Beginner's Luck

It's my mom birthday yesterday...and I went to celebrate with the rest of the family at Rakuzen Japanese Restaurant in Subang Jaya. The place was great and value for money. Food was good and the high price was worth paying for their fresh and delicious authentic Japanese delicacies! But that is not what I wanna blog about today...

After dinner, the whole family went to Genting and I tagged along...overnight and the next morning, my parents brought me to the Casino. Yes...I know...I'm not exactly 21 years old yet. But the guards just let me in without taking a second glance. *Wait a minute....Does that mean I look OLD!!!!*

Anyway....I have always wondered what is in there that makes my parents, expecially my dad, to NOT come out and even played for more than 24 hours continuously! Today, I finally knew....the casino, i would say.....looked more like an adult version of archade centre. Slot machines were E-V-E-R-Y-W-H-E-R-E! There were all sorts! Some, the classic ones; others with pictures of farm animals; one even had Prince of Persia in it; and everything was electronic. And honestly, they look EXACTLY like those found in the indoor theme park for kids to play! The only difference is that, these machines vomits out cash instead of tickets. And tables with all sort of gambling 'games' imaginable were at the sides of the humongous hall.

But I despise it as much as I despise gambling. I think it's just a waste of time, energy and hard earn money! It's my first time here and my mom brought me around. She even withdraw RM200 for me to warm up! I was like...."What? No need lah...I'm not good in all these anyway."

But she insisted that I should try and when up to a slot machine with chickens in it. My mom claimed that this is her favourite type of machine as the music is very relaxing and the chickens are very cute. Immediately I went --> -_-"

Anyway, she inserted her card then a hundred bucks. Started off quite lucky as we managed to get 35 free spins and money keeps cashing in! But after that you watch your credit going RM 150....RM100....RM86....RM50....RM31.....RM10.....and finally RM0.14!!! And it happened in just 15 minutes!

I was like "WHAT??! So fast lose all already ha?" and asked my mom to leave this money-sucking-place (I told you I despise casinos). But she ignored me and inserted another RM100 note.

"MOM!!!", I hissed.

"Shhhh....one more round", she replied.

And mom and I end up alternatingly pressing the little flashing "money draining" button. In just 5 minutes, after losing bout RM20...the whole slot machine got jammed!

Lights stopped blinking and so did my eyes! I went WTF?!

Then at a very small screen on top it shows something that I thought was a contest advertisement.

"Congratulations! You have won a CAR!"

I poked my mom and pointed at the screen.

"Mom....I think we have won a car."

"I think so too, son. But let's not be too excited and confirm with the officers around"

We called one over and she was more excited than us. She went like "WOW! You've won a car! You're damn lucky lah! Stay here...don't move and I go call my manager"

And within minutes everyone at the side of us came and looked what was all the excitement about. Strangers congratulated us and talked to us like old friends.

Procedures took more than an hour....one after another, officers...then supervisors...then managers....then head of manager came over to confirm. And we were on a call marathon, receiving calls from relatives and making to others who "still doesn't know". I know...i know....why brag right? Well....when you are an auntie....you can't help but do so.

The Genting management prepared the stage, set up mics and called the head manager. For an hour we waited for them to get ready...then when it is about time to go on stage...my mom went to toilet and they waited and searched high and low for my mom! Haha...it was a funny scene.

For more than 20 years we've lived in this world and probably you would have guessed, there's nothing like a free lunch, what more a free CAR? At every contest there will be "terms and conditions applied" printed at the very bottom of it, so does this.

It seems that there are 2 cars available. One is the latest model of Nissan Sylphy 2.0L CVTC costing RM129,000 while the other is the cheaper, smaller RM66,000 Korean SMART car which I think is a hybrid.

Left to right: Nissan Sylphy and Korean SMART (looks something like that lah)

My mom was told to pick and match cards depicting the respective cars. She was told to choose 5 cards out of 10 and the most card that matches would be the car she won! How sly can Genting be! I mean....come on lah. OBVIOUSLY there would be more cards for Korean SMART than Nissan right? Which organiser would want to give away their more expensive prize?

My mom choose card number 3,1,7,8 (It's my birthdate, 31/7/88). At first, she got an even vote for each. 1 for Nissan and 1 for SMART. Then, God probably must have helped her or was it my beginner's luck, that the next 2 cards were ALSO Nissan! And you would have imagined the excitement in the casino. Everyone cheered and clapped! The emcee asked my mom what would she do to the car.

And she replied "Well....I was just talking about buying a car for my son. And now I've got one. So, son....this goes to you!"

*Sob* Touched, huh? Yeah...me too.

...........@@@...........

But I am not keeping the car. It's very grand, i know but it's very expensive to maintain. The insurance alone costs RM5000 plus every year. Besides, it's such a big car and my family doesn't need such a big one. Moreover, considering its 2000 CC engine, the monthly expenses for petrol would probably kill you. I think it's a bit too much for my family to bear considering there are already 3 cars at home now. So, we would be selling it. :) Any potential buyers out there? Do contact me k!

PS: There's no photos (except for the 2 car models taken from the Net) uploaded this time as I've got everything in my camera and I forgot to bring my smartcard reader. Will do so the next time! Photos of the new 'temporary' car and my mom on stage in Genting casino. Cheers!