Gambling Darling Nikki

Her green crying eyes looked up as I drove past her. She returned my inconspicuous wave as I held up my hand just above my dash board. "Wow" --expresses how I felt, as I glanced at this young woman in her long black flowered dress, who I'd spotted walking along the roadside with her head hung low. Even at a distance she had immediately fascinated my focus causing me to slow down and offer a raised hand, with the intention of signaling to her that she was noticed and someone cared. I dared not stop my car or do a U-turn assuming that this would only raise the anxiety which she obviously felt. Yet I was free to keep the image in my brain of a beautiful slender troubled young woman who apparently desired to be noticed for her distress, because she conspicuously walked in plain view along the side of the public road. I assumed that she was simply passing time waiting for her family or boyfriend to come and fetch her back to a repentant and loving home.

Arriving at my friend Raymond's house I anticipated blowing some extra cash and partying with the young women I'd find there.

As I entered he asked, "Did you see a girl walking down the road?"

I answered, "Yea, in a black dress."

He continued, "Would you, take time to go get her and bring her back here."

Without question I replied, "Sure", did an about-face, and hopped back into my car.

She had reached a convenience store and was using the steamy phone booth on this hot April afternoon. I walked into the store and bought her a 20 oz. Doctor Pepper. Holding my breath and crossing my fingers, I approached her, interrupting her phone call, my first words were, "I'm your savior!" Then I handed her the soft drink.

Her first words were, "Get me a Mountain Dew."

What a relief, she accepted my interruption and would obviously allow me to intervene into her life. I returned to the store and swapped the drink for a Mountain Dew. She accepted the drink and hung up the telephone. I explained that Raymond had sent me to rescue her. Being the gentleman my parents had raised, I opened the passenger door. She appeared preoccupied with some distant concern and eased into my passenger seat. As we drove to Raymond's she explained that earlier that morning her boyfriend, Ronnie, had hung up on her on the phone when she'd called him in prison because she had missed a planned visit to him today at the prison. At Raymond's place she fit in well and partied with all the guests doing a good job of escaping the pain of her troubled relationship to Ronnie. As the afternoon progressed I got her phone number and discovered that her nickname was Darling Nikki. She had worked as an exotic dancer and loved to gamble.

The next morning, Monday, I began my scheming. At work I asked the management for four days off starting at noon today and it was granted to me promptly. I called Nikki and told her, "I need a driver."

She replied, "Oh hi. But you're my savior and you drive just fine yourself."

I explained that I am going to Atlantic City on a gambling trip and will drink a lot to get myself loose enough to gamble freely. After all the drinking I need someone to drive me home - "I need a driver".

Nikki responded, "I love to drive. When are you going?"

I said, "Today. And if you'll be my driver, then I will pay all expenses - hotel & food. But you will need to bring your own gambling money."

Nikki blurted out, "I'm game. Take me."

"Alright baby, when can you be ready?"

"Give me an hour and a half", she replied.

I arrived where she was staying, at her 2nd boyfriend, Junior's, house. Nikki explained that Junior had a 2nd girlfriend. They were on a cross country trucking trip and she would be glad to get away from both of them for a few days.

At her direction, we first drove five miles in the wrong direction to the D.A.'s office for her to get written permission from her Probation Officer to leave the state for 3 days. I was displeased to find that she was on probation. But being the gambler that I am, I felt no fear and proceeded with our trip plans.

Our first obstacle occurred when she lit up a cigarette and I told her of the no smoking policy in my car. She cracked the window four inches and hung her cigarette outside. I asked her how did she know that I was not a mass murderer or a kidnapper.

She responded, "How do you know I'm not a murderer." We laughed "so hard" knowing that we were both safe. The first song we heard on the radio was "Heads Carolina Tails California". Before returning home days later we heard this song three more times and cherished it as the theme song or our trip. Our talk was great and we agreed on old Fleetwood Mac soft rock music in the background.

