FROM BAD TO WORSE... life in Hades (Part 56b)
When it was feeding time I got to meet the men who worked taking care of the other horses. I was talking with them when Dan walked in. He looked right at me and wanted to know why I wasn’t out spreading the manure. I was so shocked I didn’t answer. When he asked again I said I didn’t know I was supposed to. He took it as a smart ass answer and got in my face saying that was why he took me out in the field to show me where it was to be spread. I was a bit shaken by the tone of his voice and still didn’t answer. When he didn’t move I finally told him I’d never driven a tractor or used a power take-off. He made some sort of derogatory remark and backed off telling me to follow him. We went to the tractor and he gave me some quick lessons and sent me off to go spread the stuff. When I returned it was dark and I still had to get the feed tubs out from the stalls and wash them up. I honestly don’t know why I didn’t just go get in my car and hitch up the trailer right then and there... but I didn’t.
I won’t bore you with a blow by blow account of my first week at the farm. I think it might’ve been Thursday when I finally stood up to him and asked why I was working as a groom plus the other tasks when I was hired as an Assistant Trainer. His response was another shock. ”I never told you that you were going to be my assistant.“ He then told me that I was his highest paid employee and was expected to do whatever I was told to do... at whatever time I was told to do it. Again, I don’t know why I didn’t just quit right then and there.
By the end of the week, besides taking care of three horses, I’d found myself grading, bagging and then delivering 100 pound sacks of potatoes; driving 40+ miles to pick up hay and straw to save a few dollars; picking rocks from a field that Dan wanted to put under potatoes in the Spring; and helping to refit a two car garage to make it into two more stalls. My house trailer was due to be delivered on that Saturday. Elle was really on my case for me to get home to see the baby and to get her but in my conversations with Dan he was only willing to give me a day and a half to do it. The trailer had been empty for over six months and I knew it had to be cleaned thoroughly before bringing them back so, much to Elle’s displeasure, I chose to wait another week to head home for her and the babies so I could get it cleaned up and ready for them.
Actually, the next week went much better. Seeing my pay that Saturday and knowing I could keep most of it since I didn’t have any rent to pay or electric bills to face somewhat tempered my anger. Another benefit that I hadn’t been aware of was that I could gas up my car once a month for free. I’m not sure it was all Dan’s doing but I found that I didn’t have as many chores to do after dark that week and was able to clean the trailer well. I also got to visit the new Acme supermarket and buy some of the things that Elle wanted for when she arrived. I was really impressed with it and had to keep a close watch on just how much I spent. Dan also introduced me to the people who ran the General Store where I’d stopped that first day in town. Dan had worked out an arrangement for them to sell his potatoes and was given a discount on his purchases. During the introductions he asked that I be given the same discount. I wasn’t sure why but I wasn’t going to ask.
I worked until noon that following Saturday. It appeared to be about an eight hour trip home. Even though it was broad daylight and a bright sunny day I found myself drifting off to sleep once on the highway. I pulled over and fell asleep for well over three hours. It was about 5pm when I woke up. I called Elle to tell her that I’d be late. It was after midnight when I pulled into her parents driveway. She was asleep in her father’s chair with the baby asleep on her shoulder.
I woke her up and the look on her face told me she was upset. I expected it and was prepared. I remember giving her a kiss on the cheek and she half turned away. I asked to see the baby and she handed her over to me. In spite of the fact that I’d gotten used to handling the first baby it seemed different handling this one. Waking her up triggered her hunger and Elle took her back to feed her. I sat there watching them and not a word was spoken. I didn’t know how to break the silence between us. When the baby finished her feeding Elle took her upstairs to change her and I followed. I was in bed when she finished. Elle climbed in but turned her back on me. I lay there wondering if she’d even go back to the farm with me.
I wanted to be on the road fairly early but we had to stop and see my grandparents to show them the baby. I wasn’t looking forward to that because I’d quit AJ without telling my grandfather and I’d been warned by my father that he was upset with me for it. As I remember it we got there late that morning. Surprisingly, my grandparents were very cordial to Elle. As for me, my grandfather made but one statement... ”I’m disappointed in you.“ I knew him well enough that there was nothing I could say to change his mind so I kept quiet. They wanted to feed us because it was so close to noon but I insisted that we get on the road.
