Live From Las Vegas

This is my third trip to Las Vegas. Or as my friend Len calls it- "Lost Wages".

In all three trips I haven't lost much. I'm not a gambler. I have a tendency to only bet on two things; 1.) Anything involving any skills I know I have and 2.) Something I already know the outcome of. To me, anything else is throwing away money.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Me, I just like the atmosphere, the people, the things that you just can't see anywhere else.

In less than 24 hours I've already put more dollar bills in the hands of the homeless or otherwise broke, than slot machines. Not a lot. Just here and there.

I know the panhandling etc. is frowned upon, and that it "just encourages them" and all that but I do it anyway.

Encourage them or not, that could be me. It could be you.

I really don't give much thought to how somebody got in that position. I really don't care how. I know they're there, I know they're living a life I couldn't imagine and I also know many of them, -especially the gentleman who engaged me for about 10 minutes this morning on Fremont Street on the topic of the Packers/Bears rivalry (he's a Bears fan)- probably take that dollar and combine it with another that they got from someone else and go buy a 24oz can of beer or a cheap bottle of Thunderbird or whatever their poison of choice.

If I had to live like that I'm pretty sure I'd rather do it half in the bag than stone cold sober.

Most of them aren't going to throw a dollar in a slot machine, hit it big and move on to a wonderful new life.

Most of them are going to be stuck living like that until the day they no longer live. That is sad. That is something I wish I could change but can't.

It's just a fact. Obviously each person is responsible in someway for their own life situation but the mistakes made yesterday don't fix themselves tomorrow. The more tomorrows pass since yesterday, the less likely recovery is. The less chance of ever having a normal life. Whatever that is.

"That's a wasted dollar! That bum is just going to drink it!"

To that I say "bullshit".

That dollar and a few minutes of conversation, whether it buys a can of beer or a bag of chips is going to give that person a moment of being valued as a person. Sure, many don't appreciate it, many think you could have gave more. So what? If they're angry about their circumstances and life in general, I'd say it's understandable. I'd be pissed too if I thought the world was out to get me.

I've spent time angry as hell about what life "was doing to me". What's not to understand?

I don't know about you but, these people, whether in Las Vegas or at home, are in a crappy situation they are unlikely to emerge from.

I've had times where I wondered how I was going to pay the bills, feed and clothe a family, on and on. I was lucky enough to be able to find solutions and more than once, get a little hand up along the way.

I sincerely try to be charitable in someway all the time. Whether rounding up at Goodwill, buying a Food Pantry bag or Animal Shelter bag at the grocery store or saying "yes" to adding a dollar to whatever cause the store I'm shopping in is collecting for.

Sometimes I forget, but I don't worry about it. More often than not I do it if I'm feeling financial pressure myself. If things are tight and I know that dollar isn't going to get me anything I need I give it. The shocking result I've noticed in the years I've done that is that I generally find that somehow my needs end up being met and never once has giving hurt me. Financially or otherwise.

And never once has it been a waste.

I saw a guy last night on Fremont wearing a shirt that said "Don't Ask Me For SHIT!" I can see the people who live and work here getting tired of it. But I also saw an older guy sitting in a wheelchair with two signs; one down by his feet explaining his situation and another one in his hand on a paddle that said "Do Nice Things". He didn't notice me as I walked past.

When I came back from where I was going I ended up behind him and I knew I still had two singles in my pocket from that run, so I came up behind him and put my hand on his shoulder to alert him I was there and I said "thank you for the reminder. I like to do nice things".

He smiled warmly and thanked me and shook my hand.

If anybody thinks I'm wasting my money doing things like that, they've probably never done it.

Two dollars and 30 seconds, and for a moment this gentleman had somebody spend some time with him and give something not required.

Imagine being alone, on the street, no friends or family, Loneliness sucks. I've been there.

I have no clue what he or anyone I give money to will do with it. And I don't care. Whatever they buy with it, it'll be something they want, something that makes them feel empowered over their situation, if only for a moment. And if they drink it to dull the pain of the loneliness, despair and hopelessness, so be it. 

I'm not saying anyone else has to do it. I'm just saying why I do.

Nobody can tell me that these people wanted their lives to take this course, regardless of what choices they made to get there.

It's not wasted money, it's not throwing it away. It's giving them a moment of my time and a dollar or two I'll never miss.

I've been extremely lucky in my life, though I've never won a dime in three trips to Vegas.

I also know we don't build mansions in heaven with works, deeds, or dollars. I just hope we get extra credit points here and there.

And if we don't, I still didn't waste that dollar because it connected me to another person for a moment in time.

That's good enough for me.

And I still have four days to hit the jackpot this time!