She told me. . . When she performed on stage she had developed a seductive strut which she deliberately employed as she would prance out onto the stage for her opening number. It was the same strut which she also used in between her performances when she would carouse through the audience luring bedazzled men into asking her into the back room for an expensive private lap dance.

After about 30 miles, in southern Virginia, I pulled over at a gas station with an attached Taco Bell. I don't even remember what kind of top she was wearing but her blue jeans were from a Frederick's catalog with leather lining stitched up the inside of the legs and across the seat. She was making a phone call with her face to the wall and her sexy jeans turned toward the open room. As I was paying for our burritos, the cashier spotted her across the room on the telephone and said to fellow employee, "Check it out!" motioning toward Nikki.

I told him. "That girl you're looking at over there in the tight jeans -- she's with me." He just stared at me unbelieving because I am 53 and she is only 27. After paying I went to the phones and told her what the cashier had said. The delight showed on her face. Possessing a big grin, she said, "I'll show both o' ya'll. Follow me."

She strutted to the cashier's line and said, "Do you wanna check it out?" His jaw dropped as he said nothing. She said, "I'm with him." and gave me a big hug. Then turned around and bent over. We all just died. I grabbed her and we laughed all the way out the door. She was hitting every nerve because I loved gambling & exhibitionists too.

Nikki had been to the big cities before only to work at the exotic dance clubs. Therefore she had remained a country girl who'd never entered a Casino before. Using my vast experience of introducing babes into the hard exciting world of gambling, my mind reverted back to 20 years earlier when I had introduced Glenda on her 21st birthday into the Landmark In Vegas - roulette. I would use the same plan with Nikki today. Off we trotted to the roulette wheel where I showed her a twenty dollar bill which I called "OURS". I placed the bill as a $20 bet on red. Number 12 red hit. I stuffed the $20 bill into my pocket then picked up the four $5 chips and gave two of them to her and said, now you're a winner!

She played 25 cent slots machines with her $10 from roulette plus the $40 which she scrimped up before leaving home. This was perfect with me. Figuring, that she should last for many hours, I got into the seven stud game upstairs at Ballys Grand. IF the game would have been low-ball I would have been top-dog at the table, but it was a regular High 7 card stud game. The game was slow and cost me $50 before I wised up, left the card room, and began to search for Nikki. She was staying "even" so we continued to play on into the night. I tried craps playing conservatively but continued my losing streak by dropping another hundred while the free drinks had me - finished off.

Yesterday's partying and the 11 hour drive left us pretty worn out. So I fetched up Nikki and she drove us to Highway 41 with lots of old motels. I explained that in order to preserve my gambling funds we should stay at an affordable flea bag motel and I would not "bother" her unless she initiated the "bothering". She understood and agreed. I was relieved - another good break - she was turning out to be an ideal choice for my gambling companion. She looked great in the white panties, but she was tired too and jumped onto her own bed. I really didn't know her very well and therefore didn't completely trust her yet. So I took care to hide my money inside my pillow case, except for one dollar. My Pappy said, "Ya ever fool around a woman, hide a dollar in yur boot, that way you'll always come out a dollar ahead." His pappy said - "That is if ya keep yur boots on." In the morning I awoke to realize that I'd only "bothered" her in my dreams. Just as well though, we both needed the pure sleep and rest Knowing that my luck could have been much worse, I actually felt good. Having Nikki there with me put a silver lining on the usually tough events of a gambling trip - like waking up, getting dressed, and thinking about yesterday's losses. . I swallowed a Goodie's Headache Powder and we were ready to meet the day. I drove us to the nearby cheap little restaurant where I always stopped for breakfast. It was an old place with long glass windows and no other customers. Then we drove down Ventnor Avenue to a shopping center where I bought her a set of hot hair curlers and several other vanity items. She suggested we drive back to the hotel so she could pretty up. How could I disagree. She put fresh curls into her hair. She came out in a thin soft pheline short dress with blue and green flowers on white. She even put on high heels and put her hair up. I snapped off a few snapshots with my camera.

