[that_pope]

So this incident happened yesterday, and I had a quick and easy solution, but was that the best thing to do?

I have been playing in the main game of a 20/40 game at Casino AZ, and am going to take a walk, since I have been at the table for about 7 hours. I go grab a glass of water, and look around at the other 'high' limit games going on. As I am walking past my table, I see a new dealer getting in the box at my table. I am up about 2000 at this point, so I have about 3000 in front of me. Other people already have their time out, so I grab a red and two white chips ($7) and place it forward, and then go outside for a bit. I had three whites and the rest red on my stack when I did this, so I should have one white left. I go outside for a bit, and come back in time for my BB, about 5 minutes later. I look down at my stack and notice 4 white chips sitting there. I ask the dealer why I had more whites, fearing what happened, that she took time from my stack.

I tell her I placed it out when she was getting in the box, and no one claims they saw it. I do a rethink, and know I came back to place it, and state that I had one white chip after I grabbed the two others, and that is how I know. Everyone again denies it. At this point, I am almost tilted over $7 even though I am a big winner at this point. I know that may sound nittish, but it is how I was feeling. Everyone was joking about it, and when I entered the pot, the dealer was even stating "he is trying to win back his $7." I don't want to continue this, or accuse the dealer or any player of stealing from me, since I am sure it is an honest mistake. It just sucks because I saved a guy $10 just a few rounds ago because he put out too much time, and the dealer corrected it and gave it back.

So to keep the game going, I call over the floor who knows me well, and told him the situation, and asked if I could get a pass the next round, because going to the tape would be pointless for $7, and again, I don't want to anger anyone around me. He agrees, so instead of accusing anyone or faulting the dealer for being absent minded, I simply got a free ride the next time, and when the floor came around, I tipped him the yellow chip ($3) he gave back to me as part of my time refund...

Is this the best way to handle this? I was 100% certain I paid because I made a special trip back to the table to pay, and the guy next to me finally agreed he remembers me coming back to the table, but didn't see why.

Sorry for the incredibly long boring post.