Runner-Runner-Rebuy

Eh-Vegas didn't turn out exactly how I expected. I was on the fence for a while. The NY Rangers were coming to town to play my beloved Buffalo Sabres for the first time in Buffalo since the traitor ex-captain Chris Drury elected to go to NY in the off season last summer. It was one of the games I was really looking forward to all year. I really wanted to be there to boo Drury.

But, after bailing out on Eh-Vegas last year, I decided to go, so I gave my Sabres tix away to a friend. Dinner by Astin seemed to much to pass up. I live only a few miles from the border and have crossed to border hundreds of times and have never had a problem before. Nine out of ten times my answer to "Where are you going" is "casino." And they let you right through. 1 out of 10 its Toronto for an international flight.

I pulled up to the customs booth on the Lewiston Bridge. A chick with an obvious attitude looks me up and down. I take off my baseball cap to look less menacing and smile. I hand her my ID.

"Citizenship?"

"US," I respond.

"Where do you live?"

"Buffalo, Amherst actually."

"Why are you coming into Canada?"

"I'm having dinner with some friends in Toronto."

"Where in Toronto?"

"Ummm....hold on, let me check the address......" I fumble though my papers to find the Astin's address and give it to her.

"Who lives at this address?"

"Ummm....Astin.....actually, I mean.....his real name is Chris."

"His real name?"

"Well, I'm meeting some people I know from the internet. And people use, you know, handles online"

"Whats a handle?"

"Like an alias."

"Ok, do you know this Chris's last name?"

"Ummmm....." Looking back to my papers I can't read my own handwriting. ".....Derps...or Pens.....or something....."

"Do you know anyones full name that will be at this 'Dinner'?"

"Ummmm......Al...no......Riggs......no......Kat.....no......Joanne......wait...wait.....Lucetek. Yeah, Joanne Lucetek." Thank god for Cardsquad (RIP). "I think she is from Vancouver or something.....but she is definitely a Canadian."

"Are you carrying any firearms in the vehicle?"

Ahhh crap...."No."

"How much money are you bringing into Canada?"

"Ummmm......I have about $1500 US"

"You need $1500 for a dinner at someones house?"

"Well, I thought we might go out afterward....?"

"Please pull up and to you left and a customs agent will be with you shortly."

And I swear to God, as I was pulling away from the booth, she yelled "BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!"

They tore apart my jeep, removed the hard top, and did everything short of a full body cavity search. They of course found nothing, but left me to put the truck back together. And let me tell you, putting on a jeep hard top by yourself is not easy.

Three hours later after pulling up to customs, having missed dinner, and probably going to miss the tourney, I turned around and went home, missing both Eh-Vegas AND the Sabres game.

Sunday, I managed to get over the border with ease to meet the bloggers at Casino Niagara in the Falls.

"Where you going?"

"Casino."

"How long?"

"A few hours."

"Good luck, go ahead."

"Thanks."

I met up with Al, Riggs, Kat, Jo, CK, IG, and Austin. IG left just as I got there, so I didn't get to talk to her much at all. But the rest of us shot the shit for a while, had some drinks while we waited on the list for seats at the poker tables.

CK was really nice for an ex-lawyer, and she knows how to handle a foot-long. My disparaging comments about lawyers from previous posts have resulted in her quitting her firm to find a more fulfilling career. May I suggest Actuary? All the thinking and logic of lawyering, without having to be a scumbag. Actually, now that I think about what actuary's really do, I think they are scumbags too. How about travel agent? Yeah, you would make a kick ass travel agent. Except don't try to push the damn cancellation insurance on me. I don't want it. I know it doesn't cost much, but I don't want the fucking cancellation insurance. Jesus Fucking Christ, I hate travel agents.

Al was Al, the man...the machine. What you see is what you get, and with Al, what you see is a cool fuckin' dude. He told me about the BBT3 prizes, and damn - I won't steal his thunder, you'll have to wait for his announcement - but we are gettin' hooked up.

Jo was great, she was one of the first bloggers I ever met and somehow helped me learn to manage tilt. She's been away for a while, but assures me there will be posts coming. Get the ball rollin' Jo, I know you have a lot to say, but how about just getting that first post back out of the way with a little "Hey, I'm back bitches." I think a quick small post like that open the floodgates.

Riggs. What can I say. I really like this guy. No, not in a ghey way - besides, Riggs would only ever huggle Bayne. The guy instantly makes you feel like a good friend. Some people just have that quality, and I often wish I could be more like that. I'm sitting here trying to think of what else to say about Riggs, but I'm drawing a blank - but in a kind of way like if you were trying to write something about hanging out with someone you see everyday. We shot the shit, talked about a bunch of random things, and in the end, you walk away thinking - "I don't exactly know why, but I want to hang with that dude again."

Astin was not what I expected. I pictured him a lot bigger and at least 10 years older. Instead, he looked like a skinny Canadian emo kid. Maybe because of the way he plays online, I always thought of him in a more monstrous way. Perhaps there is a monster beneath the surface, because he exudes an air of shadowy mysteriousness, which I'm sure the chicks dig. Canadian emo chicks love that shit. His IPod most likely has a mix of Sloan, Sunny Day Real Estate, and Spirit of the West. I could never get a read on Astin and I think he likes it that way, but I was very glad to meet him and hope to see him again.

And finally Kat. Though I missed the dinner and tourney, I want to thank her for organizing Eh-Customs, she did a great job, and I'm really glad I got to hook up with everyone on Sunday. What else can be said about Kat that already hasn't been said elsewhere. Super nice chick, I was glad to see her again. Thanks for setting up the weekend, and I swear I will make it to the tourney next year.