We had to check out the Taj Mahal sometime so we proceeded straight there. The front entrance was the most fabulous place she'd ever been so I got a few snapshots there too, without being spotted by the Casino personnel. Under a gigantic chandelier we rode up the escalator to the mezzanine. She hopped up onto a rail outlining the floor below. My heart jumped thinking how dangerously high we were. She said, "Snap me." As she lay across the rail. A long lethal fall was only one false move away. So I quickly snapped a couple of photos. Other customers lingered wondering who this model was with her leg hiked up providing a killer view under the short skirt.

Soon a Security Guard approached saying, "You can't get on the rail, young lady."

She said, "Come get me, if you dare."

He replied, "I don't dare. Get off of there."

She taunted, "I don't dare. I'm afraid I'll fall."

When he said, "Please", she laughed and jumped off and wiggled with me to the escalator on down to the Poker Room. She asked, "Get me into one of the poker games."

I was so turned on I had to say, "After you ride up that escalator one more time and lift that skirt about two inches higher." I followed her up the escalator with my tongue dragging the steps.

Afterward, I helped her with the procedure to get into the $2/4 limit 7 Card Stud game. She used her own money and bought in for the $40 which I recommended. She'd never played poker in other than back room home games without a dealer or house rules. She lost half her buy-in before getting a playable hand. When she finally caught a hand it got to 5th street, she had a pair of queens showing, bet them, when raised she had only one chip left and looked up at me. I could not help her with what to do (one player/hand -- house rules) so she folded, because she did not have the $4 to call with. As we walked from the table she told me she had a full house Queens over fours, but ran out of money. I couldn't bare to tell her that in "table stakes", you can go all-in and remain in the game while the other players play for a side pot. It bothers me "to this day" that she was probably telling the truth, but I can't make her feel worse by telling her about all-ins and side pots. Anyway, she only had $20 left to gamble with, still in her pocketbook.

We strolled through the huge Casino as Nikki was checking out the personality of the various slot machine areas. The Super Jackpot machines spellbound her because of the large rolling electronic pattern which stated - over $1,000,000 for a $3 bet. She said, "I've gotta play this one.

"My negative response was, "That is throwing away your money. There must be over a hundred people playing for this same jackpot as we speak, considering all the other Casinos tied into this same Jackpot."

She ignored my warning and asked, "Where can I get some dollar tokens to play with?" I showed her the change person.

Then I continued, "Nikki, these machines have 5 windows you'll have to hit the 'gold chess' in all of them in order to win. She revealed her faith, "Then I'll hit 5 chess'of'gold in all 5 windows. Watch me." She took a seat with her 20 tokens; then took three tokens and placed them into the machine and spun the wheels. I was thinking to myself, "She'll go broke in two minutes." As she spun the wheels, she whispered, "Just ONE TIME". I immediately thought, "Oh great, she's thinking - Just get lucky for me ONE TIME". I just had to root for her too.

The first wheel stopped revealing one golden chess. Before we could react the second wheel stopped with another golden chess. We both yelled and she was out of her chair. The third wheel stopped showing another golden chess. I spun half way around, but before I completed spinning I ran into her elbow with my left eye. A bell began ringing and the big dollar tokens were jingling out of the machine. She was still jumping with her arms over her head asking, "Did I do it." I said, "I don't know. I can't see."

She put her arms around my neck and squeezed me like a long lost friend and said, "I can't bear to look." Coins were bouncing into the winner's tray. So I knew it was "our machine" but couldn't make out the five windows clearly as my sore eye blurred my vision. I spoke again, "I can't see. You gotta look." She stopped jumping and said, "Only 3 golden chess'". But I don't know how much it pays. The coins were still pouring out of the machine. I blinked a few times and read the payout scheme. Then told her -- "One Hundred Dollars!"

