Opening The Vault: Part Thirty Two

When a relationship isn’t working, it feels like conflict looms around every corner -- like each moment is a ticking time bomb. My fifth visit to see California-based beau Mark (a.k.a Sparky) had us both on edge and unable to halt the growing tension between us.

A trip to Vegas only made things worse, as we found ourselves disagreeing on many things, including how to spend our vacation time. I now Open The Vault and take you back to the summer of 1995...

June 6, 1995
Las Vegas, NV

Dear Diary,

Today started with me heading to the Mirage Spa while Sparky went to the casino. When I joined him, he continued playing the slots for two hours.

Even though I was hungry and eager to get to the pool, I reached deep inside myself to remain in good spirits. I figured by accommodating Sparky, the rest of the afternoon would be oriented toward what I wanted to do.

Over lunch, he made me believe this himself when he mentioned all of the different places we could go to. I said that all I wanted to do was spend time with him by the pool.

The Mirage Hotel’s pool complex: Mark and I saw little of this during our ill-fated trip to Vegas (photo courtesy: Johnny Jet)

It wasn’t a great meal. Mark spent most of it talking about his experiences with other women, saying I’m the only one he’s dated more than once.

After lunch, Mark said he would meet me in the room in an hour and left me standing in the lobby. I was dumbfounded. Hadn’t we just agreed to spend the day together?

Needing a change of scenery, I left the hotel and went to a mall. I was so hurt, so overwhelmed with sadness and anger. Suddenly, breaking up with Mark seemed like the only recourse I had.

I walked back to the Mirage expecting to find him waiting for me in our room. But as I was passing through the lobby, I heard him call out my name.

My heart stopped. He was still playing Blackjack, having obviously forgotten we’d agreed to meet upstairs.

Later, we went to see the pirate show at Treasure Island. I couldn’t really get into it despite Mark’s efforts to be affectionate. I suggested we go for a sunset stroll afterward, but he was adamant about going to the casino instead.

* * *

The worst of our Sin City debacle was still to come. As fate would have it, though, it was something beyond Mark’s control that pushed me to finally make the decision I had been wrestling with for months.