First-time Gambler

On Thanksgiving night, my parents and I strutted ourselves over to the AmeriStar Casino in Kansas City so that I could try a hand at gambling. Unexpectedly, I got nervous. My palms started sweating, my jacket seemed to constrict my body, I began second-guessing my outfit choice wondering if it looked 'big girl' enough to blatantly back up my driver's license evidence that I, in fact, am 21. The moment we approached the guard who separated us from the shiny, beeping slot machines, he carded me. I expected it entirely, and came prepared, but once I stepped into the big kid land of lost money, I didn't feel like I stuck out that much. I would have bet that my rookie stench would give me away, but my ethnicity actually subsided its effects. Everywhere I turned, there was a 2:1 ratio of Asians to clearly native Missourians. Sure, everyone was at least 10 years my elder, but my dark complexion and black hair kept me from seeming too out of place. Finally, a situation in which my ethnicity worked in my advantage. Why did I want to blend in so much? Well, I always considered casinos a place where we are essentially voluntary victims of theft. The slot machines, although playfully deceiving, take your money as well as the card tables. If anyone could sense my apprehension as a newby, I felt that I would leave the sparkling land of gold and flashing lights as an even more broke college student. I do not think my looks saved me from my imminent demise, but I do believe they softened the blow. With my head held high, walking past several similar-looking faces, I left with a hefty 15 cents in my pocket.