August 22
You might recall that last fall 88TonyB sat me down and asked what my plans at Monte Carlo were and if I had considered being a supervisor. I said I had thought about it and he said good because if a slot ever came open he wanted me to put in for it and he’d back me the whole way.
Tonight in the briefing room there were signup sheets for two (2) supervisor positions and an investigator spot. While he was issuing me my gun, he asked if I had signed up; I said I had and he said good cause if I hadn’t we were going to have problems. He also advised me to sign up for the investigator’s spot. I told him I didn’t particularly want to be an investigator and he said so what? Do it anyway, it’ll look good.
We’ll see. Some people have signed up who have a lot more experience than I do but White Sox Metzger also signed up and he wears white socks, so at least I’m one up on someone. Since no supervisors have left, I think the goal is to have three supervisors on each shift. There are two on day shift and graveyard and swing shift has three, the third being Eric R. who’s radio designation is six-six.
I had some fun at Radtke’s expense in briefing, including a line that got one of the biggest laughs in briefing history.
A rerun of one of the Ali/Norton fights, circa 1975, was on.
“Radtke,” I said. “When were you born?”
“1984.”
“Christ, we’re your parents even of drinking age in 1975?”
This got a pretty good laugh.
“Fuck off!” Radtke ordered.
The classic pause.
“Boy, Radtke,” I said, reviewing the schedule for that night. “You’re only 22 and already you’re Charlie 6!”
Sure, it was a good line, the kind of funny, smart-ass line that’s my stock-in-trade. But the biggest laugh ever? I was surprised. But it goes to show you never really know in the briefing humor racket because I thought my line about Responsible Gaming Week running Monday through Friday and ending just in time for the weekend was funnier and that went over everybody’s head.
Here was your Outside lineup for last night:
Mary 1 – Guy
Mary 2 – moi
Mary 3 – Mark
Baker 1 – Redneck Randy
Baker 2 – Brandon
That’s right five, count’em five outside units. Mark is new, hired to work either the New York, New York or MGM garage exclusively. Guy, who is only truly happy when he is directing traffic, stationed himself at the four-way all night and Brandon spent most of the night at the gate between New York, New York and Monte Carlo.
This meant I was actually on patrol and at 2330 I responded to a real call, a fight inside at the Lance Burton Magic Shop, my first real call since the solstice. It was great to run the wrong way down South Drive again with the lights flashing. It didn’t cause me to achieve and maintain a state of arousal, but it was close. Everything was calmed down by the time I got there, but it was nice to be moving again.
Rich, X-Ray, Russ, Code Four Carlin, myself and a cocktail waitress named Sylvia (She’s Bulgarian and I think there is really a J in there somewhere) were obliged to wait about ten minutes for the shuttle heading back to MGM after work. Thing was, a shuttle had just pulled out and passed us heading in the opposite direction on South Drive, towards The Strip. The driver, in accordance with Monte Carlo policy, did not stop for us. We don’t really like this policy, but we live with it and weren’t surprised.
Thirty seconds later, Code Four Carlin points out another shuttle is working its way thru the guest lot, on its way to South Drive, where it will turn right and head to The Strip, also on its way to MGM. Both of them ended up at the light waiting to turn right at the same time.
Well, now it’s time to say “Hey”. Do we really need two empty shuttles heading to MGM to pick people up? Rich thought maybe they got an emergency call to pick up a gaggle of housekeepers, but all we knew is we had to wait ten minutes or so for the shuttle.
This is really the biggest complaint we’ve had with the shuttle to date. It’s fun to poke fun at employer-provided meals and transportation and the like, but honestly, it has run very well so far.
Last night as I’m leaving the New York, New York garage after having checked on Mark Dancing Queen comes on Jack FM. This song completely rules, of course, so I crank it and when I reach the New York, New York/Monte Carlo gate Redneck Randy and Brandon are there so I crank it even louder.
“ABBA…Dancing Queen,” I said, pointing to the radio for emphasis.
Redneck Randy makes a gagging motion; Brandon looks like he’s never heard of the song before. I advise both of them to ‘rock on’ and make a hand motion that involves extending a pinky and thumb and moving your hand and peel out.