Chapter 9: Problems Resolved

I awoke Thursday morning with a smile on my face. I had always liked Thursdays. Required paperwork had been filed. Emergencies had been handled. Plans for the busy weekend trade had been made. Thursdays were like the eye of the hurricane. Winds were light and the sun was shining.

The only thing on my plate today was accepting Austin’s resignation and completing all the paperwork that action would entail.

My wife was still asleep. She had a dreamy smile on her face. I made my way to the kitchen, made coffee, and perused the morning newspaper.

Ann joined me a few minutes later. Her half open eyes led her to the coffee pot. I loved seeing my wife naked in the morning hours. I thought that early mornings for her was like Thursdays for me. Her daily duties and responsibilities had not yet begun and she was rested up from strenuous evening activities.

I asked my wife if she was excited about Austin joining our family and she quickly replied that she was. “I wish Austin could move in with us today.”

I told Ann that Austin could move in with us whenever she wanted. “The moment that I accept her resignation, she will no longer be an employee of the casino.”

“Doesn’t she need to give a two week notice?”

I told my wife that in the casino industry, a two week notice was requested from most employees. But, any employee who handles real money must leave the casino immediately and they would be banned from the casino for a period of one year.

Liz saved me by entering the kitchen. “Mommy, Daddy, could we ... could all of us ... take a shower together this morning?”

“Honey, it is a weekday morning and we won’t have time to share a shower. But your father and I will be happy to shower with you on the weekends. Okay?”

Liz reluctantly agreed. We ate breakfast and I left for work. Martha took Gracie and Liz to school.

I got a call from Security at 9am announcing that Austin Brooks was here to see me. I told Security to let her pass and send her to my office.

Austin handed me an envelope and I had her sit in one of the chairs facing me. I read her resignation letter. It was perfectly worded, and the penmanship was neat and tidy.

I called the Director of Personnel and asked her to come to my office.

“Mrs. Birdsong, Austin is resigning her position as a Poker Room dealer. She has been offered a lucrative position as nanny for a local family.” I handed Patty Birdsong the letter.

“I am sorry you are leaving us Austin. You have been a valued employee and we will miss you. However, you still need to sign this letter before we can accept it.”

While Austin signed the letter, I asked Patty if she would start the paperwork for Payroll to cut her a check for the unpaid hours she worked this week, plus pay for any unused vacation and sick leave time. I added that I would also like them to pay five-sixths of her Christmas bonus.

Austin had brought her uniforms with her and they needed to be taken to Wardrobe.

Austin handed me the signed letter of resignation. I handed it to Patty and asked for a copy for my files.

Mrs. Birdsong told Austin that her final check would be available Tuesday of next week and asked for an address to send it to. Austin asked if the check could be given to me. “I don’t know the address of the house I will be living at, but Mr. Moran will know how to contact me and I could pick it up from him.”

Patty agreed to Austin’s request and left to start the needed paperwork.

I closed the door and said, “Well, Ms. Brooks, you are no longer an employee of this casino.”

Austin threw her arms around my neck and kissed me before whispering in my ear. “The first chance I get, I am going to fuck you senseless.”

“We have one last thing to do before you leave today. I am going to take you to the Poker Room and announce that you are leaving us today.”

Austin didn’t want me to do that, but I explained that there would be rumors if I didn’t make the announcement. Austin reluctantly agreed.

On our way to the Poker Room, I saw my wife, Martha, and Carol standing by the door. I had my professional face on. I would greet the women after I took care of business.

There were still fifteen minutes before the room opened for business but the supervisor and all the dealers were in the room.

“I would like your attention please. This is Austin’s last day as a poker dealer. She has accepted a profitable offer outside of gaming and tendered her resignation this morning.”

Before I could continue, one of the male dealers said, “It’s about time you fired the whore.”

Warning sirens went off in my mind. I wear an ear set when I am on the casino floor so that I can talk to both Surveillance and Security at the same time. If I click my mic twice, it keeps the microphone open and all conversations can be heard and recorded.

“Mr. Conrad, do you want to repeat what you just said?”

“I said that it is about time you fired the whore. She is just about as bad as the fucking Indians. They are both fucking lazy, drunken coke heads.”

“Mr. Conrad, I think you have said enough. You owe Miss Brooks an apology. You owe this casino an apology and you owe all of our Native American comrades an apology. You are making a spectacle of yourself and bringing dishonor to our department.”

“Fuck you. Before you came here, we ran this department. We didn’t allow whores and fucking Indians in our department.”

“Mr. Conrad, I suggest you lower your voice before you get into more trouble than you are into now. If you don’t apologize immediately, I will be forced to take action.”

