Red Handed

Gail came over Friday night to watch Kenzers while Kristie and I went out for dinner (Texas Roadhouse - awesome) and a movie (The Other Guys - okay).

Saturday morning, we invited Gail to come up to TRF with us to do some shopping for Rhylee and Kennedy's birthday party later in the afternoon.

Gail declined saying that she had to get back to GF to pick up Ashton from the kennel.

I joked, "Don't lie, Gail. You're going to the casino."

"No I'm not. I have to get Ashton."

You see - as Kristie has stated many times to me - Gail's one real hobby is gambling a bit at the casino. She isn't a big reader. Doesn't knit or sew. She's not a big shopper. She doesn't smoke or drink. So gambling a bit is no big deal, especially since she enjoys it and has the unique ability to walk away once she wins.

So we followed Gail out of town.

"Stop at Eagle Square real quick for a Diet Mountain Dew," Kristie said as we came to Hillcrest and watched Gail take a right onto county road 13, heading - presumably - to Grand Forks.

I never thought anything of it until we were pulling out of Eagle Square.

Lo and behold, he came Guilda cruising north on highway 32.

"There's Gail!" I said as she spotted us and quick pulled into Eagle Square.

"Ha!" Kristie said, "I bet we caught her going to the casino!"

Sure enough. As Gail rolled her window down, she smirked and confessed that she didn't want us to know that she was going to the casino.

"Mom. I don't give you grief over it, like the boys do. You don't drink or smoke. What's wrong with gambling once in awhile. You enjoy it, so who cares?"

Gail agreed, rolled up her window, and turned around.

"I don't care what Gail says . . . this is going on my blog!" I said.

With that, we both headed north - us to Kmart and Gail to the casino.

But in typical Guilda fashion, the story doesn't end there.

After Kmart, we decided to swing in and get some food at McDonald's. As were were in the drive thru, I got a text from Gail wondering where we were.

I told her and as soon as we pulled into the Kmart parking lot to eat, Gail pulled right up next to us. She ran into McDonald's to get some food and came back out and hopped in to eat with us.

"Here ya go," she said, handing/tossing $40 to Kristie.

"Mom, I don't want this."

"Oh take it," Gail said, her voice hardening the way my grandmother's did when she wanted to pay for dinner when she went out with my parents. "I won $80 at the casino. I left when I was ahead, so I want you to have half. Take it!"

And it just doesn't get any more like Kristie's mother than that! Of course, she told us about her usual gambling partner, Pat, who apparently felt the desire to gamble so much that she drove to the casino at 6 am! And Pat was still going strong when Gail walked in at noon!

I'm glad Gail has the power and good sense to walk away when she wins. In fact, I wish more people to gamble - and enjoy it - the way Gail does.