Day 3

So I'm looking to get breakfast and at Adam's suggestion, go to Mother's (same restaurant I went first day) to try the best breakfast (he claims), the crawfish etouffee omelette. On Mother's Day at Mother's I'm greeted to this. 

I would think business would be booming if they were open today. Anyway I wander around looking for a breakfast place. Along the way a kid comes up to me asking for 75cents (oddly not a dollar) for food. I offer to buy him breakfast instead. He accepts. I ask him about his story. His name is Josh and he just left Mississippi to get away from his violent past. His older brother and mother are locked up and he never knew his dad. We have breakfast and I ask him to come to church with me. He agrees.

 We spend an hour just talking and hanging out near the French Quarters before church. During service I notice his tattoo on his arm,

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.””

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭1:9‬ ‭NIV

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After service, he says he needed that. It was a message about being lost and Jesus leading the way...talk about timing. I pray for him, give him some money for clothes (I hope), and part ways. I tell him to look me up in any poker room in Vegas if he ever makes it out there. What a great verse, and it's awesome seeing a homeless kid on the streets of New Orleans sporting it and serving as a reminder that God is always with us no matter our situation.

Idk if I've ever had a poboy but wow, was this shrimp 'slaw poboy delicious.

There's an unspoken code among poker players rooming together that we can trust each other because we carry around a lot of cash. That was evident tonight when Kevin left some of his roll on the table as he went to use the bathroom.

Poker: Btn Straddle, Opr $40 w 88 Ep, 3 calls to K86ccc cbet $100, old whale calls, turn 7x cbet $200, call, riv Tx I go for value and bet $200, he shoves $400 total, I call $200 more, he shows QTo. I win.

A great thing about poker is that anybody can play. I love seeing ethnic diversity on the tables and I've had many interesting conversations with people from all over the world. I just need to be more bold and spread the good news more often.

Then there are the guys that do bring the integrity of the game down a notch or two. Sam Grizzle was on my table and he's a long time pro residing in Vegas. He has a reputation (rightfully so) of scamming people and neglecting his child.  ESPN loved showing him on tv (especially his banter with Phil Hellmuth) because he does carry a colorful and boisterous personality. Anyway we have some history together and he reflected back on the times we've played together, from the Bicycle Club in LA to Vegas and now in New Orleans. I'll give him credit that he's a character and fun to talk with, but then, all scammers are. In the back of my mind, I wondered if he was softening me up to hit me up for a loan later (which I would never agree to)

Back to Mother's for a break and breakfast. Crawfish etouffee omelette with grits. It was very good but not the best breakfast in the world. Sorry Adam. Actually enjoyed the grits. Have tried it once before and didn't like it, but liked it today. The south is growing on me.

Recap: It's 10:30 am and I just quit playing. Ended up playing a graveyard session. The game was amazing and I played as long as it remained so. That's the nature of this profession. We get the luxury of quitting when we want, but also the need to keep grinding when the game is really good. Our hourly depends on it. Other than the first hour, I was card dead and broke even rest of the way. It's a good thing I won $1300 the first hour to finish up $1546 for the day. I do dislike walking outside of a casino and it's daylight. One day, I'll revert to a normal schedule (yeah right).