surprised me – I’d expected at least a glittery facade. It was like going into an underground cave: no windows, dim lights, the air full of smoke. It was a little bit cozy, but the sounds and flashing lights from slot machines kept the atmosphere alive. The people crowding into the room on Friday night were regulars, casino veterans. They looked tired and while they were still Louisiana-friendly, they shifted their eyes away from mine.
Sharde showed me how to play penny slots, then laughed at me as I put in $1 and cashed out at $1.36. “That’s a decent return on investment,” I said in the most miserly way possible. She understood much more than I how to play the games the way they’re meant to be played; she tried her luck on the same games she’d played in Vegas earlier this year, sometimes winning and sometimes not. But we laughed and carried on having a great time whether winning or losing.
After two hours, I’d only lost $4 out of $20 and decided to call it a day. The experience was worth losing a few dollars, but I wanted to be careful not to let the cost of entertainment get too high. As I handed in my vouchers at the cashier’s table, I said something about being here since 10 o’clock. “This morning?” the cashier asked.
Not for all the gold in El Dorado.
– The Dauntless Princess-