I knew it would be a difficult trip what with the new baby, the 16 month old, Elle's wetting problem and, most important, the lack of communication between Elle and I. It was almost 10pm by the time we reached the farm. Everything was set for the baby and all I had to do for the 16 month old was to set up her crib which was in the car. Elle had started talking about the time we got to New Jersey. She wanted to know about the farm, the town and the people. I didn’t dare tell her what I really thought about all three so ”fudged“ my way though that. Being dark when we arrived there was no way for her to get an idea what the place looked like. I wasn’t looking forward to her reaction when daylight came.
To be continued...
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
FROM BAD TO WORSE... life in Hades (Part 56a)
Some background on Dan... He was primarily a potato farmer and the horse racing had started out as a hobby. He and his brother-in-law had purchased a “black-land” farm in New York and in spite of being told that potatoes wouldn’t grow there, went ahead anyway and were very successful. They did this for a few years and then sold the farm for a humongous profit. At the same time Dan had achieved much success racing horses. He decided he wanted to buy another farm and, besides raising potatoes, turn it into a training and breeding center for harness horses. He found a 175 acre dairy farm where the owner had died and he and his brother in law bought for a “song“ at an estate auction. They cleared about 60 acres of rocks and stones and then planted potatoes. In the first year they set a state record for yield per acre for potatoes. Dan also graded out an area for a half mile training track. While that was going on he created 16 stalls under the main barn. He still needed another 8 stalls but the existing dairy barns weren’t able to be converted for horses. About a month before I started lightning struck the silo next to one of the dairy barns and burned the barn down. Fully insured, he was able to take that money and build what he needed without using any of his own money. He hired the Amish to build it and it was just about finished when I arrived.
=======================
Feeling grubby and still half asleep I followed Dan down the hill toward this big barn. We actually walked past it and there in front of us was his training track. I could see from the look on his face that he was really proud of it. From there he took me into the stable area. I recognized some of the name plates on the stalls and there were some good horses there. He went over to a door and opened it and yelled something. It was where the grooms lived and it was a wake up call for them. It was Sunday and here he was waking them at the same time as on a regular work day. I was a bit puzzled but didn’t say anything. I was used to having a sort of "lazy day" on Sundays. He told me about the breeding on some of the yearlings he’d bought at the recent auctions and he bragged about how he’d got most of them ”on the cheap“. Then this wizened old man came out from behind the door. He introduced me to ”Chit“. I thought he said Chet but he insisted that it was Chit. Dan introduced us and then told Chit to get me started. My first reaction was ”started on what?“ but I didn’t say anything. I hadn’t had anything to eat, not that there was much in the trailer. He then disappeared and Chit took me over to three stalls and told me they were mine. I didn’t pick up on it at first. I honestly thought that he meant that they were mine to break to bridle and harness but he quickly made it clear that they were mine to take care of. I just knew there was some mistake so went looking for Dan. I walked all the way back up the hill to his house but no one answered the door. I went over to the trailer to see what I could find to eat and after finding some crackers made my way back to the barn. I tried telling myself that Dan was short help and this was just temporary. Chit quickly came across as being a tight lipped individual. His favorite answer was ”I don’t know.“
I proceeded to clean the three stalls and horses, giving them each a nice walk. When I was finished I was absolutely famished. I needed food. Back up the hill to the house and this time a large, pleasant faced woman answered. It was Dan’s wife, Jeanne. I introduced myself and she made me feel welcome saying she recognized my voice from the calls I’d made to Dan. I asked where Dan was and she said she didn’t really know. Her two sons were running around behind her trying to get a look at me. I told her I needed to park the trailer but didn’t know where. She just smiled and said I’d have to wait for Dan. I asked how to get to town and she gave me the directions. I moved the trailer from the driveway and headed to town. It wasn’t much. Not quite the size of my grandparents town. What I did notice was a big ”Grand Opening” sign and a fairly large parking lot with but one building. The sign read “Acme”. Curious, I pulled in. It was what we would now call a Super Market“ but it was closed (Sunday Blue laws were still in effect at the time) I knew I would be back. I did find a General Store that was open and they had block ice which I needed for my ice box. I got some staples and headed back to the farm.
