I was hired by two of my favorite BP’s, Harold N. and Dr. C., to play in Las Vegas. Harold was a junket operator from Florida and Dr. C. was a psychiatrist from Florida. They had previously studied blackjack with me, and they had rigorous training as BP’s. Both had excellent cover because Harold was well known to the casinos as a great junketeer and Dr. C. was well known as a high-stakes player, who in the past did not have a record as a big winner.

Harold booked a junket to Santo Domingo and Dr. C. went as part of the junket as a customer. I went on a different flight since we did not want the casinos to "put us together".

We previously had planned our meeting in Santo Domingo at a restaurant called "Vesuvius" which was on the main strip of town. We made our plans and prepared a two-day playing schedule. The strategy was ideal because I had two BP’s to work with so that if one BP left the table, I could call in the other. We decided to play in the evening using the above strategy.

I went to the casino, and as we planned, Harold would be the first BP. Dr. C would be at a nearby table playing for small stakes and waiting for my signal to enter the game either along with Harold , or after my signaling Harold to leave the table. After approximately an hour and a half with Harold and then (calling in) Dr. C. as BPs, I decided that it was time to have one of them stop for that session. I signaled Harold to leave so that Dr. C would now be the lone BP.

I waited until the shoe was favorable and signaled Dr. C to enter the game. We got about six favorable counts and then it went negative; therefore, I signaled Dr. C. to leave, which he promptly did. I stayed and waited for the shoe to become favorable again. However, I had to wait awhile because it was time for the dealer to shuffle up.

After 3 to 3.5 decks were played, the count became very negative and I decided to use the restroom and return as soon as the dealer shuffled up a new shoe. I had saved my seat so as not to lose my place in the event other people wanted to play. However, I was not worried of losing my seat because it was a $100 minimum table and not too many people played for those minimums in those days.

After my rest room break, I watched the cards and kept the count from a nearby table and when it was about to turn positive I returned to the table. I took my seat and after two rounds the deck became positive enough for a top bet. I decided to signal Dr. C. to join the table and start firing away with big bets because I knew that the casino would have no idea what was happening since Dr. C. was not near the table. I assumed Dr. C. was watching me and awaiting my signal, therefore, I gave him the signal to return and after a round of cards where the count was favorable, he never appear. The count was still favorable and still no Dr. C. The count finally went negative and, surprisingly, here comes Dr. C., but instead of him coming to the table, he passes right by the table. I did not know what was going on so I continued to play.

The shoe ended and the dealer shuffled up and I started counting again and hoping that Dr. C. would see my signal to join the table when the count became positive. In the middle of the shoe, here comes Dr. C. walking right by the table as if he was lost. I couldn’t say anything as we were not supposed to know each other.

The shoe stayed negative and I breathed a sigh of relief that Dr. C. did not enter. I still couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him but I decided to play one more shoe anyway. Well, the shoe turned favorable and I gave him the signal again to enter the game. To my astonishment here comes Harold (not Dr. C.) to the table and enter the game. Coincidentally, Harold had been walking through the casino and saw me give a signal for a BP to come to the table, and since he did not see Dr. C, he decided that he just as well play. Fortunately, it was a good shoe until almost the end so I signaled Harold that we were ending the session.

We met that evening for dinner and I asked Dr. C. why he didn’t enter the game on my signal. He explained that he has only 60% eyesight and he "could not find the table". Both Harold and I almost choked from laughter and we decided that we would use another way to signal Dr. C. to enter a game. He said that he finally saw Harold at the table but did not want to come to the table and bet what Harold was betting. I explained that it would have been perfectly fine because he had not been at the table for almost three shoes.

The moral of this story is that I know now what it is like to have Mr. Magoo as a BP.