Okie Vegas 2009

The only bad part about the great weekend I just had is the let-down when it is all over.  Really, that was the only negative.

It all started with an insanely early departure from my hotel in DC.  Believe it or not, there is a good bit of traffic on the highways around DC at 4 o’clock in the morning.  I got upgraded to first class for both legs of my flight.  My flight departed about five minutes early and we were wheels up for Charlotte before 6 am.

For the first time ever, Charlotte’s Douglas International Regional Airport and Car Wash (the pilot’s description) was not the destination, it was a connection on the way to Dallas-Fort Worth.  Flight number two was also right on time taking off so we landed at DFW about 15 minutes early.  Just like clockwork, I breezed past the rental counter, jumped in the Ford Fusion that I was assigned and headed north.  That Fusion now has a lot more than the 128 miles that were showing when I turned the key.

Two and a half hours later I was pulling up to the home of GCox25 in OKC.  I got and quick hug from the man himself, the wife DD, and Katitude (who still blames me for introducing her to BC Powder)  We did a quick turn-around and headed for lunch.

We dined, if eating with your hands off sheets of paper is dining, at Eischen's Bar, the oldest bar in Oklahoma.  Fired chicken as good as what Mom used to make, fried okra and pitchers of lite beer fueled us for the rest of the afternoon.  Though I’ve met up with these folks no more than 5 times in my life I felt like I was among the oldest and best friends I’ve ever had.  Let the good times roll.

The next stop was the just less than fabulous Lucky Star Casino in El Reno 911,  OK.  Four of us sat at a new 1-2NL table and proceeded to harass the local rocks.  They were actually a fun group save one jerk who didn’t know how to play nor play nice with others.  There was an unnatural amount of 9-2-Face flops.  Greg on my right seemed to get a hand of 9-2 every time that 9-2-x did not flop.  It really got comical after about the dozenth time.

Eventually Greg decided to take a break.  The very next hand I get 9s-2s on the button and I decide it couldn’t miss.  Sure enough, 9-2-J hit on the flop.  The jerk that is 2 seats to my left bets out.  I’m not worried about the rainbow flop so I just call.  The turn puts a second spade on the board and Jerk bets $30.  I push for $46 more and he eventually calls.  I don’t turn over as the table speculates about my hand.  I ask “What works at this table?” and then answer “NINE_DOOOOCH”.  The board does not pair.   Jerk flashes his Kings and mucks.  OK, for that hand there were two jerks at the table but all of the Okie Vegas folk loved it.

Dinner time was approaching so we hopped in the cars (OSU hopped on his Harley) and we headed for Lake Okie Vegas (Ft. Cobb Lake 51 weeks a year).  The temperature was a warm 108, so OSU’s ride felt like a blast furnace.  It was also warm enough that Greg’s ragtop and AC in his BMW decided to make an appearance.

Dinner of cold fried chicken and cold Foster’s over a friendly cash game rounded out the day and evening.  The arrival of Tragedy and the Mrs. Tragedy the Sequel arrived shortly before bed. (Sequels are better than the original).

Day 2 started with doughnuts and Coke for breakfast (of Champions) and a four-wheeler ride to the lake shore.  OSU’s lady friend joined to party.  We were to find out later that she was part native american and that she claimed that her indian name was Sure-Thing-on-a-Blanket. “ Welcome to Okie Vegas.  You’ll fit right in.”  The party really got going with the arrival of the Smoke-on-the-Water Party Boat.  Capt. KK took us out to the middle of the lake for some swimming and the worst diving exhibitions in the history of Okie Vegas.  This all caused a late start to the Annual OKV Poker Tournament, but no one seemed to mind.

I started the tourney hot as a firecracker.  Actually everyone started out hot.  We were on the porch and the temp was well over 100.  The shade and breeze helped some.  No one busted before the first break.  We took the opportunity to move the table indoors where the AC helped moods but not the quality of play.

The first bust out almost took out OOSSUUU.  I don’t remember all of the details,  but the action put OSU all-in preflop with a typical race (A-J vs 44 is what I remember).  The board hit Greg and OSU’s stack slid across the table.  Then Yesbay, who had dealt the flop, turn and river says “wait a minute.”  He looks closer at the board as if we had misread it, flips a card to it’s back and explains that he was not the dealer for that hand and the wrong deck had been used. Sure-thing-on-a-blanket was supposed to be dealing.  A misdeal was declared, chips were distributed back to the original owners and OSU was still alive.  Sure-thing became the Gigli shortly thereafter.

I made it to the cash bubble before I ever had to show a hand.  My QQ all-in went up against Yestbay’s A-K and two A's hit the board.  Congrats to Greg, Yestbay, and Kat for cashing.  The rest of  the day and evening was spent just sitting and talking with a lot of laughing – a LOT   of laughing.

Random Memories

• “No, it’s Special K, not Circle K.  I’m a breakfast cereal, not a damn convenience store.”
• Wall, chest, chin – That’s all I’m saying about that.  You figure it out.
• LED shot glasses
• Dial-a-shots to TripJax, Jordan, Joannada, and several others. Too many went unanswered.
• “You just let me know what you need and it will get done.”  Tragedy, you are the best.
• I swear, I did not know!
• What is in the NASCAR gas pump dispenser, Rum or Whisky?  Who cares, pour me some.
• Deer steak and rice
• Sunning in the Okie Vegas pool (Picture to be inserted below)

Sunday meant packing up and moving on to my next stop.  All that were left at the lake were GCox, Kat, and TC.  I said my goodbyes and pointed the Fusion south toward Killeen, TX and Fort Hood.  To each of you who make Okie Vegas 2009 a special time as we toasted Saturday, “May all of our thoughts of you turn into your good fortune.”  Hope to see you all in the real Vegas in December.