For the first hour Bob gave me a very hard time, he is an ex policeman, and I could feel the control of the meeting was slipping way from me. He was firing questions left right and centre and making me feel like a naughty boy asking for a five penny mix. I knew my answers were not good and found myself getting annoyed, probably more with myself.
Bob asked me some questions on recent changes to the Gaming Act which I did not answer very well. He also told me that the Gaming Board had decided that they were going to make no allowances for DTD, even though we're just a poker club, we would have to operate with all of the regulations of a normal casino, and there was going to be no compromise. I could now feel myself getting very close to breaking point and final lost my self control when he told me that the Gaming Board would even want a "reserve" (casinos have to leave an amount of cash with the Gaming Board based on their maximum payouts on their gaming table).
Before I realised what I was doing, I closed my note pad dramatically and went on a "disjointed rant". I raised my voice and told Bob what I thought of his interogation tactics, how I didn't like his questions and how I am sick of jumping through hoops for them, lets go to court then, did he know that these regulations cost £450k per annum etc etc blah blah blah ( I think you can tell from my previous posts that I was getting a touch frustrated with all of this red tape).
I then stood up and said "I need a break from all this X" and went outside for a cigerette to try and compose myself, I felt I sure I had blew it, I have done this type of thing before, most recently, when I was in court for speeding, I told the Magistrates to "ban me for the maximum" and "fine me enough so they get ther bonus". This sort of behavior lets me down time and time again but I just can't help it. I've even lost very luctrative business contracts with this attitude, rather than "play the game", its a flaw in my personality.
To my surprise, Bob joined me outside and tried to calm me down, he seemed genuinley concerned that I would withdraw my application and do the Club anyway. It suddenly dawned on me that The Gaming Board might need me almost as much as I needed them, the last think they wanted was another Gutshot situation, they were just breaking my balls cause thats what they can do, it was nothing personal.
We then returned to the meeting room and the whole mood of the meeting had changed. It was nice, friendly and contructive. Bob told me that my application was the most favourable that he was handling, that "I had gone too far to go back now", and he would support me as much he could. He even said he would be recommending to the powers that be that DTD be granted the licence. So, ironically, its looking very positive now on the gaming licence, despite my unprofessional tantrum, although if someone who I employed had conducted an important meeting like I just have, I would be very unhappy with them.
I met with the DTD team in my new pub, The Broxtowe, for our Monday meeting. To my surprise, I found Bob and Fay already in my pub having a drink and a bite to eat! After cracking the obvious joke about conflict of interest I made a hasty retreat into the corner before I did any more damage. I've pushed my luck enough today with the Gaming Board.
I can now confirm the appointment of DTD's second Card Room Manager. It is Daniel Bell, AKA "Yogi Bear", who is the Card Room manager at Blackpool Grovesnor. Yogi will be commencing emplyment with DTD on September 1st and will be working with Nightfly and Darren on the set up of the Club. I think this will be a very popular decision amonst the players who have attended the Festivals at Blackpool over the year. Yogi will be moving to sunny Nottingham very shortly, after he takes a 4 week break to spend with his family. He has agreed to lose the goatee beard for DTD.
