The Liver is Evil or Noise Bright Lights and Nervous Dogs

By Royal Hopper

“The liver is evil,“ read the saying on the T-shirt of a man sitting at gaming table with a drink in his hand.. . .

“The liver is evil,” the T-shirt said. “It must be punished.”

Shortly after that a woman skipped across the floor of a local casino with a beer in each hand.

On the 4th of July People drank, gambled, swore and had rendezvous with people they did not know sometimes got into fights. In other words it was a lot like any weekend in the City of Sin. It was business as usual.

There is no city in world that has a more casual attitude to the juice of fermented fruit and grain as the City of Sin and no more fans louder about stating their love of the chemical known as ethanol.

I once had a conversation with a man who had a drink in each hand. He stepped up to me with an intense and questioning look on his face forming a question in his mind. As is proper in the modern customer service oriented business environment in the City of Sin I asked.. “My name is Royal. How can I help you?”

The man who was wearing an oddly mismatched collection of clothing including what I hope was his wife’s tiara and his sons cartoon T Shirt ( Big Bird I think) looked at me with an intensity difficult to describe.

“I.m sorry I didn’t catch your name,” I asked fully prepared for the classic junior high comeback ..”That’s because I didn’t throw it.”

Instead the man waved his finger a bit at me and then shook his head in triumph as if he had scored some big points in the debate he was certain we were having.

“I have to go. If there is something I can do just let me know. Have a good man ..good luck,” I said being as helpful as his limited conversation would allow.

“All right then,” he muttered shaking his head in triumph at the debate that had apparently occurred in his head. A few minutes later the man was seen a drink in each hand staring at another guest who looked over at me and shrugged.

I shrugged back and smiled in the universal Sin City sign language for “I don’t know.. . .tourist Bro’”

I have three dogs..One is called Reddy. Reddy hates holiday fireworks so much so much she jumped in the shower while it was running to escape the noise she hates and fears.

She is a lovable, slightly neurotic Emo red head mess. Because she has a circle of black fur around her eyes we call her our little Goth Dog. Every noise _ every stranger makes her bark and when the firework for this July 4th. She actually jumped in the shower when it was running as my wife was showering before work She refused to lave the safety of the shower. Kuma is a dopy, happy American Bull Dog we saved from a local shelter. She is afraid of nothing and utterly clueless about the dangers around her.

In the dog world Kuma is the winner because she is too clueless to be worried. Reddy is adorable and loving pet but she is a mess in the dog world. In the City of Sin Reddy is a survivor because she notices everything and warns it away.

In a way July 4 is the perfect holiday for the City of Sin. Bright colors loud noises and lots of alcohol. Now that this year’s Fourth is fading from the alcohol laden minds of a City known for its short memory. Not a damn thing has changed.

It just life in the City of Sin Bro’ every day
I hope you had a glorious or serene July 4th whatever suits your inner Sin,,,,, Sinner.

Take care Sinners