Dan was looking at the trailer when I got there. His brother-in-law, Bert, was there as well. Dan knew that I had a house trailer and, trying to be funny, said it’d be hard to fit four people in this one. I’d not made arrangements to move the trailer from North Carolina for a couple of reasons. The main one was I wasn’t sure I’d end up working for Dan. The other was I didn’t have the money to move it. I explained that to Dan and he said he’d take care of it for me. I should’ve asked him how... but I didn’t. I knew I couldn’t bring Elle and the babies down until the trailer was in place so I happily thanked him.
He’d already run power and water out to the spot the house trailer would be located in so I pulled the little one in there. I was going to try and sort out all the stuff in it but Dan had other ideas. I got a tour of the whole farm... on the back of the tractor. One thing I specifically remember him pointing out was the field where the horse manure was spread. He said it a few times but I didn’t know why. When we finished he reminded me that it was time to feed and water the horses. I didn’t ask him about Chit’s comment about me taking care of the three horses. I think it was because of the way he spoke. It was always with authority and coupled with the look on his face he was intimidating.
To be continued...
Some background on Dan... He was primarily a potato farmer and the horse racing had started out as a hobby. He and his brother-in-law had purchased a “black-land” farm in New York and in spite of being told that potatoes wouldn’t grow there, went ahead anyway and were very successful. They did this for a few years and then sold the farm for a humongous profit. At the same time Dan had achieved much success racing horses. He decided he wanted to buy another farm and, besides raising potatoes, turn it into a training and breeding center for harness horses. He found a 175 acre dairy farm where the owner had died and he and his brother in law bought for a “song“ at an estate auction. They cleared about 60 acres of rocks and stones and then planted potatoes. In the first year they set a state record for yield per acre for potatoes. Dan also graded out an area for a half mile training track. While that was going on he created 16 stalls under the main barn. He still needed another 8 stalls but the existing dairy barns weren’t able to be converted for horses. About a month before I started lightning struck the silo next to one of the dairy barns and burned the barn down. Fully insured, he was able to take that money and build what he needed without using any of his own money. He hired the Amish to build it and it was just about finished when I arrived.
=======================
Feeling grubby and still half asleep I followed Dan down the hill toward this big barn. We actually walked past it and there in front of us was his training track. I could see from the look on his face that he was really proud of it. From there he took me into the stable area. I recognized some of the name plates on the stalls and there were some good horses there. He went over to a door and opened it and yelled something. It was where the grooms lived and it was a wake up call for them. It was Sunday and here he was waking them at the same time as on a regular work day. I was a bit puzzled but didn’t say anything. I was used to having a sort of "lazy day" on Sundays. He told me about the breeding on some of the yearlings he’d bought at the recent auctions and he bragged about how he’d got most of them ”on the cheap“. Then this wizened old man came out from behind the door. He introduced me to ”Chit“. I thought he said Chet but he insisted that it was Chit. Dan introduced us and then told Chit to get me started. My first reaction was ”started on what?“ but I didn’t say anything. I hadn’t had anything to eat, not that there was much in the trailer. He then disappeared and Chit took me over to three stalls and told me they were mine. I didn’t pick up on it at first. I honestly thought that he meant that they were mine to break to bridle and harness but he quickly made it clear that they were mine to take care of. I just knew there was some mistake so went looking for Dan. I walked all the way back up the hill to his house but no one answered the door. I went over to the trailer to see what I could find to eat and after finding some crackers made my way back to the barn. I tried telling myself that Dan was short help and this was just temporary. Chit quickly came across as being a tight lipped individual. His favorite answer was ”I don’t know.“
I proceeded to clean the three stalls and horses, giving them each a nice walk. When I was finished I was absolutely famished. I needed food. Back up the hill to the house and this time a large, pleasant faced woman answered. It was Dan’s wife, Jeanne. I introduced myself and she made me feel welcome saying she recognized my voice from the calls I’d made to Dan. I asked where Dan was and she said she didn’t really know. Her two sons were running around behind her trying to get a look at me. I told her I needed to park the trailer but didn’t know where. She just smiled and said I’d have to wait for Dan. I asked how to get to town and she gave me the directions. I moved the trailer from the driveway and headed to town. It wasn’t much. Not quite the size of my grandparents town. What I did notice was a big ”Grand Opening” sign and a fairly large parking lot with but one building. The sign read “Acme”. Curious, I pulled in. It was what we would now call a Super Market“ but it was closed (Sunday Blue laws were still in effect at the time) I knew I would be back. I did find a General Store that was open and they had block ice which I needed for my ice box. I got some staples and headed back to the farm.
