Viva Las Vegas

We are headed to Vegas today for the Hubby’s business trip.  In fact, I’m typing this from the airplane, but won’t post it until we are in the hotel.  All the kiddos are hanging with MawMaw this weekend, and I suppose are already at the zoo visiting Nikita the polar bear.  Monkey seemed a little unhappy that we were leaving him, but that lasted only as long as it took us to get in the car and back out of the driveway.  He was blowing kisses, complete with the full Mwuuu-ah that I so adore.  He’ll likely be fine until bedtime; hopefully MawMaw will remember the proper evening routine, and he’ll get get his 3 books, the “snug as a bug in a rug,’” his goodnight kiss, and Sampson’s goodnight kiss as well.  (For those of you wondering, Sampson is his teddy bear... and he requires the same evening routine as Monkey, sans bath.)  

Tonight’s activities include dinner with one of Hubby’s business partners and wife, and then it is off to see the Elvis Cirque du Soleil show.  Very “uptown” according to the Hubs.  I am looking forward to the alone time with him, even if it is sprinkled with some business.  

This is my third trip to Vegas.  Hubs was concerned how I would possibly be entertained, especially since tomorrow he will be working throughout the day.  I’m not a drinker, I don’t gamble, and it is, after all, Vegas.  :-)  There is plenty to do that doesn’t include debauchery, I say.  The people-watching alone will entertain me for hours on end.  I get an endless kick out of the brides in their full wedding regalia battling it out with the one-armed bandits.  I chuckle at the grandmas loaded down with their good luck charms and fighting over “their” machines.  

I never cease to be amazed by the varied temperaments you can see in the casinos.  On my last trip to Vegas, my friend and I tried to go outside for a little fresh air in between meetings, and we somehow ended up in the garage area where the tour buses drop off and pick up the hotel guests.  It was there that we witnessed the most spectacular fight between a bus driver and a guest.  This particular guest was riding a scooter due to her size, and was heading down the handicapped ramp are a rapid pace.  There was a blind gentleman (and I stress the word gentleman, because had I been he, someone may have been whacked with my cane) trying to make his way down the ramp.  He was moving cautiously, because he was obviously not accustomed to this very long ramp and its many turns.  As I was saying, Scooter Lady came tearing down the ramp, and clearly didn’t want to wait for the gentleman to get out of her way.  Her scooter was equipped with a VERY loud horn, and she began beeping and yelling at him to “MOVE!”  He barely escaped her, but she obviously had other things on her mind... like the bus driver at the very end of the ramp that was siting on one rail with his feet on the rail across from him.  I must pause here to explain that this ramp was super long, and that it was set up much like a line for a ride at an amusement park.  Walk, turn, walk, turn, walk, turn.  The poor bus driver was several hundred feet away, and had ample time to move.  That didn’t stop Scooter Lady from bellowing at him to “Get the bleeeeeep out of my way!  Move it, Mister... I’m HANDICAPPED!!”  He didn’t snap to attention, because I’m sure, much like my friend and myself, he was pretty shocked that she had just nearly taken out this blind gentleman all the while wailing on about HER handicap.  His seeming lack of concern for the Scooter Lady’s handicap caused her to lose it...and I don’t mean a little bit.  She’s cursing and screaming that he had better get out of her way.  The ramp is for the handicapped, which SHE happens to be, not for lazy bleep bleep bleeps who are trying to put their feet up.  Everyone else may have been stunned speechless, but not Mr. Bus Driver, who had apparently had about enough of guests being rude to him.  He started yelling back at her, and told her he would move when she was close, but he wasn’t hurting anyone and she could just shut her extraordinarily loud mouth.  They had some fantastic back and forth which only escalated when he loudly called her the ‘B‘ word and then jumped down in the bus lane where she couldn’t follow him and disappeared.  My friend and I were there, mouths agape, when she yelled at him that he’d better get back up there and give him her name so she could turn him in.  She then began screaming bloody murder at anyone in her path that bore a slight resemblance to anyone that could possibly be a bus driver.    I’ll admit, calling her the ‘B’ word was way out of line... but anyone witnessing the event could certainly feel his pain.  We hung around just a little longer to see if anymore drama would ensue, but she ended up on a bus.  We did see the bus driver poke his head from between 2 buses in the back with a big grin on his face before we had to head back into our meeting.  Like I said... there’s always something to do in Vegas!

I’m still shocked that Hubs, who travels to Vegas on business at least once a year has never been to the Bellagio.  He explained that he’s not a chick, and has always travelled there for business, not romance, so there was no need to go see a bunch of fountains.  “But it is GORGEous!” is always my reply.  This trip, he’s going.  It helps that our hotel (we’re staying at the new Aria) is right by the Bellagio... so I won’t have to drag him kicking and screaming very far at all.  

*Sidenote*  The lady in front of me is watching Toy Story 3, and I have to say... I’m a wee bit jealous.  I failed to grab a magazine for this flight, and even though I remembered my lovely Mac, I didn’t remember that it has a DVD player, so didn’t bring any movies.  I haven’t seen Toy Story 3, and I’m afraid that will have to be remedied very shortly.  I have a toddler; I can totally justify the purchase.  

Alright, this post is already ridiculously long... so I’ll wrap it up.  I’m sure I’ve sufficiently bored anyone who may be reading my flight ramblings anyway.  Maybe I’ll take a little nap....