I would be heading to a land of sun and warmth, forsaking the snow and cold of winter in Utah. I began my journey. Patches of fog loomed ahead, but I was not shaken. I continued on, hour after hour. The sun was leering behind the clouds, mockingly showing its face every few moments. I thought to myself, "If this is all the weather can do, then have at it!" I should have remembered Honors English rule number one: Don't tempt the gods. Odysseus and Arachne learned their lessons and now it was my opportunity to be taught.
Three hours into my journey, the rains came. For three more hours I pushed forward, fearing that I would be swept amongst the torrents of rainwaters. Believing it would desist once I reached the desert I had know Las Vegas to be, I continued on. However, once again, my hopes were drowned with the rain fall. Rather than diminishing, the rain fell harder. Pools of water forming along the edges of the road and an ever-looming darkening sky began to bring apprehension into my feeble heart. Should I continue on in this journey that was sure to produce absolute devastation? I could not. As soon as I made my way inside the hotel, the rains subsided. But I would not tempt the gods again this night.
Now that I was safe from the monsoon, the only problem I faced was a choice between staying in my room all night or venturing to the casino below peerless. Graciously, I did not have to mull over this much longer.
To the Rescue! My roommate Kelli and her sister Andi, kindly ventured into the wet weather to explore the landscape of the hotel with me. I will be forever grateful. Without their company I would have missed on marvelous experiences only a hotel could bring. Such as: the buffet. And the room full of ancient cardboard cut- outs of movie stars (who are mostly deceased) in the upstairs corridor. I would not have lost a dollar (of Kelli's) in a slot machine. Nor would I have seen the man who sang Billy Joel, strumming one string on his guitar while his computer played the song for him on the bar stage. So, my thanks to everyone at The Hacienda Hotel & Casino. You will be remembered toujours.
The proceeding morning I headed out the door and back into the car. The sky blue, clear and fresh from the rainfall. After the activities of the previous evening and then experiencing the joys of food poisoning, I felt the time for this trip needed to come to a close. I pulled onto the dry pavement, hopeful that this day would deliver only sunshine and the promise of home sweet home. I had no intention of pressing my luck with the gods more than once in the same week, lesson learned.
