Play Meter

JHELASTWORD Helping to ease the pain I didn't think it would bother me, What the heck, I thought, may as but when the day finally arriv- well pop in a few quarters and see ed, July 18, 1992-my 30th how Lady Luck feels on the day of birthday-I was feeling pretty my birth. It became quickly eviblah. Not depressed; just reflective dent: she had PMS and decided to of all I had not accomplished at take it out on me. I lost eight straight hands, won this point in my life. Inevitably, I suppose we all sell ourselves short the next one, then lost five more. It got to the point where I ignored at times such as this. It was good, then, to have my the machine's advice to hold acergood friend from Lafayette, La., in tain card and drew another, just to town to help take my mind off shake things up. "Bad move, son," things Cit would've been easier if said the old drunk at the bar. he were a woman, but that's "Shut up and watch your Cubs another tale of woe). What to do? game," I hissed under my breath. In New Orleans, when in doubt, He obliged, berating poor Ryne Sandberg for taking a called third drink. We went to Fat Harry's, an up- strike. town college bar (30-year-old Scott, meanwhile, could do no hangs out in college bar to relive wrong. He lost his first hand and his golden days-sad, sad) for followed it up with a full house. A some frosty-cold Budweisers and pair of Queens here, a three-of-a a few rounds of pool. I forgot how kind there-he couldn't lose! I was much fun it is to spend Sattirday growing more frustrated by the afternoons this way! Two hours second. It's not that I bore him illand numerous beers later, it was will (no, I take that back; I did). It time to relocate to another water- was the fact that he had never ing hole. We headed down St. played before. Gambling is Charles Avenue to the Mayfair against his religion, or at least it Lounge, a wonderful New Orleans had been until he hoisted a few cold ones and loosened up. Passneighborhood bar. It was there that I had my first ing it off as just another case of encounter with Louisiana's new beginner's luck, I told him to cash video poker machines. The State in his credits so we could leave. As Police had just gotten around to we walked out, Scott said smugly, enabling (or, in simpler terms, "of- "Ifyou want I'll give you some tips ficially turning on") the Mayfair's on how to play." Good thing for two games, said the bartender, him beer cans don't damage the and business had been brisk. skull like bottles do. PLAY METER 210 SEPTEMBER 1992 On the drive home, I thought to myself: that was a lot of fun, even though I lost. What was I out $2.50, $3? For the price of a Heineken and a tip, I had an hour of camaraderie with an old friend. But listening to many lawmakers and professional commentators across the state, you'd have thought I was destined to blow my entire paycheck in the Mayfaireyes glazed over, a stack of $1 bills by my side, pumping money in the VLT so fast that I wouldn't think to save a few bucks for cab fare home to my poor wife and starving child. Those who climb aboard their soap boxes to excoriate video poker for being " the most regressive form of gambling there is" need to give it a rest. These machines give bar patrons a welcome, inexpensive diversion. They make money-badly needed money-for the state, for the locations, and most importantly, for members of the coin-op industry. They also made this b irthday boy's 30th a little bit brighter. 0 Christopher Caire Features Editor