The Silence of Noise

I've gone to and through Las Vegas for decades.

In years past, stopping at Casinos meant inexpensive breakfasts (no more), smokey floor space (still there) and what I thought was a pleasantly orchestrated symphony of sounds: one armed bandits ringing not-too-loudly, the confident bristled swish of a young cocktail waitress' uniform in motion & in tandem with her high-heeled clicky-clack strides. Hushed 'ah-hhass' of winners counter-positioned by the regular 'oh no' of not a few losing betters.

Half-empty Gin glasses professionally watered down by equally-professional & listening, bar-counselors. "Hmmm, uh huh...ya, she shouldn't have done that to you, buddy" they seem to sing-say as a refrain, patron after patron. Stanza after stanza.

And now?

All that I saw/heard/experienced on this brief Vegas trip was "The Silence of Noise".

The dull, bass vaccuumous sounds of noisey silence in the Casinos. No interactions among large regiments of people, just rushed and hushed sounds of small squads - almost a cacaphony of un-quiet soldiers. All marching to and from what our culture tells us is "fun".

Maybe it was ALWAYS that way, decades ago, when I was younger. It could be that I was simply one of those "same-people" equating what I thought was a symphony of sound as though it truly was "fun".

This visit, all I heard was the silence of noise. I wonder why?

Den