Thank you Lindsey Vonn

I owe Lindsey Vonn $300. More precisely, because of Lindsey Vonn I am $300 richer.

The call came from Richie in the middle of the afternoon yesterday."Let's go gambling at the casino in Yonkers", he said. It was not like Richie to make plans of this nature, and the timing and spontaneity of it caught me off guard.

"You want to go gambling now?"

" I can't turn on the tv or look at my computer. I don't want to find out the results for the women's downhill, or any of the other Olympic events that will not be televised until 8PM."

If one wants to get away from anything and everything in life, head for a casino. The moment you walk through the doors, the rest of the universe disappears. Day and night are someone else's problem. All that remains here is a mountain of noise, glaring lights and people with no thought of anything remotely resembling concerns for what is transpiring on the rest of the planet.

There are television screens dotted around the outside of some of the rooms. However, they are few and easily avoided.

Thus, Richie and I found ourselves, in the late afternoon, entering a self imposed cocoon. We did not listen to the radio on the 20 minute car ride to the casino. Once inside, if either of us, in our periphery, saw anything remotely resembling an image of an Olympic athlete on a distant screen, we quickly turned away.

My son and I are 2 of the most 'frugal' people on the planet. Thus, he headed to the 'penny slots' while I found myself at the $1 video poker machine.

I fumbled along for about an hour, never ahead or behind more than $20. Then, my fairy godmother appeared. Literally. I had just finished losing a hand, and a buck. However, before the images in front of me had time to disappear, a dancing fairy magically arrived. She went from card to card, and with her wand, changed the cards so that, in a matter of seconds, what now showed was a 10 through ace of hearts. I was given a royal straight flush by some power greater than all others. $1 now became $250.

For the remaining hour of my visit, I was able to turn $250 into $300. Luck, or my fairy godmother, remained on my side.

As night descended, Richie and I were free to leave the bells and whistles to others. We headed home, to the welcome sounds of silence. The radio, our enemy until 8PM, remained mute.

Once in the apartment, we called no one, and waited. Later in the evening, we were able to watch a stirring gold medal run in the downhill by Lindsey Vonn. As she wept, we cheered. Richie and I were both very happy to have captured the purity of the moment. Thank you Lindsey Vonn (and my fairy godmother) for making my day, and night. I owe you one.
--