blue moon (2)

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

One Arm Bandit ©

I was sitting here the other day looking at what was left when it dawned on me that my daughters birthday is on Friday, she’ll be turning twenty.
Time flies when you aren’t paying attention doesn’t it.
I have two daughters 16/20 and a son 35 now I think whom I have never met.
There may be others but that’s all I know.
Gezz, I may be a grandfather.

I picked up the phone and called my Ex’s place to see what they are up to on the weekend and maybe they could come down for lunch and my daughter can get her birthday presents but she wasn’t there but my youngest was.
The birthday girl is still in collage and is graduating this year.

I chatted with her for awhile and told her to tell he mother to call me when she got back from where she was and my daughter said that her mother was just at the casino.
Huh, what casino.
She said that her mother went to the casino with her friend and it was the third day in a row that she had gone there.

Now I hadn’t seen my EX and kids for the last 8 years until this past November so I don’t know what they have been up to other than they had moved across the country and come back because they were broker there than they were here.
Not to long ago my Ex was complaining to me how she was broke and needed money and had lost her job and Walk Mart because of work related injuries.

So I made a few phone calls and put in on a path I carved out for her and now she gets $1600 a month until she finds a job.
In fact the other day she did her income tax return and along with her check she had a little over three grand.
Not bad for someone who is unemployed eh?

Last week she was telling me how she was going to have to move from a two bedroom apartment to a one bedroom because they couldn’t afford the rent increase in the old one and it was going up 140 a month.
I found t hat a little excessive so I called a friend in the city and asked if it was legal.
The news I got back was that her rent was indeed going up but not $140 but $11 a month.

I kept that information to myself and said nothing to her.
Then the other day I asked her about the move and she told me that the girls liked this apartment so much that they will have to suffer and pay the extra $140.
I told her that I was sure that I could throw her some groceries every month to help her out.
Hell I am already doing it so why not give what I am giving.

When we were together she never gambled, she can barely fucken count but I guess you don’t need to count to watch fruits going around in circles.
My Ex like many other people on social assistance flock to the local casinos in hopes of a big score and getting out of the dilemma they are in but it’s not working for any of them.
If you were to go to the casino at the end of the month you will find more people there on welfare than who work and that’s because the people who are not on welfare ARE at work and not throwing away what little food money they have on a slutslot machine.
The governments here own all the casinos so I figure this was the best way to get back the money they dish out to all the poor people every month.
They might as well just keep the checks and send them credits for the casino and throw in a couple of vouchers to the buffet so they could each.

When I talked to her last week she had told me she was going to the casino for their buffet, which is spectacular, as a treat for my daughter for her birthday but then she went the day after and on Monday morning at 9 am she grabbed the express to the casino I have to wonder who’s birthday it is, my daughter’s pf the casino’s.

Personally I am not much of a gambler with what money I have.
I do love poker and I do sit in a few games that involve not loosing more than 50 bucks 4-5 times a year but that’s the extent of it and I do buy the occasional scratch ticket.
Dreams of winning are just that, dreams and to few people actually hit it big and that only gets them into more trouble.
I see it in my friends.
One won 40 million last year and because of the stress of people bugging him for money all the time her had a heart attack and now lives in some remote place where people came call him begging for money.
I also have lots of friends who go to the casino 3-4 times a week and watch their money disappear.
Sure they hit is large once in a while but never huge.
One got 100,000 at the casino one night and six months later was asking for money.
BTW, we don’t pay taxes on money won here, so that isn’t a problem, it’s winning that’s the problem.

As far as my Ex is concerned, it’s none of my business what she does with her coin but next time when she tells me she is broke I will always wonder why.

Have a nice day

Walker

25 comments:

Teresa said...

I hope she gets everything together. I think it is nice that you are willing to help her, but be careful that she doesn't take advantage of you!

Peter said...

We all have our own demons Walker, I'm very glad gambling isn't one of mine it can be very debilitating.

Anonymous said...

I think you hit the nail on the head about who really are the ones most likely to be throwing their cash away in the casinos. It's not just because of trying to win more money, though. Some, like senior citizens, go there just as a way to fill the day.

Happy Birthday to your daughter!

Monogram Queen said...

I just started playing the lottery again but hey $5 a week or so isn't going to break me.
I hope she gets her act together. I imagine it's hard to want to help your kids but always wonder about the exes ulterior motives.
Sad. Happy Early Birthday to your Daughter!!!

Terri said...