Several seconds later the payout ended and the clanging quieted. As she scooped the coins into a plastic bucket she asked, "Are you going to be alright?" I replied, "Yea. How about you?" She said, "Sure, I've won over 300 before on the machines at Brintles Truck Stop."

My negativism spoke out again, "If you take that to a quarter machine you should be able to play all afternoon for free." To my surprise, she said, "You are right. But before I quit I'll play it just once more. But this time let's celebrate before I press the spin button."

I came back with, "We'll look stupid." I began to laugh. "Okay, but this is crazy." Clunk, clunk, clunk sounded three more coins. Then she paused, looking up at me with a devilish grin, and said, "Okay, one, two, three." I joined her as she jumped and yelled. When we cooled down, I saw some dumb blank puzzled stares from other nearby players. She pressed the spin button. Soon the first wheel stopped - one golden chess. We both immediately jumped, with her saying, "Good Night!" and me saying "Golly!" The other four wheels stopped on garbage. But we had our laugh and were still giddily chuckling at each other.

As I was escorting her to some quarter machines which she thought were promising, I noticed several other guests, both men & women, were checking out Nikki in her feline fabric short high fashion dress with her freshly curled hair. Her excitement over the $100 Jackpot had loosened her inhibitions and she unconsciously had begun walking with that strut that she used in her exotic dancing. We found a seat at one of the quarter machines she wanted to play. I sat next to her and watched and began to root for her each spin. She said. "Rub my leg for luck". Yikes! She was a real pleasure to gamble with. After five minutes I heard the call of the live poker. I gave her a kiss on the cheek and said, "I'll be at the poker tables, next to the escalator and the chandelier."

Entering the poker room I spotted a table almost hidden from view which had only 3 players. It was a 2/4 Hold Em table. Since I prided myself on winning at "short" games, I bought into this table, took my seat, then discover that the table was scarce of players because one of the men playing was an obnoxious drunk. But that would give me even more of an edge so I stayed and played. The drunk insulted me for playing too tight, but I smiled and let him continue to make a fool of himself knowing I was going to take plenty of his money. His antics slowed down the action, but I was still dealt more hands per hour than at a full table. When I would call the flop he would try to get smart and stay-in also, thinking it was his only chance to get me. So I trimmed his stack and watched him lose two more buy-ins before he finally cursed and left the card room. After his departure the table filled up and I had little advantage over the other players.

My concentration on the game was interrupted as I heard the Casino intercom announcing, "Phone call for Mister Monroe." I located a nearby house phone and identified myself. Nikki's voice began, "Monroe, I didn't know your last name so I asked for Mister Monroe, ha ha." Then told me she was hungry and was at the long hall near the Pecos Pete Carousel. I found her easily. She was waiting barefoot holding her heels which had begun to hurt her feet while she had been searching for me for a half hour before finally paging me.

Driving from the Casino, on Pacific Boulevard, we spotted The Top Hat, a topless dance bar. It featured a banner - "Amateur Night $100 first prize". She wanted to enter the contest, but was concerned that the bar may be too shady. Therefore at her request I paid the $5 cover charge and went inside to check out the scene. Everything appeared fine inside. I got the scoop from the cooperative manager. His final words were, "Bring her on in. We'll introduce her as Darling Nikki The Southern Belle". There was a mandatory preliminary event at 10PM and then final presentation at 1 AM followed by the judging and the prize cash money to the top three ladies. I would absolutely have to remain by her for protection & comfort in this unknown atmosphere. I wouldn't dare leave her alone in this environment. If anything bad happened to her I would be legally involved for bringing her on this trip. As I exited the bar I mulled over the situation and decided that I did not want her to change our trip plans by indulging in a dance contest for the entire evening. That would take too much of our time away from the purpose of the trip - to gamble. If I explained my feelings it might lead to an argument. Being head strong she might even enter the contest without my support. Therefore, I decided to tell her my first lie and told her, "I'm sorry Nikki, the contest was not being held tonight." She was so disappointed and had really begun to look forward to dancing for these Yankees. From the events of our trip I was beginning to realize the main reason she dances is because she loves being the center of attention.

