After nearly twenty years...

I discovered that I can still make my way around the layout after nearly two decades away from dealing.

Yep, today I climbed onto a game and pushed in (all three bases) for what I was told by my bosses was some damn respectable action. I was told that, should any of the new dealers want instruction on "6 and 8" moves, I was the one to deliver it... no one else. Seems they thought my particular brand of "instruction by example" was exactly what they felt they were looking for.

I started by showing just a simple one-number $18 goes to $24 (classic "take one-leave one" stuff)... and ended by showing a particularly stubborn pit boss from Atlantic City exactly how $24 each CAN go to $30 each in less than three moves, and that $18 each goes to $24 each in less than four moves (you have to have $6 in white, thought, in the payout). THAT was the stuff that let me walk out of that training session with a larger-than-average hat size, believe me... I LOVE showing those AC jerks how its done!

I've never claimed to be Johnny Craps, and I know my hands are far less than "magical" in anyone's book (even mine)... but there is a real sense of pride in knowing that if the time ever came that I had to put on the black and whites again... I could hold my own with the best of them. I mean, can anyone give me a rougher "trial by fire" than a practice table with break-in dealers (and myself) slinging cheques to 25 of the crustiest veteran supervisors in the business? I kid you not, there was probably 200 years worth of dealing and gaming experience on that table... and I didn't miss a beat or a bet.

What I did do was sweat, though... Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I had forgotten how HARD it is to hump that much time with my head never going higher than my ass. It wasn't a twenty-minute stint, either... you slugged it out till the shift said "Change em up!" and a new dealer pushed you out. Thank GOD we were "business casual" today, and that I wasn't wearing a tie... I'd have had a stroke before the first tap out. I won't lie and say I didn't fall just a bit behind (those Jersey boys LOVE to run you over when you have 12 come bets and they are all down with odds!)... but I kept up no matter how many rolls behind I was.

Yep... I'm feeling kind of salty tonight. I managed a very respectable hour or so of base time on a game that very few people will ever see no matter how long they deal, because you just never see THAT many strokers on ONE game at one time... EVER. I mean, I haven't SEEN a live craps game since March of 2006, and my first stint on stick was to book a $385 horn high yo, while the dice were in the air and a twelve hits... it took me as long as figuring out what $1500 plus $400 plus $25 plus $77 was, and I had the payoff quicker than anyone on the table. "$2002 dollars for the stroke in the puke-green dress shirt next to base, please, and tell him its still up to win again."

Okay... I'm done bragging.