Everything was perfectly normal
10:30am on a Saturday morning. I'm at a local card club, having breakfast and playing poker in the #2 seat of a $3/5 NLH game. It's a helluva way to get a weekend started.
My attention was being shared among a really good omelet, perfectly creamed coffee, and my cards. But then the balance of focus shifted when there was a $10 UTG straddle, and I woke up with 
first to act in the UTG+1 position. I limp in. Yeah, I know. Look, this is isn't a strategy article, and I won't go into details here, but hang with me, and enjoy the show.
Two to my left, the #4 seat makes it $45. Then both #8 and #9 call the $45. Perhaps now you see what that initial limp was all about. It gets back around to me, and I have a decision. Calling is out of the question – I am not going four ways to a flop, first to act with ace-king offsuit, and an SPR of 4.0 or whatever.
I'm about $800 deep with the original raiser – 80 straddles. The two at the other end of the table have similar amounts.
I could make it $250, but then the original raise might call, and nothing good could happen after that.
There's nine mostly-dead straddles out there in the field, and I decide that I want them completely dead – I'll take my chances against the original raiser.
"I'm all in," I say, as I slide out three white $100 chips.
Until it wasn't
The original raiser pretty quickly shrugs and folds. Now I like my shove a lot. But #8 is in the tank, and the dealer hasn't moved. This is important because she has a pretty blue 'All-in button' in her tray, and I want it in front of me. I am worried that in all the excitement, #8 might think the bet is $300.
I address the dealer again. "I'm all-in. Could I have a button please?"
The dealer is still motionless. #8 is still in the tank.
One thing you may know about me is that I hate drama at the table. I love a smoothly running poker game, and I particularly don't want to be the reason that the floor is called over. But I can all too easily imagine the following scenario:
#8 puts out $300, and says "Call."
I say, "I said I was all-in."
The dealer says, "I didn't hear you."
The #1, #3, and #4 seats say, "He said 'All-in.'"
The dealer says, "Floor!"
Help arrives from an unexpected corner
This situation has me very nervous, but out of nowhere, the #9 seat, who is still waiting his turn to act behind #8, saves the day. He reaches into the dealer's well, picks up the pretty blue "All-in" button and tosses it in front of me.
"Oh!" says the dealer.
I imagine this was her first hint that I was all-in.
Another thing you may know about me is that I have a habit of tipping other players. If ever there was a time to tip another player, this is it. I toss a $1 chip to #9, while we're still waiting for #8 to exit the tank. He smiles, gives me a thumbs-up, and pushes it over to the dealer.
#8 finally decides it's not worth it, and folds. #9 snap-folds behind him. The dealer pushes me the pot, and looks quizzically at the $1 chip on her right, wondering about its provenance.
#9 and I smile at each other again, having just shared a private joke in the middle of a hand. I sip my coffee, and reflect on how much fun poker can be.