We drove to the Sands and enjoyed the $25 buffet on my poker winnings. After dinner she played more slots while I tried craps where I got drunk and lost all I'd won from poker and more. I found Nikki had been losing too, now down to a nickel machine. I solemnly looked her in the eye and said, "I've lost enough. I'd like to leave town before I lose too much." She said, "Yes, lets do, after I lose the rest of these nickels."

We left the Casino and rolled down both windows in the hot night air. As she was driving down Pacific Boulevard we passed a sharp hooker in cut off jeans. I said, "Wow Wee". She said, "What?" She'd missed the hooker so she drove around the block again so she could get a look at those cut offs. Nikki topped it off saying, "Too bad you lost your entertainment money. Ha ha."

Before we could get out of town the red light came on my dash board indicating that the car was overheating. I explained to her that my thermostat was sticking again and it would be okay once we got onto the open road. But we had to stop for a while until the engine cooled down. So she parked and sat there for an hour in the hot sweaty night air listening to the radio, while I drifted into an alcohol induced sleep.

Then we got onto the Atlantic City Expressway where she drove until morning as I slept until the morning light woke me up with a massive hangover. We were in rural Pennsylvania entering a construction zone. She was driving with her left foot sticking out the window on her side.

I asked, "Are we in DIXIELAND yet"

She answered, "About 340 miles back & plum."

I was too concerned about my hangover pain to say anything, until we both began to sing with the radio as we again heard, ♫♪ "Heads Carolina Tails California".

A few miles later she slowed down abruptly and said, "There's a patrolman behind us and he's got his flashing lights on." She stopped the car and still had her barefoot out the window.

He approached her door and said, "Young lady, do you think that is safe driving with your foot hanging out the window?"

She answered, "Yes it really is safe. I'm a good driver."

He continued, "Is this your car? What are you two doing up here in Pennsylvania?" She answered again, "We just went to Atlantic City. It's his car. Yes, he's been drinking, but he's not driving. I don't drink. That's why I'm on this trip - to drive for him I'm such a good driver."

He responded, "Maybe you are good enough to drive safely with one leg propped up like that, but I stopped you because you were doing 65 in this 55 construction zone." He continued, "Step back to car." They got into the front seat of his patrol car as she slid close to him in the middle.

After 15 minutes she returned holding a traffic ticket he given her. She said, "He was really nice. He could have taken our keys, but I talked him out of it." I laughed as my imagination spun. But I was relieved that personally I'd not suffered any penalty from the incident.

In the city of Baltimore's heavy traffic, I was very nervous as she darted in the traffic. She drove the same scary way through Washington DC. When we got to Richmond I took over driving to avoid the tension of watching her fearless (reckless) driving in another big city.

We chose Mexican fast food for our brunch. There was a $7/person brunch special. As I hesitated thinking about how much I'd spent on the trip, Nikki detected the situation and said, "All I need is one enchilada". Her considerate gesture brought to mind how easily she had agreed to leave the action of Atlantic City when she'd seen me lose "enough". She was really a wonderful person inside. Her bold uninhibited actions made her appear selfish and hungry for the center of attention, yet she was undoubtedly the sweet southern belle I'd first seen with teary green eyes.

When we safely reached our hometown, I took her "home" to Junior's house. He was apparently out of town driving his truck on another cross country run. He must have not thought very highly of her leaving without notice. He had locked her out! I snapped off another picture as she opened the window and comically, sexily slid inside. The next day she had me over for spaghetti and salad. We were both pleased with the trip and reiterated every event of the trip. I said some day they won't believe it when I write about this hair raising adventure with Strut'n Laugh'n Gambl'n Darl'n Nikki.