With spittle coming out of his mouth, Pete Conrad said, “And I’m telling you that if you don’t get out of my sight I am going to beat your body into pulp. Then I will find your whore wife and daughter and fuck them until they bleed.”

Pete charged me like a bull buffalo. His first punch missed as I stepped to the side and extended a leg to trip him as he passed me. I could see four Security Officers running towards us as Pete stood up, madder than before, and he charged me again.

I grabbed his wrist and twisted it behind his back. I could hear his wrist snap and his shoulder dislocate as I slammed his head into the metal desk the supervisor used.

Security arrived. Two officers handcuffed Conrad and lifted him upright. Blood and broken teeth covered the top of the desk. The Chief of Security told me that they would take care of ‘this piece of shit.’ He put a hand on my shoulder and said, “We saw everything and we heard what he said. Let me be the first to thank you for the way you defended the honor of our tribe.”

The Director of Surveillance radioed that they had video from eight different cameras and the voice tape was secure. “You done good, Edward. You done real good.”

I looked toward Austin and saw her surrounded by my wife, Martha, and Carol.

I turned to the poker room and asked the dealers if they had anything else they wanted to say about Miss Brooks or our Indian brethren. No one spoke up, so I told the supervisor to call custodial to get the mess cleaned up before opening the room. “Make sure that Custodial knows there was a lot of blood and they should wear hazmat suits.”

I went over to the women and told my wife to get Austin out of the casino. “Don’t let her drive by herself.” The women walked Austin out of the casino. My wife stayed behind and asked if I was okay. I told her I was fine. “Catch up to the rest of the girls and I will call you later.”

As I walked back to the management offices, I was stopped many times and congratulated on my standing up for regular employees. Even the Security officer stationed outside the management annex asked for permission to shake my hand.

I began to wonder if this casino had a systemic problem that was affecting the morale of all of its employees.

I went straight to the Personnel office to report my actions to Patty Birdsong. She jumped up from her chair, gave me a heartfelt hug, and kissed my cheek. “I can’t adequately tell you how much I appreciate your words and actions that you exhibited this morning. I was in Jerry’s office when the excitement began. Surveillance transferred the video and sound in real time to his monitor. We watched and heard everything as it happened. We are both really proud of you. As a matter of fact, he wants to meet with you at 1pm if you are available.”

“Patty, Mr. Red Elk is the General Manager. If he wants to meet with me, I will be there.”

I went back to my office. I sat in my chair, leaned back, closed my eyes, and started my deep breathing exercises to drain the tension from my body. At noon, I called my wife.

“Austin was a mental and physical wreck when we left the casino,” she said. “I followed your advice. Martha sat in the backseat holding Austin while I drove us home. Carol followed us driving Austin’s car. It took us over an hour to get Austin to relax.

“I can tell you right now that Austin will gladly produce as many babies as you can give her. Martha and Carol would be willing to do the same thing.

“In about 30 minutes, we are going to take several cars and pick up all of Austin’s belongings. She is going to move in with us today.”

I complimented my wife on her decision making. I also told her that I was going to a meeting at 1pm with the General Manager of the casino, but I should still be home at the regular time.

I had lunch in the employee cafeteria when an older female Slot supervisor approached me. “Mr. Moran, my husband was here this morning to play poker and saw everything happen. He thinks he knows you and asked me to give you a message. I don’t know what I am about to tell you means, but he was adamant that I repeat the message without any changes. He said to tell you, Tango One, Cobra Leader, Pop Smoke. I hope I said that correctly.”

I smiled and said, “You tell your husband the following words. Popping Smoke. If he is who I think he is, he will know the meaning of those words.”

I was back in the main office with ten minutes to spare. I stopped by Patty’s office but she wasn’t there. I did find her in the Ops Managers’ office. She was writing on a clipboard as her assistant was putting items into a cardboard box.

“Edward, get to Jerry’s office now. He has this misplaced notion that prompt people are good people.”

I nodded my understanding and made my way to the GM’s office. Maggie, Mr. Red Elk’s executive secretary said, “Edward, the big guy said to bring you into his office as soon as you get here. He will be pleased that you are a few minutes early.”

I was surprised to find Mr. Red Elk seated at the conference table with three other men.

“Edward. I am glad that you could join us this afternoon. Let me introduce you to the rest of the men.

“This tub of lard is Marvin White Feather, Governor of the tribe. The skinny guy is Roger Cummings, CEO of the Gaming Division. The old man is Tomas Black Bear, CEO of the Gaming Commission.”