July 27
As a public service, details of last night are provided chronologically:
2300 – Clock in. As usual, Rich is one of the last ones to get out of his chair and I usually offer some inspirational words here, like “This ain’t gonna get done by itself” or “Fuck it”. Rich usually mutters a swear word in response.
2305 – Pick up keys to the Mary 2 vehicle at Eddie – 2, the employee entrance. During the hot months, Mary units carry a five-gallon water cooler in the back for the bike units, so they don’t have to go too far to find ice and water, especially since we’re all in the garage all the time now anyway. There’s an ice machine through the double doors across from Eddie – 2, (this is behind the sportsbook, for those of you keeping score at home) and usually it’s locked and you have to go get the key from a bartender at the sports bar, but it’s been open a lot lately. I dump out the old ice and water from swing shift and fill the cooler up.
2315 – Arrive at the bike cage on the first level, northwest corner. There’s a stash of Sparkletts water there and I put enough in the cooler so all the ice doesn’t melt, which pisses the bike units off for some reason. I’ve seen the invoice and Monte Carlo pays 48 cents for a five-gallon bottle.
2320 – Ready for my night’s labors, I head to the garage, level 5, southwest corner. Since Judy’s been gone, this has turned into our usual hangout. Guy and Redneck Randy would find me there whenever they popped up and now they’re usually up there enjoying a smoke waiting for my arrival. We BS for a while, Guy announces he isn’t doing shit tonight and I ask Redneck Randy why this is a bulletin, as Guy made it sound like it was a major policy shift. Guy tells me to fuck off.
2335 – Morning muster winds up and I have to take a leak, so I scram to the pool 100’s.
2347 – Back in the garage, settling in on four southwest. Carry On Wayward Son comes on 96.3 KKLZ. I’ve always been a big fan of this song.
0005 – Redneck Randy is on a mission to rid the short term lot of illegally parked cars. There are three of them and Redneck Randy gets the ball rolling by initiating pages and he seems bound and determined to get one of them towed.
0055 – I am sent to Eddie – 2 to drive an employee to the clinic. Ray, who works in valet but used to work in slots, hurt his knee getting out of a car. He said he went to valet because slots was getting boring and the money’s better which is good because it turns out Ray is going to be out four days with his bum knee.
0115 – Back at Monte Carlo; the trip to the clinic took three miles, which I report to dispatch. I head to short term to visit Redneck Randy. He asks me to get him some cones so he can block off the no parking areas. I scrounge some at the bike cage and this is not the only Cone Finding mission I will have tonight.
0145 – There is a panic alarm activation on level four of the garage. Redneck Randy and I get there to find some guy who can’t get his car started. I go and get the jump pack but that doesn’t work and I leave Redneck Randy with the guy and I am not entirely sure what ultimately happens to him.
0300 – 482. I brought a couple of almond butter sandwiches from home and I head immediately to PBX to bask in the glow of Silvia and Maria. Silvia is on the phone with this week’s boyfriend and Maria is sleeping.
Between her own, personal conversation and answering the hotel phone Silvia does not stop talking!
“…and I don’t know what happened after that hotel operator this is Silvia how may I assist you? Of course, a wakeup call for 6:30 Mrs. Parks, you’re all set. Is there anything else I can assist you with? All right, have a pleasant night and then Angelica and Adrian went out tonight thank you for calling the Monte Carlo how may I assist you?…”
You get the picture.
As I am ending 482 Dougie Fresh, in his role as Henry 1, sashays in and sits down and chats. Silvia is off the phone by this time and in short order they are prattling like sisters.
0400 – 482 wrapped up, I am off to fuel up Mary – 2. Monte Carlo uses a Shell station about a mile south, across from Mandalay Bay.
Guy sets the pace on when we fuel up. Some shifts will let the gauge fall below half a tank, but Guy is completely anal about not letting the gauge fall below half on the theory you never know what is going to happen on day and swing shifts and it’s no problem for us to go and gas up. I completely agree, and it breaks up the night somewhat.
0505 – I am parked on level three, central, near the scan point, which you can hit without leaving the truck if you park right, when Viva Las Vegas comes on Jack FM. I bust up to level five so I can take in the gorgeous view of the Aladdin, Bally’s, Bellagio, et al, while enjoying our theme song. Guy is on five and doesn’t appreciate my air guitar/karaoke performance at all.
The sky is starting to change color, too. I gaze at Venus for a while, which is very peaceful.
0540 – I pick up my second cone finding mission of the night, this time to block off the entrance to valet drop off for some maintenance. I steal some from the construction guys and some from engineering and after a half-hour everything is back to normal and I return what I stole with nobody knowing any better.
Here is your Outside lineup for tonight:
Mary 1 – Guy
Mary 2 – moi
Baker 1 – Jo(s)e