conversation. For a few moments, Alicia continued to listen, then she headed back to where I was standing – just moments before Sue did the same.
“You aren’t going to like this,” Alicia said hurriedly.
Sue had now reached me, too, although she was on the opposite side of the desk. She gave me a wan smile and then said, “I’m afraid there has been some confusion. There isn’t a party in the Flamingo Bay Ballroom tonight. In fact, Lyle Lovett the music artist is performing in the ballroom tonight.”
Alicia had been right: I didn’t like this. I pulled out the invitation that Alicia had given me and handed it to Sue. “Well then, what is this all about?” I asked unequivocally.
Sue took the envelope from my hand and looked at the invitation inside. A big smile came to her face, and I was delighted that my misery could bring her so much joy. Then she spoke, “Ma’am, this party is being held in a different room. I’d be delighted to have Sonny escort you there.”
Before I could protest, Sue pressed an intercom and said, “Sonny, would you come to the desk please?”
“Really, I’m sure we can find it ourselves. No need to bother,” I said emphatically.
“Oh, believe me, it is no bother,” she replied with her “I’m so happy” smile.
I didn’t know Sonny personally, but I instantly recognized him when he arrived. Barely old enough to legally enter the casino, Sonny had the look of a wide-eyed, fresh-from-the-farm, true-to-life hayseed. His goldenrod hair was in a true bowl cut and parted on the left side – apparently to emphasize a nasty cowlick. His baby face was full of freckles, and as I looked closely I felt compelled to connect them to see what the hidden picture might be. His eyes were a dull olive green, but his smile was big, toothy, and full of kindness. He also seemed eager to please. “What do you need, Miss Sue?” he asked.
“Would you show these ladies to the Sims’ party room, please?”
Sonny asked us to follow him, and we made our way through the lobby. We stepped onto an escalator and traveled up several floors. Then Sonny led us down a hallway where the carpet looked like purple, yellow, and red banana leaves. He stopped abruptly and said, “That’s the room,” he pointed to the end of the hallway. “If you don’t mind, I have to get back now.” He looked at me expectantly.
Alicia put a quarter in his hand and said, “Thank you.”
I felt so moved by her generosity that I quickly produced a five dollar bill and reluctantly handed it to Sonny. He walked away with a big grin plastered on his hayseed face. I was still wishing that Sue had let us find the party room without Sonny’s assistance.
Walking towards the room Sonny had pointed out, I kept waiting to awaken from one of my dreams. I felt certain that at any moment, Alicia was going to slap me a few times and yell, “Brandy, would you please wake up forChristsake?” But we were almost close enough to see inside, and I was still walking along in my new dress.
I began wondering if we were early, but I spotted a large clock on the wall that showed the time as eight o’clock. We were just in time.
A man in a burgundy suit was standing beside the door. He was big – at least six foot five and easily weighing two-sixty – and he looked tough. He had a bulldog face, but no sad puppy eyes. His gaze seemed to cut right through me as we walked up to the door. In a gruff voice he said, “I’m sorry, but this room is reserved for a private party. Invitation only.” I felt certain that his slurred speech indicated low intelligence, not inebriation.
Alicia flashed him a smile. “We have invitations,” she said in an authoritative voice I’d never heard her use before. I cringed as I saw the man raise his hand towards her, but instead of smacking her upside the head, he simply took the cards from her and inspected them.
“Right this way, ladies,” he said with a smile. His demeanor changed abruptly,
“You aren’t going to like this,” Alicia said hurriedly.
Sue had now reached me, too, although she was on the opposite side of the desk. She gave me a wan smile and then said, “I’m afraid there has been some confusion. There isn’t a party in the Flamingo Bay Ballroom tonight. In fact, Lyle Lovett the music artist is performing in the ballroom tonight.”
Alicia had been right: I didn’t like this. I pulled out the invitation that Alicia had given me and handed it to Sue. “Well then, what is this all about?” I asked unequivocally.
Sue took the envelope from my hand and looked at the invitation inside. A big smile came to her face, and I was delighted that my misery could bring her so much joy. Then she spoke, “Ma’am, this party is being held in a different room. I’d be delighted to have Sonny escort you there.”
Before I could protest, Sue pressed an intercom and said, “Sonny, would you come to the desk please?”
“Really, I’m sure we can find it ourselves. No need to bother,” I said emphatically.
“Oh, believe me, it is no bother,” she replied with her “I’m so happy” smile.
I didn’t know Sonny personally, but I instantly recognized him when he arrived. Barely old enough to legally enter the casino, Sonny had the look of a wide-eyed, fresh-from-the-farm, true-to-life hayseed. His goldenrod hair was in a true bowl cut and parted on the left side – apparently to emphasize a nasty cowlick. His baby face was full of freckles, and as I looked closely I felt compelled to connect them to see what the hidden picture might be. His eyes were a dull olive green, but his smile was big, toothy, and full of kindness. He also seemed eager to please. “What do you need, Miss Sue?” he asked.
“Would you show these ladies to the Sims’ party room, please?”
Sonny asked us to follow him, and we made our way through the lobby. We stepped onto an escalator and traveled up several floors. Then Sonny led us down a hallway where the carpet looked like purple, yellow, and red banana leaves. He stopped abruptly and said, “That’s the room,” he pointed to the end of the hallway. “If you don’t mind, I have to get back now.” He looked at me expectantly.
Alicia put a quarter in his hand and said, “Thank you.”
I felt so moved by her generosity that I quickly produced a five dollar bill and reluctantly handed it to Sonny. He walked away with a big grin plastered on his hayseed face. I was still wishing that Sue had let us find the party room without Sonny’s assistance.
Walking towards the room Sonny had pointed out, I kept waiting to awaken from one of my dreams. I felt certain that at any moment, Alicia was going to slap me a few times and yell, “Brandy, would you please wake up forChristsake?” But we were almost close enough to see inside, and I was still walking along in my new dress.
I began wondering if we were early, but I spotted a large clock on the wall that showed the time as eight o’clock. We were just in time.
A man in a burgundy suit was standing beside the door. He was big – at least six foot five and easily weighing two-sixty – and he looked tough. He had a bulldog face, but no sad puppy eyes. His gaze seemed to cut right through me as we walked up to the door. In a gruff voice he said, “I’m sorry, but this room is reserved for a private party. Invitation only.” I felt certain that his slurred speech indicated low intelligence, not inebriation.
Alicia flashed him a smile. “We have invitations,” she said in an authoritative voice I’d never heard her use before. I cringed as I saw the man raise his hand towards her, but instead of smacking her upside the head, he simply took the cards from her and inspected them.
“Right this way, ladies,” he said with a smile. His demeanor changed abruptly,
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