Angel in Vegas

It was about eight-thirty Friday night when the bus pulled into the station in Las Vegas. I hustled off, got my bags and hailed a taxi, excited to see Sallaccio, Cora, Max, the baby and maybe even Jimmy. When the taxi turned onto Fremont Street, an expanse of flashing lights, monoliths manifested with bright neon along the streets of downtown Las Vegas, a thrill enveloped me like I had never before experienced. I was in love with something unseen before I even knew why. Lights and more lights, a relentless glare of blinking neon. The Pioneer Club, Las Vegas Club, Boulder Club, Hotel Apache and El Dorado Club, Bingo, Jackpot Arcade, Golden Nugget, Rexall Drug and Ethel's Liquor Store looked like one continuous sign. It seemed that there were more lights on Fremont Street than all the stars in the milky way. The sky was challenged to hold them all, an exhilarating sight for a seventeen year old girl. One who was needing something to embrace, somewhere to call home, totally unsuspecting of the harsh lies awaiting, the constant shrill screams that can drown out every dream and prayer of the biggest and best, but never has to take the blame. I was Alice on her magical adventure through wonderland.