I think Jack is concerned with my lack of depression from what happened to
me. He keeps stealing my razor, which makes it very hard to shave.
I mean, if I wanted to kill myself, wouldn't I have done it already?
Right now though, I'm more worried that I haven't won a single race. Won a single race, yet. But I will. I hope.
"Forty cents on Prancing Hazel."
Now that I'm watching the race I've changed my mind. I should have bet on Bluebell. Of course, this doesn't stop me from yelling my head off.
"COME ON HAZEL!!! YOU CAN RUN FASTER THAN THAT!!!!"
Hazel's pulling ahead now, right next to Bluebell. Their noses are even. I'm screaming myself hoarse now. Hoarse, get it? I crack myself up.
It's the final stretch! Come on, come on!
"Hazel wins by a nose! Ladies and gentlemen now there. . ." The announcer blared.
Hazel won. I won! I knew I felt lucky today.
I walk away from the track with five dollars in my pocket. Five whole dollars. I'm on top of the world and loving every minute.
Two guys come toward me. I haven't seen them around the track before, but they don't look particularly suspicious. . . or like cops.
"You wouldn't happen to be the one they call Racetrack around here, now would you?"
"I might be. You lookin' for him?" I'm not so sure if I trust them. The short one has shifty eyes.
"Actually we are. I'm Joe." The taller one holds his hand out to me. He looks strong enough to snap me in half if he wanted.
I shake his hand and learn that he has a very firm grip.
"Mahoney." I shake his hand too.
Mahoney is short, thin, and wiry. I'd bet almost anything that he's a jockey.
"Why are you two looking for him?" So I'm being careful. It's not everyday when two people come looking for you when you have five dollars in your pocket.
"Well, we just wanted to meet him. We knew his father."
So that was it.
"Come on, we'll take you to dinner. Our treat." Well, if I don't have to pay and I get food out of the deal. . .
They took me to a dingy, dirty bar where they seemed to be well known.
I ate a little and drank a lot. It all kind of blurred together and I don't know how much I've drunk. Well, I know I've drunk too much 'cause everything seems hilarious.
I hate this. I get the giggles when I'm drunk.
"So Racetrack, whadda you say about a game of cards?"
I perked up at that. "Sure."
"One hand, nothing wild, you against Mahoney. Winner gets five, loser pays." Joe pulled out a deck of cards and started shuffling.
What do I have to lose, five dollars? But if I win I'll have ten dollars.
It seemed like a good idea at the time.
Joe passed me the deck and I cut the cards. Then he dealt us each five cards.
I looked at my cards. Three of clubs, four of hearts, five of clubs, seven of diamonds, and jack of spades.
"How many?" Joe asks me, hurrying my decision.
"One." I pass him the jack of spades.
Then I realize what I just did. I bet on an inside straight. Am I crazy? I'm going to lose. There's no way I'll get a six.
I stare at the card Joe dealt me. I pick it up slowly, hoping, but knowing that I'm going to lose.
Wait a minute.
It's a six. The six of hearts to be precise.
I knew I felt lucky today!
That means I won! Assuming of course that Mahoney can't beat my straight.
"Show what you got." Joe again.
"Straight, seven high." I answer, very pleased with myself.
Mahoney looks at my cards, then at me. That evil sort of smirk is making me kinda worried.
"Straight flush, queen high." He proclaims with a triumphant grin.
Lady Luck spit in my eye.
"Pay up kid."
I sullenly slap my five dollars down on the table. Well, it was nice while it lasted.
"Where's the rest of the money?"
"What do you mean? You said it was five." So, he's not content with taking all my money. Next thing you'll know he'll be asking for the shirt off my back. Well, actually it's Skittery's shirt, but that's not my problem, now is it?
"Yeah, I said five. You know, five hundred." He dragged out the last word.
Oh no.
No.
I can't possibly have bet five hundred dollars on one hand. I mean, even drunk I'm not that stupid.
Except that's what I just did.
I swear he said it was five. Never said hundred.
"Well, you can't expect me to carry that much with me, now can you?" Now that sounded really honest. Especially the part where my voice cracked and how I ended with a drunken titter.
"So, if you'll excuse me, I'll just go get it." I get out of my chair.
I start walking out of the bar. Actually I'm running out like a scared rabbit. A very scared, very drunk rabbit. I know they're not that stupid. Hello table. They don't believe me.
Look at that. I made it outside and I only knocked over one table and two chairs in the process.
They're right behind me, but I have fear on my side. I mean, who doesn't run faster when they're afraid for their life?
AN: Tada! Part 3 is finished! I'll put the next part up as soon as I can ^_^
Muchas gracias (hehe.2 years of Spanish and that's about all I remember.) to Funkiechick, Thistle, Sapphy(of course that wasn't foreshadowing. . .*shifty eyes*), and Spatz for reviewing chapter 2!
