They had come here for the last 20 years, almost as long as I've been in town. Kenny was in construction and made a good living and looked forward to this trip and couldn't care less about the money he blew here, like he would say, "this is a vacation, you don't take vacations for free anywhere. If I don't blow some money, I didn't have fun." This was a healthy attitude to have when stepping off the plane at McCarran Airport in Las Vegas, and if they still had that attitude when they were on the plane home, then they really did have a good time. I can tell you I grew up with the kid, we went to high school together, we sat together since his last name was closest to mine and we were the only two Kenny's in the class. And the only thing Kenny looked for in his life was to be treated fairly by others, and he'd take care of the rest.

He was a regular at the Sands for years and was always recognized and called by first name when after a year he'd walk to the crap pit and see the same crap dealers that had been there the year before and the year before that. As Kenny would say "that stuff don't happen anymore in Las Vegas" After the Sands was returned back to the desert floor, they were regulars at the Rio until five years ago where he was lured to the Monte Carlo after a particularly good toss of the dice. In the middle of the visit they packed their bags and moved to a suite at the M.C. when they were comped the rest of the stay along with food and beverages and a magic show thrown in.

They obliged by using the players card and every year were invited back. Kenny alone would toss $5,000-$10,000 easily on the crap tables at the Monte Carlo, feeling obligated to gamble there since they were always comped full room, food and beverage and shows being VIP guests. Kim loved the poker machines and anyone that plays the machines will tell you that even on the quarter machines it's easy to go through $500 in a couple hours if you're not winning.

She religiously put the card in the machines and played exclusively at the Monte Carlo also feeling obligated to play there since they were treated so well. They were comped to the gourmet room as well as the spa. They had a full mini-bar (I'm warning you now about the $4 bottles of "complimentary" water) and Kenny drank only single-malt Glen Leavitt Scotch and nothing that was fermented after 1975, and a lot of it too, after all, he's a full-blooded Scottish and was true to his Klan and country. Although at $6.95 a shot ($3.50 in Chicago) it was almost cheaper to drink at the tables than at the bars at the M.C.

Upon arrival at the hotel, he would go into the casino host's office and they would agree on the comps to start. The casino host would tell him what he expected in the way of gambling time and money, the room was always free, almost regardless of his average buy-in or average bet since year after year Ken Parrish had proven himself a hard-nose gambler that doesn't quit easily.(the casino host even admitted he had a B+ ranking) But Ken wasn't there to beat the hotel, but just to have a few good drinks, smoke a few good cigars, and enjoy his time off. The fact is, that he never commented on weather he won or lost on his visits, but how the casino treated him.

The food and beverages were usually comped, but since there were a few visits where Kenny lost quite a bit , the Monte Carlos' policy was usually to refund anywhere from 10-25% of his losses, usually done in the form of a credit towards his next visit in comps. That way, he'd always have a reason to return to the Monte Carlo and only the Monte Carlo. They took good care of him, and in return, he took good care of them. He was a great tipper and when he hit the crap tables, the dealers were happy to see him, knowing that with Kenny at the table they'd better put another toke box on the table. He was the kind of player us dealers prayed for because he didn't just tip himself, but he'd hustle the other winning players to toke the dealers along with him "Hey, I ain't the only one winning and tipping here am I!! , you guys want me to throw a hard eight, tip the fucking dealers!!."And the show was on.

This year's visit was no different to begin. He checked the bags and walked to the crap table and threw a $100 bill on the table since he planned this time to go up to the room first, then come down in a little while to play some serious craps. He took the players card and threw it next to the bill and told the boxman "tell Alan (the casino host) that I'm here please, he's expecting me." Kenny and Kim came the same week every year, and were so well known, they would walk into the host's office and would be greeted with "You're an hour late, I was going to send the FBI to look for you if you didn't get here soon." But something wasn't right this time. The boxman handed the card back saying "we don't need the card for a hundred." Kenny smiled thinking that maybe the boxman recognized him and knew his name. "I love this place."

He turned and said to Kim feeling rather important at that point. He must have thought to himself "this is like the old Las Vegas where they remembered the good players, no matter how long between visits." But the truth was, this was the new Las Vegas, where they don't even want the same players anymore. He wasn't being recognized, he was being ignored. He lost the hundred while sipping a Glen Leavitt Scotch and turned to go to the room and saw the Let-It-Ride tables. He threw a hundred on that table along with his card. This time, the dealer slid the card back across the table and said "I don't need the card." Kenny was confused, this was the second time he bought in for a hundred bucks and was told they didn't want his card.

"You mean to tell me you're not giving me credit for my hundred dollar buy-ins? What's going on?" The dealer answered smugly "You'll have to talk to the floorman or the casino host about your hundred dollars." "Call the floorman over here." He said. The floorman smiled and shook his hand. "What's the problem?" "I'm being told you don't want my players' card with a hundred dollar buy-in." Kenny said. "Yes sir, the comp policy on the tables is a five-hundred dollar buy in and a minimum of twenty-five dollar bets." And walked away leaving Ken stunned. But it was late, the host wasn't in anyway, and the Glen Leavitt was getting to him. After another $800 in losses at the tables, he gave up and decided to wait until morning to talk to the casino host and get this all ironed out. I told him on the phone not to worry about it, the host would take care of him, after all, it's not the floorman but the casino host who gives the room and f & b comps anyways.

