At the Trackside Bar in the Palace Station, comprised of a rectangular counter with different heights in various spots, enclosing pillars from which hung flat-screen televisions and an island with shelves lined with different liquor bottles, Fernando stepped up onto a stool and sat himself in front of one of the many bartop video poker screens lining the counter. He tapped the “More Games” button, then the “25¢” button, then the “Bonus Poker” button, and seeing the numbers 8 and 5 for the full house and flush, and a royal flush payout of $1,130.11 dollars, pulled out his wallet, inserted a yellow card into one of the slots, and then a fifty-dollar bill into the bill acceptor. He hit the “Bet Max” button beneath the screen, and cards showed up on the screen.
“Welcome! What can I get you started with today?” asked the bartender, placing a receipt into the highball glass behind the bartop screen setup.
“Oh, an MGD, please,” Fernando replied, tapping the other buttons under the screen here and there.
A few minutes passed, and Reina observed a man sitting at the bar, playing video poker and sipping beer from a brown glass bottle on occasion. She had a seat three chair spots away and glanced over at the bartender. “How much for a shot of Jose Cuervo?”
“Five dollars each, but you can get drinks comped if you play at least ten dollars on one of the machines here. It’s fifteen minutes between drinks, just so you know,” another bartender answered.
“Oh. Well... I think I have ten dollars, so... might as well... what should I play?”
“It’s up to you, ma’am.”
“... huh.”
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