You know when they started the lottery here in Texas there was a lot of controversy for the very reason you state here...the poor people are the ones that spend money they don't have on tickets (or casinos as the case may be.) They all hope to hit it big and in most cases they just throw their money away. I'm not much of a gambler myself. I do like to play craps and I like to play poker but to sit in a casino for hours on end hitting that button on what I kindly refer to as "the idiot machines"...not for me.

I hope your daughter has a happy birthday though.

Jenny said...

Uff, gambling only makes money for one thing; the casino.

I used to live near Atlantic City and I would see people cash their unemployment checks to go gamble... that hope of winning big was just too great. And so sad.

I'm glad you get to spend the day with your daughter to celebrate her birthday. Have a great time.

BlazngScarlet said...

I can see why people become addicted to it, but fortunately for me, it was never something that interested me very much.
I can think of better things to spend my money on.

Happy Birthday to your daughter!

Anonymous said...

A sad saga from the Great White Socialist Paradise.

Dotm said...

It`s usually the kids who lose out when the parent gambles unless they know how to set a limit to blow and stick to that amount. Once they get hooked, money goes like water flowing down a steep hill. They win once and think it means they are on a winning streak and soon the whole paychek is spent. Gov. needs to set a limit and once someone loses that much they should be made to leave for the sake of the family. But, Gov. doesn`t set limits when they are the one taking the money from the poor gambler.

GAB said...

I suppose thats an awful lot like those who get there checks here then sit in a bar till its all gone! Im afraid this is another subject that if I got started......
When Mr Gab and I do go to a casiso (which isnt very often) We each take 20.00 when thats gone its gone and so are we. This is mine will disappear in 1/2 hr where as Mr Gab will manage to streach his out to 5 hours! He does win alot and if he can keep from giving it to me we usually come home with money. But again 5 hours with nothing for me to do makes me very whiney! and Mr Gab will usually give in cash his winnings in give me some then he starts over until I come back for more. When we get to the point of do we want to lose it all or go homewith some is when Mr Gab gives in and says we are done! Like I said we usually come home with money....No thanks to me!!!!!

Karen said...

Happy Birthday to your daughter Walker. Hope you get to spend some of it with her.

Joanna Cake said...

Gambling is a horrible addiction. And having them on the High Street as scratch cards just makes it even easier to fall into the hole. People here started the Lottery with their favourite numbers and are now terrified to stop in case the numbers finally come up!

My daughter is 17 on Tuesday. She wants a small party tonight - max 10 people. I have just purchased 18 cans of lager, 4 bottles of alcopop and 4 cans of cider and will be forking out for pizza later. They are staying the night. Im just wondering how much sleep Im going to be getting :(

Walker said...

Teresa: Over years i have learned to buy her groceries and not give her money.
She is easily addicted by nature and she has had a few different addictions

Walker said...

Peter: Yes it is. I know many people who work all day only so they could have money to go to the race track and loose it all.

Walker said...

skye: Yes with the seniors it is just to go pass the time and t hey are not heavy spenders but the people on welfare take the big risks and loose it all.

Walker said...

Patti: I play once in awhile, mostly when the jackpot is really high, like i could win when its alot and not when its a little LOL

Walker said...

BikerCandy: Its the same here when the casino first opened up and then they opened a second one close to the poorest people to get thweir money to.
They know how people are and how to use their dispare and desire for a better life to take what little they have.

Walker said...

Anonymous Boxer: Hopes and dreams of people who see them to far to reach will always be attracted by the glitter and light and of the prospect that maybe just this once they will hit the big one.

Walker said...

Blazngfyre: I like the noise and lights of the casino and do play a bit but i am not that big on it.
I go once a year and loose 100 just to remind me how unlucky i am at gambling LOL

Walker said...

Anonymous: Gambling is everywhere not just here. Even in communist countries they have lotteries to get what little money
you have.
Life is a gamble

Walker said...

Dotm: There was a lady here busted for leaving her infant home alone so she could go to the casino for a couple of hours every day.
Addicts only think of their addiction and the kids are the first to pay for their parents habits.

Walker said...

gab: I am Mr Gab, I can stretch a twenty out for hours if I want to by playing it safe and going after the small pots and not risking it all one one bigf shot at the jack pot aand end up with Jack All

Walker said...

Gypsy: Thank you I hope i do to. :)

Walker said...

having my cake: There are long lineups here at the end of the month because people on welfare get their checks and tehhy coupdl buy their numbers for the whole month in advance now and they do.

I hope you have some buckets around for the ones that cant handle more than one pint.

Miss Cellania said...

Jeez, the kids and I could live off $1600 a month easy, because we live off less than that now. Another thing to be thankful for... I don't gamble. Ever.