Last Tuesday, I felt like I had just gone to work. Here’s what happened.

I forced myself to drive to the M Resort, sport a mask and settle in at my favorite Mr. Cashman machine. (Aristocrat Technologies tells me Mr. Cashman machines have been around at least since 2008.) I arrived at about 11:30 am. and had a whole bank of six Mr. Cashman machines to myself. I say I felt forced to go to the M because the M calendar said Tuesday was my day. It was “almost” the end of the month and my $35 dining credit was about to expire. I also had $20 in play cash to play if I showed up, and from a previous play date (where the casino was giving 12 times points) I knew I would have even more play cash given to me as well. As a loyal laborer (or “customer”) at the M, Tuesday was a “must”.

With my see-through breathable mask in place I parked on level one, made my way to the casino and sat at my most favorite Mr. Cashman, the one with the ladies who, if they line up, pay very nicely. Mr. Cashman machines have pop-up bonuses; you never know when a bonus comes and a little man smiles and brings the good news. The bonuses, some of which come with falling coins, can take many different forms, everything from re-spins of the symbols to “stars” (choose two that match) and a kind of slot machine within the slot machine. The payoffs can be anything from just a few cents to maybe as much as $25 or more, depending on the level of your bet.

So here’s what happened. I have a slot machine tolerance of at best about an hour and a half. Last Tuesday I stayed two hours. The trouble was, I could not lose all that free play cash given to me. I was planning to lose it; in fact, I usually do lose it, so had brought other money with which to play, but I kept winning — not so much that I was forced to leave the machine because surely my luck had run out, but just enough to bring me back up so I could keep going. A couple times I got down into finishing territory when, voila, I would hit a bunch of aces and win $50. In fact, that happened three different times. I was a never-loser!

Playing knowing I was accumulating points for my next visit and more “free money” to play. I punched and punched and punched that play button, so much so that my shoulder started to ache.

I have a thing when I play. I never lose all my money. I let my stake go to $19 and then I cash out. I take the three $5 and four $1 bills and put them in a stack at home until I get a couple hundred bucks which I take to the bank and voila…more gambling money! (Talk about self-deception.)

At any rate, it took me two hours of playing to finally get down to $19. I was exhausted; my eyes were bleary. However, I was not so exhausted that I forgot about my dining money. I want to the M’s deli and bought some stuff for me (barbecued ribs) and the dogs (hamburger patties) and hauled it all home.

All in all it was a great day. I worked hard, but I didn’t go into my wallet…even once.

I’m writing about this day because it was a somewhat unusual day of gambling. I usually do go into my wallet and often go to the bank and my gambling account (yes, it is different from the house account) to replenish as I drive home. Tuesday I worked hard…and the bank didn’t see me at all. I gambled my little heart out and brought home three 5s and four 1s. All was right with the world.

PS: Never expect an article about losing all my free play money AND my budgeted gambling money in 20 minutes. That’s not for publication.