Unless you're crazy and skipped to the AN without reading the story, please review!
I mean, if I wanted to kill myself, wouldn't I have done it already?
Right now though, I'm more worried that I haven't won a single race. Won a single race, yet. But I will. I hope.
"Forty cents on Prancing Hazel."
Now that I'm watching the race I've changed my mind. I should have bet on Bluebell. Of course, this doesn't stop me from yelling my head off.
"COME ON HAZEL!!! YOU CAN RUN FASTER THAN THAT!!!!"
Hazel's pulling ahead now, right next to Bluebell. Their noses are even. I'm screaming myself hoarse now. Hoarse, get it? I crack myself up.
It's the final stretch! Come on, come on!
"Hazel wins by a nose! Ladies and gentlemen now there. . ." The announcer blared.
Hazel won. I won! I knew I felt lucky today.
I walk away from the track with five dollars in my pocket. Five whole dollars. I'm on top of the world and loving every minute.
Two guys come toward me. I haven't seen them around the track before, but they don't look particularly suspicious. . . or like cops.
"You wouldn't happen to be the one they call Racetrack around here, now would you?"
"I might be. You lookin' for him?" I'm not so sure if I trust them. The short one has shifty eyes.
"Actually we are. I'm Joe." The taller one holds his hand out to me. He looks strong enough to snap me in half if he wanted.
I shake his hand and learn that he has a very firm grip.
"Mahoney." I shake his hand too.
Mahoney is short, thin, and wiry. I'd bet almost anything that he's a jockey.
"Why are you two looking for him?" So I'm being careful. It's not everyday when two people come looking for you when you have five dollars in your pocket.
"Well, we just wanted to meet him. We knew his father."
So that was it.
"Come on, we'll take you to dinner. Our treat." Well, if I don't have to pay and I get food out of the deal. . .
They took me to a dingy, dirty bar where they seemed to be well known.
I ate a little and drank a lot. It all kind of blurred together and I don't know how much I've drunk. Well, I know I've drunk too much 'cause everything seems hilarious.
I hate this. I get the giggles when I'm drunk.
"So Racetrack, whadda you say about a game of cards?"
I perked up at that. "Sure."
"One hand, nothing wild, you against Mahoney. Winner gets five, loser pays." Joe pulled out a deck of cards and started shuffling.
What do I have to lose, five dollars? But if I win I'll have ten dollars.
It seemed like a good idea at the time.
Joe passed me the deck and I cut the cards. Then he dealt us each five cards.
I looked at my cards. Three of clubs, four of hearts, five of clubs, seven of diamonds, and jack of spades.
"How many?" Joe asks me, hurrying my decision.
"One." I pass him the jack of spades.
Then I realize what I just did. I bet on an inside straight. Am I crazy? I'm going to lose. There's no way I'll get a six.
I stare at the card Joe dealt me. I pick it up slowly, hoping, but knowing that I'm going to lose.
Wait a minute.
It's a six. The six of hearts to be precise.
I knew I felt lucky today!
That means I won! Assuming of course that Mahoney can't beat my straight.
"Show what you got." Joe again.
"Straight, seven high." I answer, very pleased with myself.
Mahoney looks at my cards, then at me. That evil sort of smirk is making me kinda worried.
"Straight flush, queen high." He proclaims with a triumphant grin.
Lady Luck spit in my eye.
"Pay up kid."
I sullenly slap my five dollars down on the table. Well, it was nice while it lasted.
"Where's the rest of the money?"
"What do you mean? You said it was five." So, he's not content with taking all my money. Next thing you'll know he'll be asking for the shirt off my back. Well, actually it's Skittery's shirt, but that's not my problem, now is it?
"Yeah, I said five. You know, five hundred." He dragged out the last word.
Oh no.
No.
I can't possibly have bet five hundred dollars on one hand. I mean, even drunk I'm not that stupid.
Except that's what I just did.
I swear he said it was five. Never said hundred.
"Well, you can't expect me to carry that much with me, now can you?" Now that sounded really honest. Especially the part where my voice cracked and how I ended with a drunken titter.
"So, if you'll excuse me, I'll just go get it." I get out of my chair.
I start walking out of the bar. Actually I'm running out like a scared rabbit. A very scared, very drunk rabbit. I know they're not that stupid. Hello table. They don't believe me.
Look at that. I made it outside and I only knocked over one table and two chairs in the process.
They're right behind me, but I have fear on my side. I mean, who doesn't run faster when they're afraid for their life?
AN: Tada! Part 3 is finished! I'll put the next part up as soon as I can ^_^
Muchas gracias (hehe.2 years of Spanish and that's about all I remember.) to Funkiechick, Thistle, Sapphy(of course that wasn't foreshadowing. . .*shifty eyes*), and Spatz for reviewing chapter 2!
Unless you're crazy and skipped to the AN without reading the story, please review!