1. In the betting line the other
    day
    man behind me asked,
    “are you Henry
    Chinaski?”

    “uh huh,” I answered.

    “I like your books,” he went
    on.

    “thanks,” I answered.

    “who do you like in this
    race?” he asked.

    “uh uh,” I answered.

    “I like the 4 horse,” he
    told me.

    I made my bet and went back
    to my seat….

    the next race I am standing in
    line and here is this same man
    standing behind me
    again.
    there are at least 50 lines at
    the windows but
    he has to find mine
    again.

    “I think this race favors the
    closers,” he said to the back of
    my neck. “the track looks
    heavy.”

    “listen,” I said, not looking
    around, “it’s the kiss of death to
    talk about horses at the
    track…”

    “what kind of rule is that?”
    he asked. “God doesn’t make
    rules…”

    I turned around and looked at him:
    “maybe not, but I
    do.”

    after the next race
    I got in line, glanced behind
    me:
    he was not there:

    lost another reader.

    I lose 2 or 3 each
    week.

    fine.

    let ‘em go back to
    Kafka. 

    (Source: poemhunter.com)

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