Out of Cash in Springfield, IL

My buddy Mario and I took a trip from our hometown in Metropolis, IL to the Chicago last weekend, and we got ourselves in some trouble. We drove through Peoria and Champaign on our way there, and we stopped to see some friends in both places. We invited them to come with us and do some gambling at the Casino, but they declined.

Our friends had the right idea for sure, but we love gambling (well we did then - read on), and we just had to play some craps, roulette and blackjack. After we left our buddies, we had some car trouble near Pontiac when my fan belt decided to retire. Of course we were very disappointed to have our trip go off the rails like that, but regardless, we were really excited to be out on the road and away from work.

I should point out, that this short story is a cautionary one, and hopefully others can learn from our mistakes - it's so much easier to learn from someone who has learned the hard way not that most people ever really change their behaviour because of someone else's mistakes.

So there we were - stuck in Pontiac with my car broken down and forced to spend half of our play money on repairs. It was a bad start to a trip we had been talking about taking for over six months.

Between Mario and I, we had a total of three thousand dollars when we cashed our paychecks in West Frankfort, and by the time we finished paying for the fan belt, labor, our bar tab, food, and hotel, we were down to just over two thousand dollars. When we finally arrived at the Casino we weren't exactly as excited as we had anticipated we would be when we were dreaming up the trip in the first place. Furthermore, we were very tired from driving, and we knew we had already spent close to one thousand dollars.

Both of us needed to freshen up before we went to the Casino, so we just grabbed our keys for the room and went upstairs to crash.

It seemed that whenever I got lucky and got dealt two face cards, the dealer would get blackjack. Whenever I split two hands, the dealer would get blackjack, 21, or 20 - I thought my bad luck had no boundaries. I thought the dealer's good luck had no boundaries She would smirk when she beat me, and she would frown when I beat her! It seemed like that the Casino Gods were conspiring to take all my money!

By the end of the day Mario and I had lost ALL of our money gambling, and Mario had even gone to the ATM and withdrew another five hundred dollars, leaving us feeling like real losers. Even though we both talked about how it was only money, deep inside we were both feeling sick about it.Talk about your instant deflation of self-esteem.

We went back to our hotel room, and rarely spoke - except to remind ourselves that we had no gas in the tank of the car. We finally fell asleep at around four in the morning and when we woke up we were hung over. We were not alone of course - there were other losers walking around with the same look on their faces.

All I could think about was how we were going to get some gas in the tank for the drive back down south. Just when I was about to say something, Mark came across his pay stub in the glove box. He suggested we should go one of those payday loans so we can get some money for food, and gas for the car

It was obviously the only recourse we had left at this point, so we looked in a nearby phone booth directory to find out where all the payday loan shops were in Springfield. We found one that was on our way back south, and looked it up on the map. One that was more well known. Preferably we needed a lender that advertised five hundred dollar loans in just minutes.

So we headed down the highway running on fumes stopping to share a Mcdonalds Egg McMuffin with our last two dollars. We both watched the gas gauge closely as we drove, praying we would have enough fuel to get us to the loan shop and praying we would have enough fuel to get us to a gas station after we picked up the cash. We were in pretty pathetic shape at the time - you know - young and stupid. We ended up getting completely lost for awhile, but eventually found a town, and the street that the payday loan shops were on. It was crazy how many there were.

When we went to work the next Monday all of our buddies asked us how we did up North in the Casino. We told the truth, which made us the butt of the jokes for the entire week. Furthermore, we were really broke. I still think about all of the things we could have used that three thousand dollars for.

If you enjoy hearing about crazy adventures of youth and enthusiasm, then sit back, relax, and I will tell you the story of two foolish young gamblers.

We threw the dice, barked up my wreck of a car, and sped through Peoria and Springfield on our way there, and we made a surprise visit to see some friends in each City. Spent some time talking them out of going rock climbing, and coming with us to the Casino, but as fate had it, they didn't come with us.

