Justin Houston

"Sixteen, I fell in love with a girl as sweet as could be. Only took a couple of days till she was rid of me. She swore that she would be all mine and love me to the end. But when I whispered in her ear - I lost another friend."

good times, bad times ~ Led Zeppelin


It has been a difficult day and a half in Las Vegas. The mass shooting has taken its toll on the community. Nonetheless, I am proud to call Las Vegas home and could not imagine living anywhere else. I don't want to harp on it because everyone is seeing more than their share from the media. I just know things are going to change. I want to tell everyone who checked in on me I appreciate the thought and I am doing fine, a little sad, but still fine. I know Las Vegas will recover and come back stronger than ever. Enough of this. Let me tell you how I got $100 richer by betting on Kansas City last night:

Junior and Brenda were in town last week and I met them for dinner at Caesar's Palace. After finishing we mosey over to the sports book so Junior can lay down his action before he heads back to Albuquerque - "The Chiefs are 6.5 favorites over the Redskins. Do you think they can cover?" I nod and say - "Playing at home on Monday night. That's a fucking lock. I would take them all day long." Junior decided to put his money where my mouth is - "Here you go Village Idiot. I want you to buy yourself a new pair of shoes if they cover." He hands a fifty dollar ticket with a payout of ninety six if KC covers 6.5 - "New shoes time," he tells me as I hug him and Brenda and wish them a safe trip home.

"Dude it don't look like you are going to get your new shoes. That field goal just did your bet in." I watched the game last night at PT's on Durango with James and Saucier - James was not feeling it - "See I told you they were going to screw you. At least they won though. Even though that doesn't do your ticket any good." I took little solace in a KC win. If they don't cover (6.5) I lose, and they most likely were only going to win by three - "Let's get the hell out of here," I say in disgust - There was still four seconds left in the game, and unbeknownst to my friends and I at the time - KC was about to pull off a rare back door cover.

PT's is a short walk from my condo and as I am halfway home my phone rings - "You lucky motherfucker!" Junior yells, "I can't believe the Chief's covered." I thought I was being razzed at first and then he tells me what happened on the last play of the game and how Houston scored off a fumble and KC thus covered the bet - "Hold on," I tell him with a rapid heartbeat - I put the phone to my chest and yell at the top of my lungs - "Way to go Chiefs!" I then thank him for the new pair of shoes.

I was bragging about my victory to friends on Messenger and one responded, "Big deal. Low risk. Low reward. You need to set your goals higher." I agree with him in many ways, but after a day like yesterday I was elated to see something good happen. No matter how minute it is. And the Chiefs covering was just what the doctor ordered for me.