The Thousand Nickels
by JJ Oakley What a wonderful brisk Saturday morning it was. The wind wafted over the water, with the sting of salt and sand across the face as we walked through the parking lot of the Grand Casino in Biloxi Mississippi towards the huge pontoons, imagining the silver mountains of the Arizona mines.
Yes, I knew that an untold fortune waited there for us as we entered the building. It must be true because there were pictures of winners all over the walls; I knew these people had struck the lucky veins to their own personal fortunes, and was ready to find that lost mine for myself.
Oh my what opulent and splendor awaited. The building was aglow with multicolored lights, bells and whistles. The ladies dressed fetchingly meandered the rows of one armed bandits offering free exotic libations to all, just for the asking.
I just could not wait to venture into this world and begin my quest for Gold. So we checked in and took the elevator to our beautiful room overlooking the Gulf, and the main street with the dazzling lights show. We threw down our baggage and went directly to the main floor. I quickly opened my wallet and drew out cash for my wife, and I and ran to the first machine. Oh it was a beauty. It had silver, and gold casing with a great tower of lights. The display and three ' 7s' emblazed on its multicolored screen, and stated; that when you push the button, if they pop up in sequence that I would win 1000 coins. So I began to feed this amazing machine.
As I played it would make wonderful sounds and the wheel would spin until the numbers across a line would stop. Most of the time nothing happened... well I figured that this was normal after all getting rich required a little work so I just needed to play until those lucky 7s appeared in a row.
No not this time, ok another $20 should do it... No, ok certainly another $20 should do it.... No, ok well after about $100 worth of quarters I figured that this machine must have recently paid its bounty to the last miner. I think I will go over to another machine and give it a try.
Paying no attention to the next machine I quickly dropped in another $20 bill, and repeated the process. All the sudden the person next to me yelled out as if someone had gut shot them 'Oh I won, I won. Well hum; I must be in the right area bells, and lights went off and I watched a woman in her 70's do a rendition of what I belief to be a version of a slow motion River Dance. The next thing you new a group of finely dressed official looking people came to her and handed her, what appeared to be about twenty $100 dollar bills.
Now I new my turn was coming. Never mind that we had spent about $600 by now, as it would all be worth the investment when those three sevens appeared.
Then all at once low and behold I watched one, two, three blazing sevens appear on my machine. The bells started the whistles and lights went off, and a small band of newly arriving tour bus folks scramble toward be. How much did you win? I don't know I stated but I am sure its the Jack Pot. Yes, I had finally struck my mother load.
I had visions of a winter home in Bali, and retirement looming on the near horizon. Oh I could see the same officials heading my way and my heart pounded in my chest. Oh hello congratulations , one stated. Let's take a look. What does this mean I said how much did I win? It must be allot because I got the sevens.
Yes, they said you did well and you win $250....... What, I exclaimed, there must be a mistake It says that triple sevens wins 1,2500.000. Yes stated one attendant. That is if you hit three golden sevens in the progressive jackpot. Then I noticed that I had inadvertently moved from the quarter machine to the nickel machines.
At this point I realized my Bali home has just gone underwater along with Atlantis, and that was down $450.00 with my thousand nickels. You too can win your fortune. Remember 'There's Gold in them their hills.' |
