are the gambling casinos open on thanksgiving

I’ll skip lunch, watch football, get bored, go upstairs to lie down, watch some more football. That’s when I’ll go down into the belly of the whale-the nearly empty casino-to spend the morning drinking coffee and playing low-stakes blackjack. On Thursday, the tradition of solitary re-alliance continues. Then I’ll eat a pot gummy, dick around with some dice, and go to the sports book to bet Thursday’s football games before heading upstairs to take a long bath and maybe watch a movie. I’ll spend this afternoon playing poker before grabbing dinner, where I’ll slowly and gloriously read the newspaper over my only holiday drink, probably something unlike me-something festive and dopey, with spices, like a hot toddy. The thing is, on Wednesday before Thanksgiving, I’ll get up early, take a look at the weather, throw a bag in the car, buy some coffee, then drive across the state to a casino I like, where weeks ago I rented a fairly pricey room in the hotel tower with a nice view of Adirondack foothills. In turn, I gave my brother, Pete, a bullshit story about how I was going to see my long-lost college teacher for the holiday.

A day later, Jim called and I told him I was going to eat with my brother in Albany. Last week, I turned down a Thanksgiving dinner invitation from my oldest friend, Tracey, telling her that I was going to Jim and Jeanine’s house for football and supper. I should relate, however briefly, the sloppy daisy chain of my holiday untruths. I begged out of every kind invitation to Thanksgiving dinner that came my way.

In the last two weeks, I’ve lied to everyone who even casually inquired what I was up to for the holiday.

Are the gambling casinos open on thanksgiving