The incessant ringing of the slots during my walk to the poker room reminds me that this place hasn't the warm welcome to most it has for me. Looking around trying not to spend too much time as to seem to gawk at the barely dressed cocktail waitresses I make my way through the crowd. I approach the cage, thumb through a fist full of hundreds, eyes still blurry from the kush. I settle on a buy-in and begin what seems to be the only thing I can do right every time. Once seated I spend the first hour reflecting on the circumstances that carried me to the Ameristar Casino in Kansas City on this day at this moment. Its hard to believe a year ago I was sitting in Caesars palace having my shoulders rubbed by a cute girl waiting on my usual from the waitress but I was and here I am now, an unfortunate side effect of not being able to stay anywhere for too long.
I look around at my table in an attempt to grant silent sympathy to the unsuspecting egos about to replenish my bankroll...

   its just hard to hold anything against someone check-raising to $500 flat once you've spiked the straight flush on the turn.

  the momentary freedom of the casino is like that one unlucky drink that shoves the waivering alcoholic off the wagon