The Christmas season can be a tough time to work at a casino. In 1997, I was working as a bartender at the "fabulous" Trump Marina, from 12 a.m. to 8 a.m. They put me in a casino service bar making drinks for cocktail waitresses to serve on the casino floor. On December 25th 1997, the casino was deserted, Christmas music echoed around the air, and the cocktail waitresses would go out to get orders, come back and maybe I would make a drink or two.
Working the "grave" shift was challenging in the best of times, because your sleep patterns are disrupted, and it seems like you never know when to eat. Your mind is constantly in a fog, so when you add the holiday's to the mix, and think about the parties and family gatherings you're missing out on, it can weigh heavily on you.
Around 4 a.m. I was incredibly bored and tired, and decided to take a walk to "stretch my legs". I walked up the short hallway to the exit door, and as soon as I stepped out, I walked right into a gentleman. As I stepped back to gather myself and apologize, I realized I had bumped into none other than the one and only Donald Trump.
Not knowing what to say, I just said, "Merry Christmas Mr. Trump". He responded with "Merry Christmas ". And then headed towards the hotel lobby with another gentleman that I later learned was his bodyguard.
I rushed back into the service bar and told everyone I had just walked into Donald Trump. At first no one wanted to believe me, but I took them out into the hallway where you could see the future President at the very end. We spent the next few hours trying to figure out what he was doing in Atlantic City on Christmas morning - but I guess we will never know.
Anyway, that's how I came to say "Merry Christmas " to President Donald J . Trump.
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