This was sent to me by a former coworker from Vegas. He's now in upstate NY.
I know it to be true.
Enjoy, especially Eddessaknight!
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A CHRISTMAS STORY
The setting for this tale was a 25 cent craps table, affectionately known as, and appropriately named the “bird game”. Several casinos in downtown Las Vegashad 25 cent games, also referred to as “bird games” at the time of this story, Christmas Eve 1977. I was working at an unnamed casino in downtown Las Vegasfor about six months, following my year long break-in period on one of the last 10 cent crap games in Henderson, Nevada. Back in those days, you usually spent a year on the “bird game”, before you graduated to the coveted 5 dollar game.
The usual cast of characters were present, John the Don’t, Henderson Jim, The Mayor, The Shadow, The Long Island Red, and Benny the Bite. Benny got his name from his habit of biting into the foam on the craps table rail, every time a “seven out” rolled. I was on 3rd base, closest to the back entrance, Billy the Buzzard was on the stick. It was customary to give the casino staff turkey’s for Christmas back then, and “George the Greek”, a guy I had broken in with in Henderson, waltzed into the back entrance with his. He was dealing the “bird game” at The Horseshoe Club that Christmas Eve. George was on the skids, living at The Allen Hotel on Main Street, a communal flop for indigents and broken down dealers. The only amenities provided were a bed, lamp, and dresser, along with a community shower and rest room, obviously no place to cook his bird. Winter of 1977 I was flush, residing at the BluebirdTrailer Parkin North Las Vegas. For 120.00 a month, it came with furniture, a propane stove, and a swamp cooler for the hot summer ahead.
During those times in downtown Las Vegas, if players were out of money, they were allowed to use barter to fade their bets, a common occurrence at this unnamed casino downtown. I can remember a two thousand dollar, white gold, Lucien Piccard Watch, “It plays if it lays” go for $200.00 odds on one occasion.
The Pit Boss could generally fade any bet up to $100.00, as long as someone was willing to front the money. Anything larger than $100.00 needed Shift Boss approval. Any respectable, cigar chomping boss back than carried a jeweler’s eye, called a loupe, to assess the jewelry, and a pocket full of 100 dollar bills to fade the bet.
Getting back to my story, George the Greek walks up to the crap game with his Christmas Bird in hand. He informs me he had just blown his $53.00 tokes playing 21 at the Golden Gate. I knew he was living at the AllenHotel“so there was no room at the inn for his bird”, as the Christmas story tells us. George says that he wants to bet the turkey. I told him I could fade his bird for $5.00. T.K was running the dice pit that night so I yell, “SHOOT THE BIRD FOR 5 BUCKS”, T.K yells back, “THAT’S A BET” Rather than the customary procedure of placing a $5.00 lammer on the layout, than giving the player the five dollar cheque, George proceeded to put the turkey in the come, “It plays if it lays”; the dice roll from 2nd base, bounce off the turkey, “THREE CRAPS THREE TO THE COME”, I picked up the turkey and put it in the pit. The boxman set up a $5.00 lammer to cover the bet, which I paid, “MARKER DOWN” when I went on break.
The only down side to the story was the Shift Boss was angry because of the wet spot in the come caused by the thawing turkey; and following several censored expletives directed at the Pit Boss and dice crew, ordered me back from break, to dry off the wet spot with towels between subsequent rolls.