Chicken A La King Page Two

Tony came around the corner, looking dark and moody.
“Okay ladies, enough chit chat, now get to work. Ali you cover section seven and eight by the $1.00 machines. Brittany gets on section fourteen over by the craps tables.”
They scattered and Ali scouted her section of the casino. She began her rounds.
“Cocktails, cocktails”...
Ali made her rounds serving cocktails to anxious slot players. As she handed out white wine and Bloody Marys her thoughts turned back to Iowa and to Chet. She remembered lying with Chet in the barn, him stroking her hair, telling her she was the most beautiful woman on earth. Oh, he had adored her so. She felt bad now, bad for leaving him. Sometimes she wondered if she had made the biggest mistake of her life not marrying him and having his babies.
Across the hotel the crowd broke into a huge applause as Scott wrapped up his show with “Jailhouse Rock”.
“The warden threw a party in the county jail.... The prison band was there and they began to wail...The band was jumping and the joint began to swing...You should’ve heard those knocked out jailbirds sing. Let’s rock everybody, let’s rock.... Everybody in the whole cell block...Was dancing’ to the jailhouse rock.”
It was a number that always got the crowd rocking and he liked to end his set on a high note. A white haired fan came up with a pad to get an autograph. She hugged him tightly. He flashed his Elvis smile at her.
“Well, hello darling...”“
“Oh you were so wonderful!” The fan gushed.
“Why thank you, and who should I make this out to?”
“Wendy”...
“Where are you from honey?”
“Buffalo”.
He scribbled on the pad: “To Wendy. Love Elvis.”
慔ere you go Wendy, and stop by the front to pick up my CD, its a great one and I think you will really enjoy it back in Buffalo.” “I will, I love you Elvis!”
And so, one after one they lined up for autographs and to purchase CD’s. Scott thrived on the attention and prided himself on being one of the best impersonators in Vegas. He was twenty-nine, and would be thirty, in two weeks. The crowd slowly drifted away and he wandered into the casino.
Ali was serving drinks to two gentlemen. One wore a black cowboy hat with jeans and boots and one a gray business suit. She balanced the beers on her tray. The man in the black cowboy hat threw a twenty-five dollar chip on her tray.
“Thanks”, she said.
He looked her up and down staring at her long legs and her breasts. He grabbed her arm.
“Ill make that three hundred. I’m staying here at the hotel, room 2036...If you want to come up and party with me later...
“No, I...Uh...Thanks anyway.”
Suddenly Scott appeared from around a slot machine, his white cape trimmed with gold sequins swinging wildly behind him. His expression was intense. He moved the man’s hand off her arm.
“You ain’t nothin’ but a hound dog, cryin’ all the time, you ain’t nothing but a hound dog, crying’ all the time...She’s with me buddy.”
The man backed off her. Ali smiled at Scott gratefully and the two men walked away.
“Thanks...I didn’t know what to do. I hate to be rude to a customer but....”
“That guy was a jerk. Believe me, I know the type”
“Well, you saved me, thanks.”
“Ah hell, it was nothing. I noticed you walking in tonight.”
“Yeah, I saw you doing your show. You’re really good”
“ God Bless you Ma’am! Are you new here?”
“Yes, I started last week.”
“My name is Scott, nice to meet you”.
“I’m Ali”.
” So, when’s your shift over?”
“Twelve.”
“Care for a shake later?”
“Sure”.
“See you at twelve”.
He disappeared around the corner and Ali had an eerie feeling that this was the start of something big in her life. She finished up her shift and got ready to leave. Tony Fratelli was watching her cash out.
“Have a good night Cookie?” “Yes, I made two hundred and fifty dollars”.
She held up a stack of cash for him to see.
“You’ll be doubling that once you learn the ropes kiddo. You have to learn how to work the customers.”
“Thanks - goodnight”.
“Hey, not so fast...Care to have a drink at the bar on me?”
“No thanks, I have to go.... Goodnight”.
“Sure, maybe some other time.”
Tony watched her walk away. She sure was a looker; he’d have to keep his eyes on her.