I felt like AJ going to his first formal, when my shiny, black (hey, it matched my outfit!) limo glided up to take me in for the Lock-Up. Too bad I didn't have Silvio and Paulie along though, they could of helped me fill out all my pledge forms!

My driver was Prince from Bell Transportation (the company that kindly donated cars and drivers for this event). I popped a copy of Mob Story: A Hip Hopera into the CD player and listened to "Vegas Ain't What She Used To Be" as we cruised to Boulder Station.

With Vinny's rap still ringing in my ears, I was prepared to do whatever it would take to gain my freedom. Armed with a stack of e-mail pledges, some Sopranoland swag to bribe the guards and fellow prisoners, plus my list of emergency phone numbers, I was booked, but, thankfully, not fingerprinted (I hate that, I always tense up and they have to keep redoing it). Then the Judge (and Ronald McDonald House Executive Director), JoAnn Malone, let me remove the cuffs, so I could make my calls more easily.

After a lot of writing, a few calls and some good natured ribbing, I was introduced to my "Cell Mate" Karen Smallwood the Principal of Cryil (yikes, another OZ reference) Wengert Elementary. I hope she managed to raise her bail because I was sprung quicker than Tony Soprano himself (thanks to my generous contributors and sly advance planning).

I was released with only a slight case of writer's cramp and a wonderful sense of having done something good.

Then, JoAnn told me that Steven Van Zandt is also a supporter of the Ronald McDonald House and he even invited her to the show last time Bruce Springsteen played Vegas. Now, I've heard that Steven and his wife, Maureen, were very sweet and quite charitable, but I thought this was the prefect note to end my jail time on.

I befriended another Jailbird, Juana Hart Akers of Business Innovations Plus, and together we were driven by Stan back to our places of employment in this flashy (even for Vegas standards!) gold stretch. Now it's back to business as normal!

My fellow Jailbirds work hard to raise their bail!