Dan was looking at the trailer when I got there. His brother-in-law, Bert, was there as well. Dan knew that I had a house trailer and, trying to be funny, said it’d be hard to fit four people in this one. I’d not made arrangements to move the trailer from North Carolina for a couple of reasons. The main one was I wasn’t sure I’d end up working for Dan. The other was I didn’t have the money to move it. I explained that to Dan and he said he’d take care of it for me. I should’ve asked him how... but I didn’t. I knew I couldn’t bring Elle and the babies down until the trailer was in place so I happily thanked him.
He’d already run power and water out to the spot the house trailer would be located in so I pulled the little one in there. I was going to try and sort out all the stuff in it but Dan had other ideas. I got a tour of the whole farm... on the back of the tractor. One thing I specifically remember him pointing out was the field where the horse manure was spread. He said it a few times but I didn’t know why. When we finished he reminded me that it was time to feed and water the horses. I didn’t ask him about Chit’s comment about me taking care of the three horses. I think it was because of the way he spoke. It was always with authority and coupled with the look on his face he was intimidating.
To be continued...
Sunday, May 23, 2010
HARD TIMES... change, not for the better (Part 55i)
After a long Sunday where I still couldn’t come up with a “plan” I woke up to more bad weather. The weather added to my misery as the remnants of a coastal storm were battering us. I wished I had someone to talk to who could give me some direction. I was utterly discouraged which certainly didn’t help when I was racing. By mid week Mrs AJ had left a message that AJ had been released from the hospital and they would be back by the weekend. Having to put the entries in three days in advance and not knowing, for sure, if AJ would be able to drive left me in another quandary. At that point I was determined to leave, at the latest, Saturday if I got my pay so didn’t enter any horses for Saturday night. I was of the mind that no matter what I did it would be wrong.
Mrs AJ showed up with AJ Friday night. I was shocked when I saw him. His eyes were sunken into his head and he’d lost weight. I didn’t know what he’d say so I was a bit nervous. It went well as could be expected. He still wasn’t feeling well so he wanted to make it quick. I told him what I'd done and then he paid me. When I tried to thank him for being my mentor he just walked away. It wasn't the way I wanted it to end. I had my grandfather’s horse entered to race that night which would be my last one for AJ. It didn’t go well...again. This was a horse that seldom went off stride and, for whatever reason, he did. It certainly wasn’t the way I wanted to remember my last race for AJ or my grandfather. In the two weeks I been filling in for AJ all I had to show for it was one third place finish out of eleven starts. Not good!
Basically I was all packed and ready to leave the first thing in the morning. I stopped by the barn to say my goodbyes to Ed and the other men and was on my way. I figured it would take about seven to eight hours and was “hyper” once on the road. I was in Connecticut before the first problem arose. I heard a “thumping” sound and when I stopped to check on it I found a bulge in one of the tires on the trailer. I had no spare. It was right around midday and, back in those days, many businesses were only open for part of the day on Saturdays. It took almost two hours before I was able to find a tire place open who had the size tire that the trailer needed. That was only the half of it. The tire cost around $20 as I remember it which was about 1/3 of the cash I had.
I made it onto the New Jersey turnpike right around dark. I’d driven for about a half hour when I saw flashing lights behind me. I pulled over and a State Trooper walked up to the door and told me I had no lights on the trailer. I knew I’d hooked them up and checked them before leaving. He was very nice and with his flashlight we found the problem. I’d neglected to secure the wires to the hitch and they’d been dragging on the road surface and worn through. Neither of us had tools to do the repair so he “escorted” me to the nearest service area. By the time I got on the road again it was close to 10pm. I called Dan and told him where I was and I could tell he wasn’t happy. I pulled into his driveway around 1am. All the lights were out and I was exhausted so just opened the door to the trailer, pushed some boxes around and flopped on the sofa.
The next thing I knew there was some pounding on the side of the trailer. I was sound asleep and it scared me. I opened the door and found it was barely light out. Dan was standing there and, seeing I was dressed, told me to follow him. I didn't know it then but it was something I was going to be doing for the next six months.
To be continued...
