I made the E/O list. Several points of interest happened while I was dealing but I just can’t get into those right now. My eyes are running water like the Las Vegas skies. I’ve been crying for the last hour and I can’t stop.

It all started here: I came home from the Aruba trip to a phone message from a youngster named Jason. He said that I didn’t know him but he had talked to Carmen (high brush) and she recommended that he get in touch with me and she’d given him my phone number. Yup, I trashed her later for this when I went back to work from the Aruba vacation…told her that I really didn’t need to contact these people, I had enough on my plate. Of course I was jiving her and she knew it.

I called Jason. He wanted to learn to deal. He was a security guard at Bellagio and wanted another profession, he thought dealing might just be it. He’d never played poker before and knew nothing about it so I went through the pains of explaining to him how tough it would be for him just to learn without any knowledge of the game…he was game.

We met. Super energetic, young, good looking, direct eye contact, and great manners. I had a spot in my heart for him as soon as we met – hell, he reminds me of my sons – and I share their enthusiasm for life. We just ‘hit it off’ – some people have it, some people don’t – we do.

He came to my pan/poker parties and started dealing poker. He really showed an amazingly inquisitive mind for it and I was quite impressed with how hard he worked at it.

I picked up a couple of other young students that wanted to learn, Josh (had attended dealer’s school but spent a session at my house) – was hired at the new Gold Coast room; Greg and Chad Patterson – Greg is working Harrah’s now and Chad will be opening the MGM poker room at the end of March.

Jason went through a decline of interest and didn’t show a few times, then came with his girl friend, Annah, (she’s in security at Bellagio also) and one night he came in by himself but told me he just couldn’t deal, his mind wasn’t into it. He played while the Patterson Brothers dealt.

I knew he was stressed over something and didn’t push it. He stayed after the group left and visited with me for about an hour about his life, girlfriend, himself, friends and co-workers in Security, and finally went home.

I thought I’d die laughing one night when ‘Nicholas in the 3s’ was in the room playing and three different times when I was talking to Nicholas – in various parts of the casino – Jason appeared to interrupt us each time. Nicholas and me were in the Sport’s Book, kicking back, visiting about poker when Jason appeared (the third time). As Jason talked, he kept chewing on his fingernails and ripping at them with his teeth. None of this had been apparent during his dealing episodes at my house. I said, “Hey! Stop chewing on your fingernails. If you’re going to deal, no one wants to look at bleeding stubs.”

He replied, “I’m letting them grow out. I thought about the overlays but they looked so good I ate them right out of the box.”

Nicholas and I both cracked up. Funny it ain’t – yet it is.

Jason called me on holidays and always wished me well. Always thoughtful, always thankful, and a great human being.

I came home early from work tonight – after thinking how I had not seen him around the inner workings or hallways of Bellagio for the last few weeks – to get a phone call from him. His voice was horribly raspy and he wanted to tell me that he hadn’t just walked off and forgotten me. God love this child’s heart!

I asked if he was ok. The answer was “No!”

He was in a motorcyle accident eleven days ago. He was riding alone, doesn’t remember any of it; an eye witness stated that Jason took the turn at about 15 MPH and somehow lost control of the bike…it slid over 75 yards. Jason ended up with a punctured lung, three broken ribs, and is expected to have -0- percent feeling in his legs for the rest of his life. The tubes were just removed from his lungs and he starts therapy and rehabilitation now. He will go to San Diego for his rehabilitation.

Annah, his girlfriend came in while I was speaking with Jason and I talked to her for just a minute. She returned me to Jason. He will have the same cell phone number and email adress and I promised to call him tomorrow. I will.

I got off the phone and cried my eyes out. My heart is filled with sorrow for him. He has young children from a previous marriage. His life will never be the same. The realization of the changes in his life have not even begun to settle into his thoughts in the long term.

Annah, in reality, will probably go do something else after a few years (I’m not selling her short or making a judgement call – she may be there for the rest of their lives), Jason will struggle with a wheel chair and disability and the possibility of being alone – although I hope it doesn’t play out that way.

If not for poker I would never have met this person that merged into my life and thoughts. I’m thankful for the opportunity to know Jason. My tears are for him. My prayers are for him – he will need a lot of them in the coming months.

I have no glib ending or smart ass comment…I’m stricken. My heart is bleeding and my eyes are still raining like the Vegas skies. We should always be thankful for all of our blessings and greet each day as if it were our last.