Costly Trip

I approach the concierge desk of The Venetian hotel. The lights are dimmed and there’s a continuous chatter. This is my first full day in Vegas and I want to make the most of it. I’m all dressed up, swaggered out as some may say. I’ve got my shirt collar popped and I’m wearing my tight, black, leather pants. On my feet I’m wearing my lilac-colored biking boots. They have good grip so I don’t slip on my swagger juice.

“Umph!” My breath shoots out of me as I walk into the desk. “Um hi,” I say to the concierge as smooth as possible, “Do you know where I can find an amusement park?”

The concierge is busy typing at her computer and doesn’t look up at me. She’s quite pretty. Blonde hair, blue eyes and about my 20. “My age.” I note. FInally, she looks up at me. She speaks rapidly: “There’s an indoor one at Circus Circus. You can walk there from here, out the doors, down the steps then right, left, left, right.”

“Ok, got it,” I reply, “left, right, right, left, right?”

“Close enough.” She says with a dismissive tone. With that, I start walking towards the door when I feel my phone begin to vibrate. I struggle to pull it out of my tight, leather pocket, but when I do, I see my Mom has texted.

“Baby bear, how was the flight down and are you enjoying your vacation so far?” I read as I walk through the hotel’s automatic glass doors. The hot, humid air hits me suddenly as I leave the air conditioned building. I contemplate what to reply. At last I type: “Mama bear,” before abruptly I get a falling sensation in my stomach and I notice I’m rolling down the smooth granite steps leading up to The Venetian. I can feel my arms and legs bruising before I come to a crashing stop. The wind leaves my chest as something heavy falls on top of me. I raise my head the little bit I can and see I have crashed into a rather