Grandma took her grandson gambling
On a day like any other, April 17, 2013, 21 years old that a special person gave him a special gift. Grandma gave him $100 and a trip to the casino. At first, he thought he’d be going to Las Vegas driving down the strip, and seeing every casino on his birthday. He was wrong. Instead, Grandma was taking him to the Yaomava Resort & Casino at San Manuel, then known as San Manuel Indian Moreno & Casino. His birthday gift on a gambling day from Grandma taking her youngest grandson to gamble for the first time. Knowing little about gambling from his Grandma’s stories with her sister, they’d go gamble the night away and win back lots of money plus change. He was going to get a taste of what he thought gambling was all about than just winning sums of money and the temptation to gamble for more.
Interestingly curious and spending time with his Grandma at the casino. At the time he thought, why would Grandma take her grandchild to gamble? In all his life up he can’t recall any grandparent taking their grandchild to gamble money. If he ever heard of any grandparents taking their grandchild to do such an activity, he wouldn’t be sure if that idea is questionable. Anything is possible you just don’t hear about things like that all the time. Very grateful to his Grandma, she was always adventurous to even take him on vacation in Hawaii along with his older brother. Curious to have a grandparent take him to the casino.
She drives him to the casino building steadfast at a place he’d never seen before. They head inside the place to the front desk and sign in. Since it was his birthday he was given an additional $25 spending money. Living on cloud nine at the moment. Inside where various people wondering, gambling, drinking winning/losing money in a matter of seconds. Grandma showed him the slot machines and how the objects work. Leaving her grandson the option of how much he should bet. Bet $25.
Seeing the slot machine do its thing that it doubled his win to $50. It got him all excited to have $150 in his pocket. Even more excited about the cash he’d won. Hoping to risk a little more. Looking around the casino of various slot machines to bet on, not even appalled by the sight but excited to bet big. Putting the money card into the slot machine to gamble all $150, than $200, to $300, to $400 to the eventual $500. Stoked and happy. Grandma sees her grandson’s blissful smile at his achievement. She smirked and bought him dinner.
Steak, mashed potatoes, and mixed vegetables. Grandma eats her vegetables slowly noticing her grandchild eating very quickly while she chews her broccoli. Took about 5 to 10 minutes to finish his food sliding the empty plate to the left and looking over at the slot machines to the right.
“You going to gamble some more?” Grandma asks sarcastically.
“Why yes,” He says hungry for more cash.
He tells Grandma he’ll see her later heading towards the slot machine den. She waves back with her broccoli stuck to a fork about to be eaten. For some reason she had a stern expression on her face.
Back at the slot machines, he bets $100 in hopes it’ll make him $200 to get $600. He loses the $100 leaving him $400. Not worried this happens at the casinos. All he can do is gamble more and win more, no big deal. He bet $100 that brought his money down to $300. Okay, he thought to himself, I’ll try a different slot machine. Gambles an additional $200. Nothing. All that was left, $100. Feeling demoralized with most of his money gone he heads back to Grandma seated at a dinner table finishing her salad, taking the seat across from her.
Seeing the sad look on his face asking if her grandbaby is alright. Staring down at the table but puts his head up in disbelief. Shows her $100 he had left pulling his hand away from the C-note. Her eyes look down at the bill and then back at him. Takes a sip of coffee from her cup and sets it down next to the money. Looking at her grandchild for a few seconds and smiles. Her body begins to shake uncontrollably as her smile gets bigger and bigger until a hysterical laughter echoes across the table from him becoming confused. Why would she do that? He’s puzzled seeing for the first time Grandma laughing. Laughing at him but why?
Settling down she moves her hands towards his cheeks grabbing the skin with her fingers. Telling him to know your limits to how much money should be gambled. She’s gambled responsibly and her grandchild gambled foolishly. Not realizing the $500 he had should’ve walked away than losing $400 of it. Should have quit while he was ahead.
Grandma tells her grandchild that he fell into the temptation to gamble for more money than what he should have left with. A humbling experience to encounter despite leaving with $100 in his pocket. He felt the rush to want more money almost like an addict wanting his cocaine.
Thinking back on it was a valuable lesson. Easy to gamble and win lots of money but difficult to quit the game when the hot streak takes hold of your gains but tempting to lose all the more.
