I woke up to the captain's voice from the cockpit, on Alaska Airlines, instructing the cabin crew to prepare the aircraft for arrival at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. It was more than a day's journey for me, from Kochi, and I could barely keep myself awake. My neck was paining badly. Perhaps, I did not use the headrest properly. I bobbled my head in all directions for relief. Seated next to me was a couple, maybe in their late 70s.
"Can I help you with more space? I can ask my husband to move to the next row."
“No, I am fine," I said. "It's the travel."
During our conversation, she introduced herself to me as Michelle.
"Michelle? You must be a Democrat supporter?" I giggled.
"No, since he's Ben," she laughed pointing at her husband.
She was a Trump admirer. Though she could not bear his speeches, she believed Trump must be elected as president to stop terrorism. “Only he can improve the economy and bring more jobs in the US. But then, the win is doubtful.” Ben, who was occupied with his iPad until then, laughed. "You aren’t going to change," he said.
Only a fortnight was left before the elections when I reached the US, and I was curious to learn more about the spirit of US presidential elections in Las Vegas.
"You don't believe him [Trump], do you?" I asked Ben.
"He or she—it's not going to make a difference," an apolitical Ben replied. "And you are in Vegas; Vegas is different from rest of the world. Not Trump, nor Hillary, the King rules here."
"King, who?"
"Elvis Presley, I'm sure you've heard of him" he said, and after a pause he started humming:
"Bright light city gonna set my soul
Gonna set my soul on fire
Got a whole lot of money that's ready to burn,
So get those stakes up higher
There's a thousand pretty women waitin' out there
And they're all livin' devil may care
And I'm just the devil with love to spare Viva Las Vegas".
"That's Vegas," he said
Though political gambling has been banned in the US, prediction markets have been exempted. This is since the government believes it produces valuable data for researchers. PredictIt, a prediction market, features around 200 questions and lets you buy and trade shares. I wanted to visit one. I though Ben could help. I asked him.
"I'm not sure. In Vegas, we spend only on Black Jack and alcohol. I don't mind losing money over Roulette either. But not on political bets." He suggested a few places where I could find political betting. He warned: "Not all places are safe; In Vegas, you have to be on your own guard."
When I boarded my return flight three days later, I was indeed delighted that I did not let Presley turn in the grave. And since what happens in Vegas must stay in Vegas...[abrupt end]
