Last Wednesday (July 19 th) my wife and I attended a local Texas Holdem tournament for the first time. I have always enjoyed playing Texas Holdem, and since gambling is not legalized in Aurora, the tournament was free to enter. The prizes for the top 3 winners consisted of bar tabs in varying amounts. I believe at this particular event there were approximately 15 entrants.
The event was held at Gary C's, a hole in the wall bar on Colfax slightly west of Galena. To be quite frank, I would have never thought of stepping foot in this establishment, but I must say, I had a great time. A friend of mine talked me into going, and now in hindsight I'm glad I listened to him. The environment was very quiet and laid back. The entrants were all very sportsmanlike. All in all, the tournament was a very enjoyable experience (I placed 3 rd which made things even better).
I had such a good time that I went to
www.denverpokertour.com and searched for more tournaments in the Aurora area. To my surprise I found multiple games daily all throughout Aurora. Yesterday (July 25 th), my wife and I attended a second tournament at Scooter's (south west corner of Alameda and Potomac). I did this against my better judgment for some very good reasons. Nine months ago while at Scooter's my wife was called the "n" word on two separate occasions within one week, and if not for some serious self-control on my part; I would have spent those nights in jail. I vowed never to return to a place of business that is conducive to racists, or at minimum where racists like to gather. Seriously, that is one heck of a coincidence this would happen twice in one week by separate individuals. This is why I vowed to stay away from Scooter's. (It amazes me... in this day and age, all of the "situations" that have arisen due to my interracial marriage.) Unfortunately I figured what the heck... we'll just show up, try to stay invisible, and disappear as soon as the tournament is over. Last night my wife didn't feel so well, therefore she observed as I played. Boy what a difference this experience was from Gary C's!
I have never seen so many rude, un-sportsmanlike, jerks in one place at the same time. The participants were extremely cocky, puffed out chests, shuffling their chips like they were professional players in the W.S.O.P. (World Series of Poker). Rude comments and bad attitudes were everywhere. I'm serious! These juveniles (ranging in ages from 21-60+) spend too much time watching poker tournaments on ESPN or something. Maybe as children they had their heads stuck in an "Easy Bake Oven", resulting in one's normal sense of decency... systematically baked from their brains. As the night wore on and more liquor was consumed, the atmosphere worsened greatly.
There was an older woman (prob. 40+) at my table who would not stop talking. Some of the things she was saying didn't even make sense, I think she just got drunk and loved the sound of her own voice. It seemed the sound was even more appealing to her with melodies of condescending notes and undertones of flat-out rudeness. Behind me there was a player arguing with the dealer for at least 4 hands, it seemed to me the argument was going to escalate to a fistfight. Many of the players at my table were complaining because no waitresses were coming around, and I know why*... I will explain shortly. Everywhere there were aggressive glares and "on-edge" demeanors. I felt like I was in a prison yard with a group of rival gang members... right at that point when things are about to explode.
It didn't take long before I simply had enough of this foolishness. I was dealt a guaranteed loosing hand, bet all my chips, and lost. By the way, the "gentleman" I lost to blabs, "Yeah! You thought I was bluffing... can't nobody beat me!" Uh...dude, a reality check is in order. How could I expect to win with that hand? Oh well, I didn't care! I was just glad to be out of there. My wife and I couldn't make our way out and to the car any faster. On the way home my wife states; "There will be a fight in there by the end of the night." I'm sure she was right but we weren't sticking around to see it. I've never seen so many adults acting like little spoiled brats... it was almost comical.
*My wife also relayed to me a conversation that she had with one of the waitresses. Apparently she was told how the wait staff hated poker nights. The staff didn't even bother to come to the tables because most of the players were rude, disrespectful, and didn't tip... period. The waitress told my wife that earlier she asked one certain "gentleman" (I use that term loosely) if he needed anything to drink and he screamed at her "Can't you see I'm playing!!!" I hear him! Let's face it; there was a $25 bar tab at stake, not to mention the bragging rights and massive respect due to the winner. Who was she to break his unwavering concentration and step into his "circle of focus"? What a joke these freaks were!
Ok now look; I know that when you go to a bar you are going to run into trouble. There are those that go to the same bar every night, get sloppy drunk and act like complete tools. Typically you can just stick to yourself, those you came with, and avoid these individuals. Not last night! As I said earlier, I have never seen so many sorry excuses for human beings in one place at the same time.
This is a FREE poker tournament; this is supposed to be FUN. A 2 million dollar cash prize isn't on the line, and you didn't spend your rent to get in to the tournament. By acting like a spoiled 8 year old you aren't intimidating other participants into making mistakes (except in my case where I made a horrible bet in hopes of losing), you are just making yourself look bad. Well unless that's how you really are I guess. Possibly these poker tournaments just bring out a lower class of person, or at least brings that lower class person out of what are typically normal guys and gals. I guess that's what happens when you combine two vices (drinking, and gambling) with no entry fee...LOL.
I don't know which is true. What I do know is that I am too old to surround myself with this class of person. I have had enough trouble in my life and I am not looking to invite in anymore. I may go to Gary C's again and play, but right now I have a really bad taste in my mouth and no desire to play. I also going to stay away from "poker night" in the larger bars where there is much more available space to be filled with bad attitudes and rude behavior.
If there is anyone reading this blog who was at Scooter's last night or on previous nights, (although it just doesn't seem like many of those folks spend time doing something stupid like
"reading", I'm sure they are too busy perfecting their game and honing their skills), I would love to hear your opinion of the "Poker Night" at Scooter's. Different perspectives always interest me and help to broaden my own perspective on events.
In closing I would like to commend Gary C's and the folks who attended on poker night. It is a nice quiet little bar with sportsmanlike, mature poker players. Believe it or not there are still a few bars you can go to nowadays with out worries of getting in a fight, or your wife being called racial slurs, and you find them in the most unexpected places. It's nice, on occasion, to sit down to a cold beer after a long day. Gary C's... thanks for the good time; you absolutely have my future business! To Scooter's and the participants of last night's poker game I say; ... no, never mind. You don't deserve anymore thought, and won't receive anymore from me since this is the last sentence from me on the subject.
No animals were harmed during the writing of this blog, although we did have corned beef for dinner tonight. Does that count?
God bless you all, our troops, and this country!
-Timothy J Miller
"Dammit mom stop pinching me on the neck I'm not a stupid dog. And get that guy outta here!!!"
Cartman from South Park, the "Dog whisperer" episode.
Timothy J Miller is a Mortgage Professional, Marketing Guru, and 45-day coma survivor residing in Aurora, Colorado for 31 years.