REGGIE

A GUEST AUTHOR’s HARVEST STORY

DUBLIN-LONDON

KEITH BEARDEN

Hello Reggie

Just got back from Ireland/England watching my grandson march with The Stephen F. Austin Lumberjack band in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland. Snowed Saturday night and Sunday (when we left Dublin) and our flight was delayed for about an hour and we missed our connection from London to DFW. British Airways put us up in a Hilton Hotel for a couple of days as all alternate flights were full till Tuesday afternoon. Took advantage of the delay and toured the city of London. Picked up a few chips in Limerick, Dublin and London and thought you might be able to use a new harvesting story. Not extremely exciting but here it is if you want it.

We went to Dublin, Ireland to watch our grandson march in the St. Patrick's Day Parade with The Stephen F. Austin Lumberjack Marching Band. They won 1st place for bands but everyone had already left Dublin so no one left to receive the award.
Side trips to Galway and Limerick, planned to visit some casinos along the way but it was too cold, rainy and windy in Galway so after the walking city tour just headed back to the hotel. Next day we were in Limerick and I managed to visit the Fitzpatrick casino in the afternoon, a small place with several slot machines and a few tables, tables didn't open till 9PM and the rewards club didn't open till 8 PM. I told the man working the snack bar that I was a chip collector and he said I could buy chips at the "Cash Desk" and walked me to the cage, must have been all of 5 steps, and told the lady to sell me some chips. She picked out some better chips and as I was paying her my son asked about special chips. She said wait a minute and stepped out of sight. When she came back she placed a new deck of cards on the counter and I waited for her to tell me how much for the cards. In a little bit she said "That's All". I thanked her and we went back to the hotel for supper. After eating we walked to the Locke Pub and on the way found another Fitzpatrick's, even smaller and slots only, must have had about a dozen machines and the manager said they have a roulette table but no chips to sell.

Friday night in Dublin after eating Fish & Chips at the Ginger Man Pub we had time to go to Fitzwilliam's casino and I signed up for a club card (have to be a member to get into the casino) and got a 10 pound free play chip (which I kept). Stepped inside the casino, a Roulette table just inside the door with 2 or 3 people playing, One Black Jack table 3 lb minimum and 3 poker tables and another table of some kind without any players, quite as a vacant church, slot machines must be upstairs but I didn't go up. Went to the cage and changed my cash for smaller bills as they would not sell chips there so walked back to the Black Jack table and watched a few hands. Dealer was winning almost every hand. At the end of shoe I bought in and played a little bit, won 6 pounds and colored in, taking the chips I wanted to keep. While in the casino my son and daughter in law talked to the receptionist, Rachel, and turns out she used to work at the Strand Hotel (where we were staying), she said wait a minute and went rummaging around in a closet and came out with a deck of cards for me and then called someone to bring me a Key Chain for chips. They didn't have one so I started to leave but she made another call and after a few minutes someone showed up with the key ring that had a chip in it. Not a playable chip be nice souvenir anyway. Pleasantly surprised at how friendly the Irish are.

Sunday we head back to London and then Fort Worth. Snowed all night (Saturday) and still snowing Sunday morning - our departure is delayed about an hour and when we land at Heathrow our connecting flight has already left. British Airways put us up for a couple of nights so we took advantage of the opportunity to tour the city of London. As we loaded on the tour bus I noticed a casino right down town. After the tour we stopped at Garfunkle's to eat and then my son and I took the Subway to where we thought the casino was. Got off the subway and started walking but we were going the wrong way, turned around and staring us in the face was The Hippodrome Casino. I signed up for club card and found a black jack table with no players. Told the dealer I was a chip collector and bought some chips from him. He told us to go to the cage and ask for some special chips. Did just that and picked up a couple of nice LE's. We decided to walk back to the café as it seemed shorter than the walk to catch the subway. What did we see? Another casino? No!, Two more casinos jammed right up against each other. I went into the Empire and got a club card and bought some chips, 25p, 50p, 1lb, 2.50 token and a 5lb. Then I went next door to the "Napoleon casino" and told the people at the reception desk that I was a chip collector and just wanted to be a 5 lb chip (funds were getting a little low at this point and it was time to meet the girls back at the café) one of them said give me your money and I will go get your chip. I gave him my last 5lb note and he disappeared down stairs (all the London casinos seem to be in the basement). While I was waiting I noticed a 1lb chip in a metal tray on the counter. I asked one of the other clerks if I could buy that chip for US currency. He said wait and I will get you one and he disappeared up stairs (where he went I have no clue) and was back shortly, placed a 1lb chip on the counter. I asked how much as I put a $1.00 bill on the counter and prepared to shell out another one but he said "I don't know what the exchange rate is........just take it. What would I do with a dollar bill anyway"? Guess the English can be pretty nice too. Any had a great time and collected some chips I never thought about adding to my collection. Is collecting chips a great hobby or what?

Sorry this post is so long but I "Kissed the Blarney Stone" and that means you are never at a los for works. Happy chippin'.
Reggie, If you can use this feel free to edit it as you see fit.

Keith