After a long Sunday where I still couldn’t come up with a “plan” I woke up to more bad weather. The weather added to my misery as the remnants of a coastal storm were battering us. I wished I had someone to talk to who could give me some direction. I was utterly discouraged which certainly didn’t help when I was racing. By mid week Mrs AJ had left a message that AJ had been released from the hospital and they would be back by the weekend. Having to put the entries in three days in advance and not knowing, for sure, if AJ would be able to drive left me in another quandary. At that point I was determined to leave, at the latest, Saturday if I got my pay so didn’t enter any horses for Saturday night. I was of the mind that no matter what I did it would be wrong.
Mrs AJ showed up with AJ Friday night. I was shocked when I saw him. His eyes were sunken into his head and he’d lost weight. I didn’t know what he’d say so I was a bit nervous. It went well as could be expected. He still wasn’t feeling well so he wanted to make it quick. I told him what I'd done and then he paid me. When I tried to thank him for being my mentor he just walked away. It wasn't the way I wanted it to end. I had my grandfather’s horse entered to race that night which would be my last one for AJ. It didn’t go well...again. This was a horse that seldom went off stride and, for whatever reason, he did. It certainly wasn’t the way I wanted to remember my last race for AJ or my grandfather. In the two weeks I been filling in for AJ all I had to show for it was one third place finish out of eleven starts. Not good!
Basically I was all packed and ready to leave the first thing in the morning. I stopped by the barn to say my goodbyes to Ed and the other men and was on my way. I figured it would take about seven to eight hours and was “hyper” once on the road. I was in Connecticut before the first problem arose. I heard a “thumping” sound and when I stopped to check on it I found a bulge in one of the tires on the trailer. I had no spare. It was right around midday and, back in those days, many businesses were only open for part of the day on Saturdays. It took almost two hours before I was able to find a tire place open who had the size tire that the trailer needed. That was only the half of it. The tire cost around $20 as I remember it which was about 1/3 of the cash I had.
I made it onto the New Jersey turnpike right around dark. I’d driven for about a half hour when I saw flashing lights behind me. I pulled over and a State Trooper walked up to the door and told me I had no lights on the trailer. I knew I’d hooked them up and checked them before leaving. He was very nice and with his flashlight we found the problem. I’d neglected to secure the wires to the hitch and they’d been dragging on the road surface and worn through. Neither of us had tools to do the repair so he “escorted” me to the nearest service area. By the time I got on the road again it was close to 10pm. I called Dan and told him where I was and I could tell he wasn’t happy. I pulled into his driveway around 1am. All the lights were out and I was exhausted so just opened the door to the trailer, pushed some boxes around and flopped on the sofa.
The next thing I knew there was some pounding on the side of the trailer. I was sound asleep and it scared me. I opened the door and found it was barely light out. Dan was standing there and, seeing I was dressed, told me to follow him. I didn't know it then but it was something I was going to be doing for the next six months.
To be continued...
Friday, May 21, 2010
HARD TIMES... change, not for the better Part 55h)
The Harrisburg auction started on Monday, October 3 and AJ and the owner drove down on Sunday. I was scheduled to drive Crestwyn that Monday night and I couldn’t wait. I planned to do the same thing I’d done the night that Hank had driven him and won the race. The only concern was that the New Hampshire track was only a half mile which meant the turns were “tighter”. As most of the races were one mile in length it meant two times around the track. Crestwyn was a big horse and AJ had warned me that he’d have trouble with the turns. Eddie seemed to think he’d be OK. I wished that I’d had a chance to train him at least once before I raced him.
It didn’t go well at all. As AJ had predicted, the turns were a problem for him. Over the past five years he’d only raced on a half mile track a handful of times. I think I might’ve finished last. It wasn’t the start that I’d been counting on and it didn’t get any better. The next night, in the one race that I thought I really had a chance to win, a local driver, who was drunk, hit my horse when he tried to pass us. I ended up third and when I went to protest him, the judges said there was no contact even though I showed the paddock judge the blood on my horse. It was a valuable lesson. Locals rule. The man was obviously drunk as he staggered away from the horse after dismounting from the sulky. I was really mad but I was just a “kid” with no credentials or standing so it didn’t matter to them.
