Forty Dollars A Gallon

Everyone knows Las Vegas is expensive. All you have to do is walk through The Forum Shops at Caesar's Palace, The Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian or The Wynn Esplanade at Vegas' newest resort, Wynn Las Vegas.

All of the shops are an absolute delight for the eye, but not so delightful on the pocketbook; unless of course you are Steve Wynn.

All this considered, my recent experience buying a beverage still left me flabbergasted. No doubt I expected to pay a little more, but I didn't think I'd have to go to the ATM to complete the transaction.

Standing undecided at the concession counter before the show, I was thinking Eh, I'll just get some Fiji water. I love the square bottle, I've had enough soda for the day and it's only four bucks. Good deal.

But then the person ahead of me ordered a tall, icy cold soda and I said to myself, Well, maybe I'll have a Diet Coke. It looks refreshing. Who says "refreshing" in their thoughts?? Me, that's who.

So I slide up to the counter, point to the last guys drink and and say to Alex behind the counter, "I'll have one of those. Diet, please."

He pours my Diet Coke and says "$10.61, please."

"What??"

"$10.61"

"For Diet Coke??"

Smiling, he answers, "Yes."

"Are you people crazy?? Ten dollars? Holy crap." I say jokingly, knowing that it's not Alex setting the ridiculous prices. Since he probably makes seven dollars an hour, he's feeling my pain albeit I'm sure a tad amused that I'm actually forking over ten dollars for a 32 ounce cup of soda.

"You get free refills anywhere in the casino." he tells me.

"Free refills, huh? Well, I'm coming back after the show and I'm taking all of you around the casino so we can make use of the huge cup and the refills." He chuckles and slides my cup towards me.

"Can I have a lid please?" I ask.

"We don't have any lids."

"You're kidding, right? Ten dollars and you don't have any lids?"

"Nope, sorry."

"Ten. Dollars." I say again, in disbelief.

Trying to soothe me, he says brightly, "It's a collector's edition cup."

"It's plastic." I retort.

"Yeah, but it says Bellagio on it."

We laugh together as I walk off, both of us knowing that the cup could be signed in blood by Jesus freakin' Christ and it wouldn't be worth TEN dollars.

That's forty dollars a gallon for all you mathmeticians out there.

These people are making more money on sugar water than OPEC makes on oil.