Our friends had the right idea for sure, but we love gambling (well we did then - read on), and we just couldn't wait to go get lucky and win a whole bunch of money.

Before we knew it we were on our way, but my car was beginning to give us some grief near Pontiac when my fan belt broke down. How maddening was this? All fired up and ready to go and my junker breaks down, but regardless, it was a beautiful day and we were just glad to be out of the daily grind.

I should point out, that our subject matter today is not exactly "sharp", if you know what I mean, and perhaps other young people can avoid losing all their money - not that most people ever really change their behaviour because of someone else's mistakes. It was a bad start to a trip we had been talking about taking for over six months.

Between Mario and I, we thought we had much more than enough money for gambling, hotel, food, and drinks in West Frankfort, when the fat lady was singing and we had paid the car repair shop the fan belt, labor, our bar tab, food, and hotel, we were down to just over 2000 dollars. When we did get to the Casino we were no longer bursting with energy as we imagined we would be when we were dreaming up the trip in the very beginning. Furthermore, we were beaten up ragged from the experience, and we were not very happy about the reality that we had already spent up to one thousand dollars. A big chunk of our cash.

Both of us needed to freshen up before we bothered to go down to the Casino, so we got our room card(s) and went to lay down for awhile. We needed a shower and a chance to clean up before we started testing our luck on the Casino floor.

I couldn't help but notice then when I struck it lucky and was gifted two Jacks, the dealer pulled a 21. If I ever to the risk of splitting my cards, sometimes 3 or 4 hands, the dealer somehow always beat me, 21, or 20 - I thought my bad luck had no boundaries. I was bummed out by the dumb-luck the house had She enjoyed grinning when she beat my hand, and she always grimaced when I inched her out! It seemed to me that the dealer was bound and determined to make me cry!

All within two hours of playing Mario and I had depleted out cash allowances for the trip, and Mario scurried around the corner to sneak out another five hundred dollars, draining us of any confidence we might have had left. Even though we both talked about how it was only money, to be totally honest, we were pretty sure we were being complete idiots.If there is ever a time to feel like a goof ball, this is it.

We crawled back to the room, guzzled a pint of rye, watched the T.V. In silence, and rarely spoke - breaking silence the odd time to make a comment on something that was on T.V.. We dozed off at 2 in the morning and when we woke up we were hung over. We checked out of our hotel room at the latest possible check out time, and headed to the where our car was parked, sickly and soured. It was plain to see we didn't have the monopoly on losing big - there were other mathematically challenged individuals staggering about with body language that said - I'm screwed.

We just sat their vegging out for half an hour discussing our plans in the car while Mark rummaged around underneath the seats in search of a light and cig. Just as I was ready to make my idea(s) know to him, Mark discovered his employer pay stub in the console of the car. His cunning plan was to get an advance from a high cost loan stores which would give us a chance to put some gas in the tank and get on our way (I was totally against the idea at first, but we really didn't have any choice left anymore). I thought about it for a few minutes, and realized he was right, so we looked in a nearby phone booth directory to find out where all the small loan establishments were in Springfield. We chose a shop that was really really close to us. I needed to find a lender that was trustworthy. We needed a company that claimed to provide 500 dollar loans in just minutes.

We then continued on with the little gas we had left stopping to share a Mcdonalds Egg McMuffin with our last two dollars. I was really paranoid about our lack of fuel, praying we would have enough fuel to get us to the loan shop and praying we would have enough fuel to get us to a gas station after he managed to get his 1000 dollars. We must have looked like a couple of dumb asses - you know - young and stupid.

We were so busy yapping that we got lost, but we finally found ourselves in a downtown corridor where the paycheck loan establishments were on, and couldn't believe how many places there were to get fast cash from in Springfield.

When we are back down South, and in the work place again all of our buddies asked us how we did up North in the Casino. We became the news of the day that day. I wanted to call in sick for the entire week. Furthermore, and as well, I was flat broke for a month.

We rarely bring up the subject anymore, and it will be a long time before we ever live this one down.