Vegas Monday: The End

Monday started about 2.5 hours after Sunday ended. Woke up, showered, packed and checked the bags. By 11 am we were headed over to the MGM to partake in the Grand Buffet. Lets just say for a $20 buy-in I was able to win back most of my money.

On the way out I had to make a stop and buy souvenirs for the wife and child. I had be looking all week but never really found anything. The pressure was on. We had to leave for the airport. I think I did okay. Although a couple of big wins and I could have truly paid the wife back in style.

RTR spilled au jus on his last clean? t-shirt. A quick stop at NYNY and he was back in business with a $9 Corona Redneck Special, with a busty lady on the back and everything.

The trip to the airport is uneventful. Marty and I are in the same row. Me on the window, him on the aisle. RTR and Dave have the same setup right behind us. Then it happens. The family of three is squatting in the row ahead of us. The real owners come home and kick them out. The male child of the bunch volunteers to sit between Marty and me.

We are still sitting on the tarmac. The kid (about 14) has been next to me for about 10 minutes now. He is looking and acting agitated. Finally he blurts out "Are you gonna lift your thing up or what?" motioning to the window screen that I have pulled down to reduce both the glare and the heat infiltrating my little slice o' heaven.

"Sure." I say and lift it up.

"That sucks!" he exclaims as the beautiful full view of the wing is displayed. You see our row, #21 is smack dab in the middle of the wing.

Once we take off, ADD boy, as Marty has now christened him, is not defeated by the lack of a view. He proceeds to spend the entire flight bouncing forward and back, side to side looking for any glimpse out the window. When the captain announced the beautiful vistas of the Grand Canyon out our side of the plane I thought the kid's head was going to shake off as he violently moved trying to catch the slightest view. Just what I needed a 14 year old tweeker to keep me awake the entire way home.

We arrive at the airport and make way to the shuttle. Marty and I part ways with Dave and RTR. We hop on the shuttle and head home. The car is almost where I think it is and soon we're on the highway. Dodge Ram pulling beater car with a chain makes the trip a little exciting. Damn St. Charles rednecks.

I drop Marty off and bolt for home. I am there by 9:30. The wife is rocking the little boy when I arrive. She gladly lets me take over, and there it is, the best part of going to Vegas.

Of course I missed Mrs. Chilly. But we lived apart while in school and I used to travel for work, so 4 nights is nothing. I knew I missed Little Chilly. You might have caught on. The constant checking of the cell phone was to see his photo, not to check the time or look for missed calls.

I thought he'd be the same. Nope. He grew another tooth and can now sit up without a pillow for support. I swear he gained five pounds. His hair is longer.

He was tired. When he was handed over he threw his arms around my neck and held on, burying his face into my shoulder.

Best. Welcome. Home. Hug. Ever.