PERSONAL HARVESTING STORIES

P. J.’s RESTAURANT & CASINO HAVRE, MT

By:RICHARD “REGGIE” GUMMER

HAVRE MONTANA, NOTICE THE SPELLING; IT IS DERIVED FROM THE NORTHERN FRENCH CITY OF LE HAVRE. AS YOU SEE THEY DROPPED THE LE. I WAS BORN IN THIS METROPOLIS OF 12,OOO PEOPLE, IN THE LOCAL CATHOLIC HOSPITAL. THE SACRED HEART HOSPITAL. ENOUGH OF MY VITAL STATISTICS; P J’S IS ONE OF THE LOCAL WATERING HOLES WITH A RESTAURANT AND A COUPLE OF CARD TABLES AMID THE SLOT MACHINES THAT ARE SPRINKLED THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING.
I WALKED IN THE CASINO AND JUST BEYOND THE BAR I SAW ONE TABLE OF HOLDEM ACTION. I CASUALLY ASKED IF THERE WAS A BOARD NOTICING THE TABLE HAD NO VACANCIES CURRENTLY. THE BAR MAID SAID YOU WOULD BE NEXT, AND THAT SOUNDED PROMISING SO, I SAID I WILL TAKE THAT NEXT SEAT. MEANWHILE I TRIED TO TALK TO THE BAR MAID ABOUT THE TOWN. I TOLD HER I GREW UP IN GILDFORD AND CAME TO HAVRE TO RAISE HECK, WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER. AND SHE SAID DO YOU KNOW THE GUY IN 3 SEAT, HIS NAME IS …….. AND I SAID I SURE DO. I DECIDED TO WAIT UNTIL I GOT IN THE GAME TO TALK TO HIM, IT WAS JUST AS WELL HE DID NOT WANT TO RELIVE ANY MEMORIES WE HAD. THAT WAS NOT VERY PLEASANT, BUT PEOPLE CHANGE AND SOMETIMES NOT FOR THE BETTER.
MEANWHILE, HAVING BEEN TO THIS PLACE BEFORE I KNEW THEY GUARDED THEIR CHIPS FIERCLY. ALSO, I FOUND OUT THE OWNER WAS SITTING IN CORNER BEHIND ME READING THE PAPER AND OCCASIONALLY TALKING TO A COUPLE OF OLD TIMERS. IT WAS GETTING LATE AND I WAS IN TOWN FOR A CLASS REUNION, I HAD LOT OTHER THINGS TO DO. BUT, BEFORE I COULD LEAVE I HAD TO SCORE A $5 CHIP, BUT; THEY WERE NOT IN PLAY AT THE TABLE, ONLY 50c & $1 CHIPS WERE AVAILABLE, I HAD MY TRUSTY CARGO PANTS POCKETS LINED WITH PJ’S 50c & $1 CHIPS ALREADY. THE DEALER SAID I NEED AN OK FROM PJ TO SELL THE 5’s. SO I GOT UP AND WALKED BACK TO ASK PJ, I TOLD HIM MY STORY, SAID I WAS COLLECTOR AND I WAS BORN & RAISED HERE, HE SAID OK ONLY ONE THOUGH…REGGIE http://www.themogh.org/cg_chip2.php?id=MTHVPJ