Old Friends

by Ed Meyer

posted on February 26, 2009 in General Discussion | No Comments >>

I was playing in Vegas the other night after a day in the contest. The room was filled with smoke and young guys yelling at basketball games. The races were on the big screens, and I sat next to a gent who would make my thoughts come clearer.

Anthony was a man in his late 70’s. His hair was fine, and his smoke hung from his mouth like a dangling tumbleweed. He was frail, and I thought to myself that this is what the Marlboro man would look like at his age.

He was playing in the contest. his score was zero, and he said he would have had it no other way. Win it all, or go home… He laughed and coughed at the same time, but the thought was right at any age.

He told me stories of all of the contests he played, and how once upon a time this contest was held at Penn National. He said, “it was like a men’s room without the paper.” I got the visual pretty quickly.

He loves to play, and his family lives in California. He chooses a small flat as he lives by himself. He was a truck driver for 50 years, and decided Vegas would be his last stop… Last stop? I asked him what he meant as he coughed and laughed….

“I have raised my family, I have ten grand-children, and three great-grand-children.” He sees them 6-7 times a year, and he has them come over a few times a year to stay at a local casino.

“My last stop,” he said.  “How old do you think I’ll live? I want to be here where the action is, and the days know no time. I don’t care if it is St. Patty’s Day or Thanksgiving… The action never stops… This is my final stop.. I’ll be here until I can’t no more.”

“Well, it is almost post time. Gotta’ go young man….I’ll see you next time..” I sure hope he is right.