The next morning they woke to a beautiful Las Vegas desert view as the sun was just hitting the windows reminding them that the cold and snow was 2,000 miles away and although he was already stuck for $800 he was going to enjoy himself no matter how much he lost. He called me and we all met for breakfast and Kenny likes to splurge, and by the time we walked out after the eggs benedict, fresh orange juice, and champagne, he was set back another fifty bucks. The room alone last night went for $139, but he was sure he'd get comped the room anyways for the $1,000 they lost between the two of them the first couple of hours they had been in Las Vegas.

At 10 we headed to the host's office. I accompanied him just curious to hear the casino policy and how much he could expect to get comped for the six-day visit. The usual host he remembered from last year wasn't there, and we sat in the office together feeling like we were back in high school, sitting in the goddamn principal's office, awaiting our fates. (That's where we became friends for the first time, sitting in the waiting room in the principal's outer office waiting to see the principal for our sentencing for ditching school on the same day.

We became instant friends when he told me he could easily forge my dad's signature on a sick note, and sure enough, he got it perfect the first try when the principal pulled out a previous note from my file my dad really did write to compare signatures, thus saving me the fate he met that day.) The host walked in sizing us up as he shook hands and had us sit back down." First, let me get your players' card." Kenny handed him the card and he typed the number into the computer and said "Mr. Parrish, I show you playing $255 on the poker machines (Kim's play) and that's all I'm showing, that's not a lot of points yet, but you are staying a week, and I'm sure you'll run up the points a great deal before you leave."

I snickered because what I was hearing him tell my friend that he was sure he'd lose a bundle before they were done with him. "What about the $800 I lost on the crap tables?" "Well sir, did you buy in for at least $500 at a time? Were you betting at least $25 a throw? Because that's our policy now Mister Parrish, on all our table games." I leaned over "Kenny, what he's telling you is he doesn't need your money and he doesn't want your business, pack your bags and let's go."

When hearing that, the host immediately offered him two for the coffee shop. "Let me tell you something, for your goddamn two for the coffee shop in return for me losing over a thousand bucks already, you can stick it up your ass. Don't you think I could have taken that thousand and gambled in any casino in town and buy my own cheap lunch?"

"Well, Mr. Parrish, I agree that it doesn't sound like much, but I assure you that if you gamble like you have for the next six days, you'll be eligible for more than the coffee shop." "Like what? Kenny said. "Now I want a guarantee that I'll get the room comped for the visit, as well as one or two comps for dinner, because what you're suggesting is I may or may not get any comps at all, and if that's the fact, let me know now so I can change hotels." The host looked flush "All I can promise you with the hundred dollars at a time buy-ins is that you will receive some food comps, but I can't say what, and as far as the room, I'm afraid I can't help you there."

Now Kenny looked flush "Sounds final to me" Kenny turned to me and asked "what do you think?" I told him "I think you're lucky you didn't unpack." I grabbed the yellow pages from the host's desk and looked up the phone number at the Orleans Casino/Hotel (one of the larger local casino/hotels that still took care of their players). I called on my cell phone in the corner of the office as Kenny kept trying to convince the host of his honorable gambling intentions. As he did, I explained to the casino host at the Orleans the situation and he told me to immediately come to the Orleans and he would take care of everything, including a free room for myself for taking the initiative and making the call to his casino first.

Upon hearing this, the host at the Monte Carlo only smiled a conceited smirk and said "The Orleans? if you think you'd be more comfortable at an off-Strip casino" to which Kenny answered "It can't possibly be as bad as this toilet." Which I can tell you, after six days of some of the best restaurants in Las Vegas, a great oyster bar, a wonderful Louisiana Creole restaurant, great Mexican food, a big poker room that was regarded as one of the best in town by the locals, and above all, friendly dealers on all the games. Multiplex movie theaters as well as bowling and arcades, liquor store and the great Terrible Mike's quick food restaurant, my friends had the best time ever in Las Vegas.

He left his usual couple thousand on the tables, Kim left her couple hundred in the poker machines (although she did hit quite a few good hands), but they had such a pleasant stay that they set a date for next years return to the Orleans.

"When are these casinos going to catch on?" Kenny asked me before we parted in the parking lot. "Catch on to what?" I asked. "That just a little something goes a long way." All I could think to say was "They're catching on now man, they treated you like shit at the Monte Carlo, and rather than put up with it, you showed them there's plenty of other casinos that would rather have your business, multiply that by all the thousands that hear the same crap from the Strip casinos, then pack their bags for the local casinos.

That alone IS your comment for Las Vegas." I think it's time to listen up.

--Ken Pearlman