A Story of Wanderlust, Gambling and Adulthood Part 2

By CJ

We made it to Washington State with little difficulty, traveling through New Mexico, Arizona, California, Oregon and finally reaching Seattle sometime early in July, but found that despite the beauty of this part of the United States, neither of us could seem to adjust to the new terrain, and the abundance of work and high pay rates that we had heard about seemed nothing more than a fantasy. We discussed going back to Oregon while we still had traveling money.

Oregon wasn’t bad. He decided, and I nodded mutely. After all, my home was where he was, and I didn’t care much what our address ultimately was.

Oregon also was beautiful and the people wonderful. But what neither of us wanted to admit at the moment was that it wasn’t home. Whether we chose to accept it or not, we were both desperately homesick and I think we knew in our hearts that his mother had been right, and that we would end up back in Texas before it was over.

What about Nevada? He suggested one evening over a simple meal of sandwiches and chips at a picnic table in a roadside park. I had no idea what part of Oregon we were in, and I didn’t care. What an adventure we were having! Our funds had been seriously depleted and the time had come to either make our way back to Texas while we still could, or commit to a new home in a new state and just grin and bear it.

I bit into a bologna sandwich, and then laughed out loud.

I really don’t care! I replied honestly, scattering crumbs when I spoke, one of which lodged in his beard, causing me to laugh even harder. How could I be worried with the beauty of Oregon embracing me, and the man I adored frowning at me with such loving seriousness. I really don’t! I confirmed, and shrugged.

All right then, Nevada it is. Maybe we can get work at one of the casinos in Vegas. He said and winked as he munched chips, his mind obviously hundreds of miles away.

We never made it to Vegas because we had to pass through Reno first. To this day, some 20 years later, I am still a sucker for bright lights and the bustle of a busy city, and Reno provided all that and then some. Being the vagabonds that we were, we bathed in the darkness in Emerald Bay, and lunched the following day in a park in South Lake Tahoe, but the draw of the casino gambling town of Reno was more than we could deny.

Lets do some gambling, what can it hurt? My husband said. I know how much we can afford to lose and who knows maybe well win.