Why Reno? Because we didn't feel like going back to San Francisco to spend another week bothering Doug and Mike and sleeping on their crappy air mattresses. Because we thought it would be too expensive to rent a car out of Truckee. Because we scored two free nights at the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino, and why the hell not!
I had never been to a casino before, so the whole experience was a little bewildering for me. First off, the place was huge--and designed to disorient people so that they stay there forever, gambling their money away. Inside it was neither day or night, and there were no clocks anywhere-- just glowing numbers and a mechanical, musical din coming from hundreds of slot machines. Aging waitresses (it was Reno, after all) weaved in and out periodically, bringing free drinks to everyone on the floor. We had all sorts of cocktails on the house, and spent a while betting pennies on the slots. I found out that I do not like gambling-- makes me feel really anxious. It was eerie and uncomfortable being there in that environment, especially seeing so many elderly people sitting at those machines for hours, whittling away their life savings. When we left at eight o'clock in the morning, they were already there, slumped over in front of the slots being served coffee. I think all the flashing lights and music and frenzied activity distracts them from the loneliness of old age. Still, pretty sad and disturbing social construct we came up with-- casinos. I was glad when we left that place.
1:22PM
Sierra Nevadas, California
I had never been to a casino before, so the whole experience was a little bewildering for me. First off, the place was huge--and designed to disorient people so that they stay there forever, gambling their money away. Inside it was neither day or night, and there were no clocks anywhere-- just glowing numbers and a mechanical, musical din coming from hundreds of slot machines. Aging waitresses (it was Reno, after all) weaved in and out periodically, bringing free drinks to everyone on the floor. We had all sorts of cocktails on the house, and spent a while betting pennies on the slots. I found out that I do not like gambling-- makes me feel really anxious. It was eerie and uncomfortable being there in that environment, especially seeing so many elderly people sitting at those machines for hours, whittling away their life savings. When we left at eight o'clock in the morning, they were already there, slumped over in front of the slots being served coffee. I think all the flashing lights and music and frenzied activity distracts them from the loneliness of old age. Still, pretty sad and disturbing social construct we came up with-- casinos. I was glad when we left that place.
1:22PM
Sierra Nevadas, California
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