Freeport, Bahamas, 1971

Ron finished his evening meal and enjoyed the sunset from his window. He lived on the sixth floor of a beach front apartment building. It was time to get ready for work. His routine never varied; First came a shower, followed by a close shave, and then he slowly blow-dried his hair. It had to be perfect. He teased every strand until it was in place, but after thirty minutes he was still not satisfied with his appearance; even though to everyone else he always looked immaculate.

Ron was tall, very handsome and spoke with a rich English accent. He carefully hand pressed his tuxedo shirt, because neither the dry cleaners, nor his domestic did an acceptable job. Next came a tedious task; the bow tie. However, that night went well and he was almost content with the results after re-tying it twenty times. It was now seven thirty on the mark as he brushed down his midnight blue tuxedo. He was about ready to leave for work; All that remained was to slip on gold cuff-links, signet ring and a Piaget wrist watch.

Ron worked as a casino croupier or dealer as they are known in the States, in El Casino in the town of Freeport on Grand Bahama island. The mafia opened El Casino after Fidel Castro had forced them to abandon their Cuban hotels and casinos originally backed by Batista, the deposed dictator. They could make no such deal with Castro who wanted nothing to do with hoodlums, especially from the United States. Not daunted, they convinced a corrupt Bahamian government to partner their enterprises.

Casino management, pit-bosses and supervisors were brought in from Las Vegas and the abandoned hotels in Cuba, and the dealers from the United Kingdom, an artful touch as the Bahamas was still a crown colony of England at the time. That decision had underlying objectives; it gave a certain legitimacy to the casino and kept locals from working there. It was the mid sixties when the Bahamas casinos were first opened, a time when there was much racial tension in the States, and as the target customer was affluent white Americans it was decided not to have the locals, many of African descent, involved with the operation in any way.

In fact, Bahamanians were not allowed in their own casinos. There was also a men only policy. Women were hired as cocktail waitresses and revue dancers, but not as casino dealers. The dealers were trained in London by mafia casino lieutenants, and many Brits jumped at the chance to earn plenty of money and live on these tax-free islands.