Our best trip to Las Vegas ever was our first trip! It was in the early 1980s. We went with good friends, an older Tampa gay couple, Dr. Walt Banks and Jack Busciglio…
DISHING WITH MARK AND CARRIE
Niece of the Week: Felicia T. Fox
Not only is Felicia one of the nicest girls you will ever meet, but she is also very professional. We were very lucky to have her in GaYBOR for the past couple of years. This week she is starting her new gig at Hamburger Mary’s Clearwater. Be sure to stop by and show her some love.
GaYBOR Member of the Week: Metro Wellness and Community Centers
Located in Ybor City, New Port Richey and St. Petersburg. Their LGBT Tourist Information & Welcome Center will be opening soon on Central Ave in St. Pete. Visit their web site for all the exciting upcoming events.
You Just Can’t Make This Stuff Up…
Our best trip to Las Vegas ever was our first trip! It was in the early 1980s. We went with good friends, an older Tampa gay couple, Dr. Walt Banks and Jack Busciglio. Both of these super guys have since passed away. When checking into the landmark Stratosphere Casino Hotel and Tower, Jack told the front desk clerk that he didn’t want to be higher than the fourth floor… just in case of fire. LOL LOL. The beautiful, towering hotel has 108 stories and the clerk told Jack not to worry!
The smiling hotel clerk then put all of us in rooms in the basement! “For safety’s sake!” she remarked!
We went to Old Las Vegas in the downtown area for dinner and to gamble a little. We started off and went to the legendary Frontier Casino Hotel. Dr. Walt walked up to one of the women casino drink servers and said, “Which machines are paying off really good tonight?” She led us to the corner section at the Frontier Casino area and said these four here, and three over there one aisle over. I was shocked, as was Mark. How would she know what machines will be winners? But I loved the tenacity and pure honesty of our 5′ tall southern Georgia doctor friend asking the server. He then gave her a $20 bill with a very Southern accent, “Thank you, hon-ney!”
We were there no less than five minutes playing the machines in the corner when Dr. Walt won $800.
We collected, then looked for the server to give her $100 for her advice. We were pretty hungry by now.
Of course we went to the “4 Queens Casino” for dinner. Their infamous acclaimed Prime Rib dinner was $9.95 with a glass of house wine, and then you also got $20 in chips to gamble with. We were having such a great time playing the Queens’ slot machines.
Jack was playing the same two slots over and over again next to Mark. Jack was yelling “It’s HOT…. She is going to pay soon!” Then Jack said, “Oh my God… I’m going to pee my pants!” and ran for the men’s room. He yelled to Mark to stay on the two maybe magic fortune telling/paying slot machines!
Mark started to play Jack’s mojo money machines, then…. OMG! It HIT for $2,500! You could hear 
Jack screaming from the nearby men’s room…. “You SOB, sh*t …sh*t …that’s my money!!!” We couldn’t stop laughing.
Mark then said, “NO, YOU CAN NOT HAVE THE MONEY! But the four of us can’t leave Vegas until we spend it all on fun!” Together we hired a plane and we flew over the majestic Grand Canyon and the mammoth Hoover Dam on the world’s 16th-largest man-made lake, Lake Mead . We saw all the top shows including Siegfried & Roy’s Magical Extravaganza, Caesar’s Palace hit celebrity impersonators show, Frank Marino’s female impersonator review at the Riviera Casino Hotel and bags full of fun Las Vegas souvenirs.
