Nothing pisses me off more than inconsistency. It's not so much change that bugs me, but random, inconsistent, nonsensical change.

Wasted trips, too, and that's what I got tonight. My wife was in a rare mood where she actually encouraged me to head out to a strip club for some time to myself. I had briefly mentioned Larry's Villa (in North Las Vegas) in my writeup about the Luxor hotel/casino, but I've removed that reference now as this place no longer deserves a favorable review.

The place has ads all over the city cheerfully exclaiming "no cover charge! No drink minimums!" On two prior visits to the out-of-the-way place, I had verified this was true. The thug at the door doesn't expect any money, and the waitress making her rounds only asks you once if you'd like something, and if you said "no," she left you alone.

Well, not tonight. I showed up, and the bouncer let me in without cover. So far so good. I even went to the bar and got some change. Handed the bartender a $10. She handed back a $5 and five $1 bills. I was impressed -- they weren't being presumptuous in expecting me to tip even ten bucks (understand, this is a cheap place; they didn't seem to be interested in bilking customers out of their money) in singles.

My world was at peace right up until the damned waitress walked up. She offered a drink, and I politely declined. Again, business as usual. This time, though, her reply was "well, you'll need to order something, even if it's just a water." Why, hello, drink minimum!

I did the only thing an intelligent, easily annoyed person could do. I walked out of the place without spending a dime. Didn't even see a single bare breast -- the dancer on stage was on her first song, and hadn't taken off her top yet.

Fucking dammit. It's too late in the day now to do anything else, either. It's not even worth trying to find another cheap(ish) club.

Lest I come off as a tightwad, first, I'll say "yes, I am a tightwad." But second, it wasn't the cost that bugged me, really. It's the dishonesty and inconsistency. This is now the second Vegas strip club that's spontaneously changed its mind about cover charges and drink minimums; Striptease used to be free as well (with pushy, but non-insistent waitresses). But when my wife and I showed up one night dressed nicely, suddenly they wanted $10 per person and a one drink minimum; we refused and left there, too). It's just not right to tell me "oh yeah, it's free, c'mon in!" then change your mind once I'm in the place. Bait-and-switch just doesn't work with me.