Birthday WTFWMD

My birthday ended in the absolute worst way: my wallet was stolen at the end of the night by a con artist woman who was acting stumbling drunk at a bar I used to frequent in the Tenderloin, just a block from my old apartment. Since it was my old 'hood, I felt the need to help her out. It's a long story, but she managed to hook me in, made me believe it was her birthday too, showed me pictures of her family, the whole bit. I bought her a drink, offered her money for a cab that I freaking hailed for her. As I helped her to the cab she suddenly said she didn't need cab fare anymore, hopped in the cab and disappeared. It wasn't until I got home that I realized my wallet was gone. Then I thought back and remembered at one point my purse was doing funny things while I helped her walk down the street toward the cab (I even apologized to her for bumping into her with my purse!) and I'm pretty sure that's when she got in and lifted my wallet. What a horrid, horrid person to do that to me on my birthday, especially when I was helping her out!

Out of perhaps 100 people I've helped in the same way, I've now had one person that completely fucked me over, but I refuse to stop helping people. It's in my nature, and if the worst that happens is this, so be it. I immediately cancelled all my credit cards and ATM, and the only money in there was about $3 - I'd put the change from the last $20 I had (that I bought her drink with!) in another compartment in my purse! I have an appointment with the DMV to get a new driver's license on Thursday, and fortunately I was able to travel the next day to New Orleans with my passport. I also went to my bank the next day before my flight and got enough cash to get by, and had new credit cards sent to my friend Matt's house in NOLA, so I was okay for the vacation. Ugh, what a horrible person. At least I know this new MO, though. I would not have dreamt in a million years someone could be that horribly callous. Especially to me...

So that's the shitty. The goody is that my luck changed in New Orleans (finally!)... Now, keep in mind I'm an atheist and do not believe in luck or fate or anything like that, but... I shit you not, this is exactly how it went down... When my boyfriend (at the time), Jerry, and I were on our RV trip in Bryce Canyon last Thanksgiving, I briefly met an old man at a gas station who reminded me of my grandfather. We took a shine to each other, and after I went back out to the RV, he told Jerry to tell me I should bet on a hard 8 when I get to a casino.

I never did get to a casino on that trip, but there was one right across the street from my hotel room in New Orleans recently... On Saturday morning, after a bit of a nap, I woke up like a shot at 6am and told Matt I had to go to the casino and bet on a hard 8. Immediately. Now. Matt reluctantly got up to accompany me to the casino. So, first I had to figure out what game I needed to bet a hard 8 on. I went to the Roulette table first and they looked at me funny, then laughed and pointed me to the Craps table. I went to the Craps table, and I proceeded to commit three faux pas against Craps etiquette, but managed to figure out what a hard 8 is (it's a two-dice roll of double 4's). I patiently watched the guy roll about 9 or ten times, then put $15 (the minimum) down on the hard 8 right when I felt like it was time. The guy rolled the hard 8 on the first freaking roll after I put my bet down. I had no idea what happened then, so I asked the guy next to me. He said, "You just won a whole bunch of money." Turns out, I won $150. So I walked away, went back to my room and ordered room service. It was one of the most uncanny experiences I think I've ever had.

I'm hoping that kind of luck keeps going, even though I don't believe in it. I'm not super happy to be back home, but taking it as it comes.