For some obscure reason, known only to engineering or whoever the hell sets things up in a poker room, the main podium which houses the page/phone person/computer access/line passes, and lots of other things, is turned with its back to the Poker Pit. The human access side of it faces the Sport’s Book. The back of it is enclosed with plants and wood. How convenient…NOT! The phone person can’t even look out into the poker room to see if a Shift Supervisor, Brush, or player is in the room and knows they have a phone call. Chit mon! A monkey might have figured it out…

So…as I stand and visit with the phone person on a break, I get quite a bit of interaction with new visitors that want to know what limits we have, how to sign up, how the game is played, etc.

As I was standing there, chit-chatting away with Valerie, a woman approached. She was nervous, had the high strung look of a colt that was ready to bolt and run if anyone got too close, and her breath was coming in short gasps as she stumbled through a “…how do I play?” – “…what’s available?” kind of thing.

I spent a minute speaking with her and then said, “Come on, let’s walk over and look at a game and I’ll explain as we put your name on a list.”

She grabbed my hand like I was the only lifeboat left and she was on the Titanic. The closer we got to the tables, the tighter she squeezed my hand. She was practically glued to my side as I explained the Blinds, the button, and talked about the buy-ins.

Did it bother me that she was hanging on to me? Nope! I got over all that crap years ago. I just ushered her through the tables.

We stopped and watched a $4-8 for a moment and then I turned to Wan and asked if she had a seat open in $4-8. She pointed me to a table and I took my new found, I’m lost but I can’t wait to play, little buddette over to the game.

I asked her name. She was almost panting now and “Julie,” gushed out on an exhale. Believe me, I’m not making fun of her. I love people that are excited to be involved in something or get involved. Much better than the dunder butts that never see a sunrise or even experience anything that makes them breathless.

I introduced Julie to the dealer, told him she might need a little help, and with one last squeeze of my hand, she took her seat. I was off to deal my next game – have no idea how she did or what the end result was but that’s why I love poker. You get the MIX! It beats the hell out of scrambling eggs at the roadside grill.

*****

The $2-5 NLH game rocks on. One of the first ones I sat down in, I got the terminal, neverending query. “Missoula Montana! That’s my favorite movie.”

Here it comes – how many times is that now?

“Have you seen A River Runs Through It?”

Yup! We talked about the movie and the theme. Two players loved the movie. I said I really didn’t care for it because it’s so dark.

One of them asked, “Oh, you think drinking and gambling is dark?” *chuckles*

“No! I think he was on total selfdestruct as evidenced by his going with an Indian and taking her into a bar, along with gambling and drinking, and a few other things.”

That got hashed around a bit and they sort of saw my point. Most people don’t know that during that time period, in Missoula, Indians had to step off the sidewalk and allow caucasians the right of way. They were not allowed in bars either. There are several major Indian Reservations in that area and there’s still a lot of sting in their tails about their tales from the past.

But we got past the movie and the game rocked on.

In another one, a main game, two people put their chips down – coming in from a Must Move. I asked them if they wanted to be dealt in for free now or wait one round until the Button passed them and be dealt in for free behind it. I got the usual outcry from the other players, “They’re coming in from a must move.”

No shit, Harry? I always wonder if any of them ever heard what my question was.

They both said they would wait. One stayed at the table and experienced the game, the other went to smoke.

A few minutes later, one of the players asked if he could switch to the seat of the Must Move Walker. I told him the player put the chips down so it was his seat, no switching.

Now I get an argument from Max and the player that wanted to switch seats. They both declared he was a new player and had no rights. (Ok kids. First you must know the house rule is that if a player puts anything personal down in a seat, car keys, chips, coat on chair, etc., it is their seat and they don’t have to give it up. If a floor person sets the player’s chips down, a player at the table can switch seats.)

I told them that he was not a new player, he was coming from a must move game. They argued that he hadn’t taken a hand.

Help! Where are the drugs? They are allowed access to them so why am I being deprived?

It took me almost a full minute to get across that he WASN’T A NEW PLAYER. He was forced to move to this table from a must move game. And he could wait one round – until the blind passed him and be dealt in for free. If he didn’t take a hand before the Blind got to him, he would be obligated to take the Blind or he would be given a ‘missed blind’ button.

The Walking Player returned, the Watching Must Move Player was ready, the button skipped past them, they were dealt in, and the game went on as it should.

Hey! I know it’s tough, but sometimes you have to just go with what your friendly dealer tells you.