A couple of days ago, I posted a most unflattering appraisal of chip dealers in general. The statement was not to be directed to any one particular person, as I have not ever personally experienced any bad dealings with any dealer. To the contrary, all of my dealing were positive and in most cases felt that I got the better of the trade.

This all came to fruition after I attended my first and only chip show at Hollywood Park this past Sunday. I felt that it was similiar to a gathering of hawks awaiting to pounce upon their prey. Although my feeling of the show has not changed, I must, in all good conscious take this time to apologize to all the dealers, both at Hollywood Park and around the rest of the country.

I, in truth, did not realize what the purpose of the show was suppose to be. For one, I did not know that the dealers had to pay for their table(s) or did I know that the main reason of having the show was to make money (as everyone is certainly entitled to do.) I thought that the show was being sponsored by the CC&GTCC was mainly a trading show comprised mainly of traders. Come to find out, I was wrong again.

I felt that I was being lured into a web of spiders. Thanks to the many responses I received, both on the bulletin board and via private e-mail, I see where I was complete wrong, out-of-line, and beg all of you for your forgiveness.

At the time I was in a state of frustration, feeling all alone with people of superior knowledge of the trade and trying to compete on a one to one basis with them. Again, I guess I am falling into a feeling of frustration as I am writing this e-mail. After all, I only really talked to one person for a very short time, and he was as nice of an individual one would ever want to meet. But who do I think I am even attempting to trade with such people that have a multiple of thousands of chips glaring me in the face and supposing that he would want anything that I might have in exchange. If such a person did accept any trade from me it would be only because he might want to make me feel good and not because he needed or actually wanted the chip. I was too ashamed to even make such a proposal.

The result was, I walked out of the show, dejected, disappointed, and tried to blame someone else for my ineptitude. That someone else happened to be the chip dealers as they were the closest. And now that I have had time to cool off, I wish I never made the statement in the first place.

Although I have no intention at this point in time to attend another show, I am as avid as ever to trade over the net where I feel so much more comfortable with both dealers and traders. As a matter of fact, I expect most traders will agree with me in confirming the fact that our largest trades, best values, and ease of trading are with dealers. So I don't why anyone with any good sense would downplay the role of the dealers. Let me state categorically, that without the dealers, there would be no hobby.

And just for the record in case anyone might ask, I do know how to spell the word "thanx"