How Sid Got a Free Ride in Vegas
December 20, 2006

Sid, my 87-year-old accountant, told me a great story yesterday.

About 30 years ago, he was in Las Vegas on vacation. He became friendly with some local guys he was playing craps with. They invited him to play golf the next day. At the third tee, they were joined by an older guy that Sid's new friends seemed to know. He suggested they play for money. Sid was reluctant but agreed. The stakes were something like $10 and $20 a hole.

The older guy and Sid were paired up. "We got along real good," Sid said. "We had a lot in common. One thing that was different, though, was our game. I was a pretty fair golfer at the time, but this guy - he had introduced himself as Carl - well, he was a klutz. By the end of the game, he owed me a hundred and fifty bucks."

After the game, Carl handed Sid the money he owed him. "I wouldn't take his money," Sid said. "I mean, it was no contest."

Turns out that Carl was Carl Cohen, the general manager of the Sands, one of the biggest casinos in Vegas at the time. "From now on," he told Sid, "whenever you come to Vegas, I want you to be a guest in my casino. All you have to do is mention my name and everything will be taken care of."

The next time Sid planned to go to Vegas, he phoned the Sands. The reservations manager told him that Mr. Cohen had given her his name, and that she would arrange accommodations for him.

"We had a suite overlooking the pool like you wouldn't believe," Sid said. "And until Carl died a few years ago, every time I went to Vegas I had a beautiful suite for free. Even when my daughter went with her family, Carl took care of everything."

I was really taken by this story and wanted to pass it along to my ETR readers. But first I wanted to come up with a practical lesson to draw from it. Nothing immediately came to mind - but maybe this is it ...

Sid had done a little thing. He'd made a small, impulsive gesture of kindness. It wasn't the money that was the issue (Carl Cohen certainly wouldn't have missed it, nor did Sid need it) but the acknowledgement by Sid that the good feelings that were kindled during the game had value to him.

Sid's gesture meant something like: "If you will let me, I'd like to treat you like the friend I'd like to be rather than the acquaintance I am right now."

Read this post in Early To Rise

posted by M. Masterson @ 4:57 PM,

16 Comments:

At 12:53 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

And yet, if unbeknownst to Sid, Carl had any connection whatsoever to "organized crime" or anything related to any stocks he owned, any company he was associated or worked for, or heaven knows what else, he may very well be in the same position as Julie Roehm! Suddenly a gesture is a Congressional investigation...

 
At 7:27 AM, Blogger World-Online said...

Michael Masterson sura has the
Gift of Writing and getting the
Message across....

I have just read the attention
grabbing narration of Sid and Carl Cohen. The lesson is as plain as Daylight. Place good old fashioned
Freindship first without overdoing it and the positive outcome will
follow... or to put it another way,
put into daily practice the little known law of abundance...what goes round comes around... avoid going around with Dollar signs in your eyes..a big switch off..
Follow Sid's example daily and you
just can't go wrong...trust me.

A simple rule of life...given centuries ago..." Love thy Neighbour"

Francis Kuhn
(Editor)
www.climatecrises.blogspot.com

 
At 8:02 AM, Blogger whirlygig said...

It is a beautiful thing.

I was playing the other side of the issue while I read the story. What if the old guy was a 2-under-par golfer? Would he have forgiven Sid's gambling debt as graciously?

Just a thought...

 
At 9:18 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey, how about "What you sow, that is what you will reap" The universal Laws of God dictate this - it may not come in the way you wish, but it WILL come!!

 
At 10:36 AM, Anonymous Dave Kaminski said...

To whirlygig: I'd say it makes no serious difference what Carl would have done in this difference, as you only have control over your own actions.


People pose these questions @ me all the time. I say this question would be thwarting your efforts to 'love thy neighbor' so to say, as you may be looking at it as a reciprocal process. Instead, you can take away from it the fact that you impacted their day in a positive way, which isn't always an easy thing to do!

 
At 10:58 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Kindness does not seek anything except the satisfaction that one has expressed caring and generosity to another human being.

