There’s nothing quite like the loose ends of insanity to pull you back together, just when you think you’re flipping out and all your edges are frayed, someone ties a knot in the edge and you step back into it.

While dealing a short handed $30-60H game, late night, one of our tournament dealers (he’s workedonly during tournaments at Bellagio, and possibly does not work the tournament trail any longer) plays pretty high when he takes the player’s side of the table. He sat down between the button and the SB. I asked if he wanted to post and be dealt in, “Yes.”

He had a stack of $100’s in front of him and chips on the way. As I dealt the 2nd round of cards, the next dealer tapped me.

Our Playing/Dealer (PD for short)informed me that he didn’t want the hand now. He didn’t know the next dealer was coming in when he asked for a hand. He didn’t want to pay Time. $6 is a big deal – for a half hour of play – or so it seems to the playing world.

PD was making motions of throwing his hand away as he watched me to see if I was going to say OK. I was not. I told him he had asked to be dealt in; he was obligated to the blind.

PD told me to ask the other players if they minded.

I said it wasn’t up to the other players, he had opted to be dealt in in the blind and he was obligated to post $30.

Another player said that ifPD was allowed to not play the hand, it would be a misdeal.

PD wondered why it would be a misdeal and why he couldn’t just throw his hand away. KEE-RIST! Go figure!

Our Brush/floor was right there. I explained what had happened. Our Brush/floor hemmed and hawed about it, never coming up with anything that was clear cut.

Time hung in the air…and someone in the ethereal realm of insanity tied a knot in the edge of my existence.

I snapped into, “You have opted to take a hand in the blind. Everyone else here is playing and they want to see the next hand. You owe $30 to the pot.”

The Brush/floor said something like, “you might win the hand.”

PD was not happy with me as he reluctantly put out $30.

The long and short of it came down to lots of action – runner-runner – and PD turned over K-JC on the river for a King high straight and a big pot.

PD threw me a $10 toke. I accepted and escaped the box to move to the next game.

I don’t get it. PD deals. PD plays. How in the realm of poker and the light of the game from both sides of the table, can one figure to escape the blinds? Especially after one has said, “Deal me in!” knowing they are in the blind.

No more knots please…I like theloose endsof insanity.