PERSONAL HARVESTING STORIES

BLUE MOUNTAIN CASINO WALLA WALLA, WA

By:RICHARD “REGGIE” GUMMER

I HAD LEFT PENDLETON OREGON, AND WAS HEADED NORTH TO A FAMILY REUNION IN EASTERN WASHINGTON STATE. WALLA WALLA WASHINGTON WAS RIGHT ON THE WAY. AND EVEN THOUGH IT WAS STILL MID MORNING I THOUGHT I WOULD GIVE THIS PLACE A SHOT. HARVESTING IN THE MORNING SOMETIMES IS NOT SUCCESSFUL, SIMPLY BECAUSE THE CASINOS DO NOT OPEN THEIR TABLES UNTIL AFTERNOONS.
WHEN I ARRIVED THE PLACE WAS EMPTY EXCEPT FOR TWO DEALER STUDENTS, AND ONE VETERAN DEALER. THE VET WAS TEACHING HIS STUDENTS THE FINE ARE OF DEALING BLACK JACK, I WATCHED THIS SCENE WITH MILD INTEREST FOR A WHILE UNTIL IT GOT BORING. THEN I SIDDLED UP TO THE BARTENDER; THE ONLY OTHER PERSON IN THE ENTIRE CASINO AND ASKED WHO I MIGHT I TALK TO ABOUT GETTING SOME REAL CHIPS FOR COLLECTION PURPOSES AND HE SAID THE DEALER THAT IS TEACHING THE OTHER TWO WOULD BE THE ONLY ONE HERE NOW. THAT DID NOT SOUND VERY PROMISING.
I WAITED UNTIL THEY TOOK A POTTY BREAK AND THEN ASKED THE DEALER IF I COULD BUY SOME CHIPS FROM THE TABLE. HE SAID, VERY QUICKLY, NO; I CANNOT SELL ANY OF THESE CHIPS. BUT; IF YOU WANT TO STICK AROUND TO 4PM I WILL BE ABLE TO. I WAS A LITTLE TAKEN BACK, AT THE QUICK REPLY AND NEGATIVE ANSWER, BUT I WAS GAMBLING BY STOPPING BY SO EARLY ANY WAY.
AS I STARTED TOWARDS THE DOOR, THE DEALER SAID HEY WAIT A MINUTE, I AM PRETTY SURE I HAVE SOME LOOSE CHIPS KICKING AROUND IN MY PICK-UP; IN THE PARKING LOT, GIVE ME A SECOND AND I WILL MEET YOU OUT THERE.
WELL, THIS WAS A LITTLE UNCONVENTIONAL, BUT I THOUGHT; A MEAGER SMALL HARVEST IS BETTER THAN NO HARVEST ALL. I ACTUALLY CAN NOT REMEMBER HOW MANY CHIPS HE CAME UP WITH, BUT I PAID HIM FOR THEM AND PADDED THE PAYMENT WITH A TIP. I WAS VERY GLAD THAT HE FLAGGED ME DOWN BEFORE I LEFT, AND HE WAS HAPPY TO PICK UP A FEW EASY BUCKS. NO, OF COURSE I DID NOT GET ENOUGH CHIPS AT THIS CASINO…REGGIE http://www.themogh.org/cg_chip2.php?id=