It does not say "what if;" it does not contain doubt; it is heartfelt, not a mind set; it does not have any judgment or opinion or paranoia. It's just plain good and healthy for any of us who give and receive it.

 
At 11:31 AM, Anonymous Howard Bernstein said...

In response to the first comment, this speaks volumes about how low partisan politics has sunk and nothing about the goodwill that's created when one does a good turn for another human being, whatever their background or profession.

 
At 12:27 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I might disagree . . . .
I am sure one could find stories of similar stories wherein one got burned by his benevolent gestures.
The panhandler who you give money to gets picked up by a mercedes.
The friend who you go out of your way for and who does not return the favor.
Maybe we should make a distinction or extrapolate on this point.

 
At 12:32 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Many years ago, for my graduation from nursing school, a friend bought me my beautiful dress and gloves so I could look nice too. It was not something my family's budget could encompass.
Grateful, I asked her how I could ever repay her. "Pass it forward" was her response. I have been doing that ever since.
My friend, is so doing, instilled the value of always "looking forward" to helping anyone in any way necessary. She did not "have to" help me, she wanted to, just as I enjoy and want to.
Sid did not "have to" he wanted to and with his one simple gesture, he was blessed over and over again and I am sure that he also has "passed it forward" many times.
When we give with joy and without expectation of return, the blessings come back to us, over and over again.
Greta Farina

 
At 1:16 PM, Blogger Jim said...

Your story celebrates the very definition of integrity, and what it is to be gracious, to be a gentleman among gentlemen. The quiet power and possibility that that ideal attains.

Thank you for a grand story and for taking the time to seek out the lesson, to witness the benefit and enjoy the simple beauty in polite and proper conduct.

 
At 3:58 PM, Blogger kcowan said...

Like many such anecdotes, this story has a lesson but not a universal truth. I have been very generous and fair repeatedly. When the recipient has tried to compensate, I have refused such gestures as well, encouraging them to "pay it forward" helping someone else who needs it more than I do. That is the legacy I want to leave.

Keith Cowan

 
At 7:13 PM, Anonymous Grant Pollet said...

I think this is a great story! I also believe that it is better to take the road of being kind and possibly unrewarded than missing out on amazing opportunities inspired by a person's goodwill!

You ALWAYS win when you invest in people. For example, Michael's ETR inspired me to transition from employee to self-employed entrepreneur, and I have gotten all my family to be regular ETR readers because of my appreciation.

Thanks,
Grant S. Pollet
www.ricotierrarealty.com

 
At 8:35 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think this story is a great illustration of just plain kindness on both sides of the transaction. It is an excellent example of how a kindness done repays itself many times over. Resolve in the New Year to see what kind of random act of kindness you can do for yourself or others. The blessings return tenfold. Happy New Year Michael!

Dale Masker
www.ourbestidea.com

 
At 4:23 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

A salesman "K" I know took himself out of a 4pounder car deal two days ago, when he could have middlemaned out the first salesman, who's on vacation, and took the turn, to give his half of the deal, to a younger salesman who did more work than 'K' did. Every other salesman berated him severely for being so 'stupid'. One man told him he took a gift from God and threw it back in God's face. I told him that he did not have to do that, God knows he didn't have to and did not require him to, but he did it because his heart is pure, he is honorable and has incredible integrity. I told him that I was proud to be his friend and that God will bless him 10 fold. But this was not his intent. People like this are a dying breed in todays society, it's inspiring and internally rewarding hearing these stories and being friends with someone like this!

 
At 8:39 AM, Anonymous Skip said...

You say that the salesman and Sid are of "a dying breed in today's society." Similar comments have been made at least since the Classical Greek times 3000 years ago. People like that have always been rare and have always been admired. I wonder why so few people actually follow their example. If they did, they would find that there is significant reward in the way you feel about yourself after such an act. Not superior or proud, but confident in your own worth.

 
At 4:46 PM, Anonymous Joe said...

Sid understands the value of friendship. A real class guy.

 

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