Maybe Now Wasn’t The Time To Go To Vegas

Our condo in the Gold Coast was always Pat's Happy Place, but Vegas was a close second.  We didn't gamble a lot, but she loved playing roulette. She would have been so disappointed at what the pandemic has turned Vegas into.  So many restaurants and casinos closed or just partially open.  She used to love staying out til 2 or 3 am looking for a $5 roulette table and usually would return to the room up for the day. My trip has been an experience and it started on I55 on the way to the airport.

Just after merging onto 55 before County Line Road, I could see in my side mirror the car in the middle lane was veering over and was going to hit me, and he did. Just a glancing blow hitting the back of the scion and, of course, he kept on going. As he passed I saw the shocked expression on his face that he actually hit me, but not shocked enough to pull over. I moved the steering wheel on my car as I was still driving, and it seemed to be fine. I called 911 and they told me I had to call State Police. They connected me and the officer said I had to come in and file a report. Because my flight was leaving in ninety minutes, he said I could do it when I got back. Once I got to the parking garage I checked the damage and took a few pictures. Looks like it is not awful, but still has to be fixed. 

Flight was great and I got to Vegas and saw immediately how the pandemic has affected the town. Airport was empty, nobody in line for a taxi, streets were desolate. What a shame. My trip was with Hilton Grand Vacations as they were trying to sell me a time share vacation. Not an awful deal if you and a spouse, and maybe some kids travel a few times a year and like resort living. Not for me right now. So after a two hour presentation and me saying no numerous times, I headed out on the town. I went across the strip to the Cosmopolitan. Way too fancy and ritzy for me, but nice to check out. 

                                                     View from hotel room

As I was approaching the escalators to go to a lower level, my heel slipped on what we later decided was a spilled mojito and my leg went sliding forward. I had pulled a hamstring before and realized that is what was happening with the pain in my right thigh, but I landed hard on my left knee and was sitting on the wet floor, in pain.

There was someone from the Cosmopolitan right there and she witnessed me falling. I was in pain and pissed that this was day one of my four day trip. I slowly stood up, with some assistance, holding onto the railing and was led over to a less conspicuous location so to not draw a crowd. I was not happy. My knee had a golf ball size knot on it already and the back of my thigh was throbbing. 

I sat there for a while as another member of the hotel security came over and asked me a few questions. First among them, was I staying at the hotel. He had a first aid kit with him but realized this was more than the kit could handle, so he suggested calling the paramedics. I said that was a good idea to at least be looked at and was then wheel-chaired into the bowels of the Cosmo to await the EMTs. Once they arrived, more questions, they asked where the pain was, they could see the knee swollen and the pain I had in my thigh. They said they would suggest I go to the emergency room to have it checked out. 

Now Las Vegas and the entire state of Nevada is wearing masks because the Coronavirus has grown there in recent weeks. I did not feel like sitting in an emergency room, for God knows how long, with lots of sick people, only to be told I had a pulled hamstring and for them to prescribe ice. I made the decision to decline the trip to the ER, had to sign a few things saying I declined their advice, they gave me a few small ice packs, and basically sent me on my way. 

Now some that read this will say I should have sued the hotel. If something was broke or I couldn’t walk because of the pain, I would have made the trip to the ER and maybe something could have been done, but the last thing I wanted to do was spend my first night, and who knows what else, in the hospital, and then have to get back to my hotel from there and Lord knows what else.

 

You can say I screwed up, but I have never been big on suing and raising more of a fuss just to seek monetary gain. Years ago, while also in Vegas, Pat got a piece of plastic in here potato pancake at the Stage Deli, and they were not even going to pick up our meal. Pat would say for years, she could have owned the Mirage. 

(Talked to my brother once I got back home and he told me he thinks Pat spilled the mojito! How dare I go to Vegas without her.)

So there I was, sore, limping and taking baby steps throughout a sparsely populated Las Vegas Strip. It took me quite a while to get back to my hotel, but I made it. I understand why so many in Vegas use those motorized scooters. 

Pat and I traveled to Arizona three years ago And I made a deal with her. She loved the pool and me, not so much, but I worked a deal that for every trip to the pool, we had to go to a craft brewery. She laughed and it was a great deal. 

The pool at my hotel was really nice. Because I was in pain the next morning, I decided I would relax in the water hoping it would help my aching body. She would have loved the pool. It was my little tribute to Pat, as I talked with her and realized likely I was the fool that didn’t enjoy the pool on all of our previous trips. 

If I had known truly how bad things were in Vegas, I would have cancelled my trip.  Most of the sports books were only opened Thursday thru Sunday. Most casino bars were not opened. Those are two of my favorite things to do in Sin City.

You would think the rest of my trip was ok, but no. Tuesday night, the adjoining room next to me must have been a day care for children whose parents wanted to go to a club. There was running, jumping, banging on the walls and screaming from 11pm til nearly 2am, making sleeping impossible. Now usually, I would have called the room next door or gone out in the hallway and knocked on the door, but I didn’t hear any adults in the room, (not that any right thinking adult would leave a room full of kids alone in a Vegas hotel). I waited til almost 1:45 before calling the front desk and a bout a half hour later it got a little quieter so I could get some sleep. 

I did something on the final night of my trip that you can only do if you are by yourself in Las Vegas. I bet on some games, (White Sox, Cubs & Blackhawks), and lied in my bed from 5pm on watching games.

I am writing this on the plane heading home. As the plane pulled away from the gate, it immediately went right back. They had a malfunctioning piece of equipment on their flight panel that had to be replaced. A thirty minute delay. The fun never ends!

I was able to do a lot of thinking on the trip. Traveling alone can be fun, but once you fall and become a shadow of yourself, it’s difficult to enjoy your time. It would be nice to have someone help me put my pants on!  I have taken a couple of driving trips, to Canton and Cleveland, Ohio for the Pro Football and Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fames and also to the Wisconsin Dells for a few days. I still want to travel a lot and go places Pat and I never had the chance to get to. Also, I have a lot of friends in Arizona and California and would love to travel out to see them. Maybe traveling with someone would be a good idea, especially if that person had some medical knowledge and could push a wheel chair

It is a crazy time we are living in and my trip made things even crazier. Will we ever get back to the way things used to be?