Names have been changed to protect the innocent
Well, I never served and like everyone here, have a great affection for those who have.
Yesterday was a busy day with promotions for veterans and I got to shake many a hand of some even from WWII.
I was supervising a blackjack pit when Katie walked by. Katie is a tall stocky woman somewhere in her 60's and was passing by on her way to the ladies room.
I remember when I first met Katie. I was dealing a 10 dollar game and she was wearing a bright yellow dress and had long pink fingernails, but what really stuck out was a pin she was wearing, the yellow shield with black band and horse head of the 1st Cavalry Division.
I asked her about it and she very nonchalantly began telling me how years ago when she was a man, she served with the Air Cav in Vietnam. She then showed me her old army ID with a man's name.
Well, I thought if anyone has earned the right to do whatever the hell they want, it is a combat veteran.
Katie returns from the restroom and walks up to a table and begins arguing with a couple seated there.
I hurry over and the discussion seems to be about how that was her seat and the guy saying they had been sitting there all along blah, blah, blah.
Well my pit was going crazy with several dealers hollering for approvals of buy ins, pay outs etc, and just then the phone rings.
I tell these people to hold on, I'll be right back and I answer the phone and it is my shift manager.
She starts to ask me something and I interrupt her and tell her to please come to the pit, there is trouble brewing.
I head back to the table where things are getting more heated. Katie is looming angrily, the guy, a shady character I don't like much, is pouring gas on the fire telling me "call security" "just call security, I want her out of here"
My manager shows up and I point her to the table and say "please handle this, I'm busy."
I hated to throw her to the wolves, but I had 5 other tables to watch and they just don't pay me enough to break up fights involving transsexual war veterans.
I head to the podium and begin to dial security thinking I should at least get my manager some back up, when I see Katie walking away, so I just put down the phone.
My manager comes over laughing a little bit, I hand over the rotation for the next shift and my relief shows up so I take off.
It's been a brutal stressful day but as I'm walking to my car I'm chuckling at the absurdity of it all and then I realize...
I never got the chance to wish Katie a Happy Veterans Day.