The next morning everyone at the cook house was talking about the plane crash at the Boston airport. It had crashed into the harbor just to the West of the apartment that I'd shared with Eugene and Faith. For some reason that news really bothered me. That night, while on the track warming up a horse, a call came in for me. Because of rules promulgated to keep betting honest no phones were allowed in the paddock or grandstands. It was from my father but there was no message other than to call home as soon as possible. I had no idea if it was about Elle or one of my grandparents who at that time were both in ill health. I don’t even remember which horse I was racing but I know my mind wasn’t on the race. It was after midnight when I finally got to a phone. I was a father for the second time as Elle had given birth to a healthy girl. I remember being happy but totally perplexed as to what to do. Here I was, up in New Hampshire, responsible for nine valuable race horses with no one to turn them over to and my wife had just given birth to my baby. I knew I just couldn’t go off and leave the horses but I also had a responsibility to my family. I was in for another long night.
I tried to reach AJ the next morning but was unsuccessful. I left messages at the hotel he was supposedly staying at but didn’t get a response. I fully expected him back on Friday night and had listed him to drive two horses on Saturday. I wasn’t able to talk with Elle so explained my situation to my father and asked him to pass it on to her. The way I left it with him was that I’d be home on Saturday
I got a call late Friday afternoon from Mrs AJ and it wasn’t the one that I wanted to get. AJ had pneumonia and was in the hospital in Harrisburg. She didn’t know when he’d be released and she wanted to know that I’d stay with the horses until he got back. Talk about a blow to the mind! And, as far as I was concerned I was already gone.
The bad news didn’t stop there. We always got paid, in cash, on Saturday. Mrs AJ was in Harrisburg and had no way to get money to us. I couldn’t have gone home anyway because I was broke. Of the four men working for AJ, only “Pop” and Eddie had any cash at all. I explained the situation to them and they, reluctantly, agreed to lend food money to the others. Eating wasn’t my big problem... getting in touch with Dan and telling him about my situation was.
Fortunately he wasn’t home and I talked to his wife. She sounded sympathetic which gave me some hope. By the time I got off the phone it was time to get out onto the track. I’d never raced either of the horses I was scheduled on that night and that was a different concern. In retrospect, I was truly overwhelmed.
I didn’t do well with either of the horses and I have no idea where I finished with either of them. I’d gotten everything ready with the trailer so I could leave first thing in the morning. I'd put loose stuff in boxes and on the bed. I didn’t really have a place to sleep. I also didn't have even the faintest idea of what I was going to do the next day. I ended up falling asleep in my clothes in a place I managed to clear off the couch.
Even though I had horses to train that next morning I needed to get the situation with the money taken care of. It was mid morning when I finally got in touch with Mrs AJ. There was no news with AJ’s condition so she couldn’t give me any guidance as to how long I’d be needed. As far as the money, she’d contacted a relative of AJ’s who lived in Massachusetts who was going to drive to the track with some, but not all, of the money owed to us. That was the only positive I was able to garner. At least I had some good news for the men when I got back.
Before I was able to start training the horses that were scheduled there was a call over the loudspeakers for me to come to the office. It could’ve only been Elle or Dan and I had no information to share with them. It was probably going to be a plea from Elle and an ultimatum from Dan. In my mind I just couldn’t leave there at that time. It turned out to be Dan... and I was right. He was really upset with me and I thought I was going to hear him say to forget about the job. I do remember my legs shaking as I listened to him. Just when I was at my lowest point I heard him say something along the lines of “be there next Saturday or don’t bother showing up”. I also remember standing there by the phone for quite a while before I was able to move.
Elle was a different story. Tears and sobs was about all I heard. It ended up being a long, long day, especially after adding in another bad performance with the horses I drove that night. AJ’s relative showed up in time for all of us to be able to eat that evening. It was the first real meal I’d had in over two days. Back at the trailer I gave some serious thought to just quitting the horses altogether when AJ showed up. I'd performed poorly with the horses and had some doubts about my ability as a driver. I remember thinking about what I might be able do about getting a job with my college degree. I also remember not being able to come up with an idea.
To be continued...
The Harrisburg auction started on Monday, October 3 and AJ and the owner drove down on Sunday. I was scheduled to drive Crestwyn that Monday night and I couldn’t wait. I planned to do the same thing I’d done the night that Hank had driven him and won the race. The only concern was that the New Hampshire track was only a half mile which meant the turns were “tighter”. As most of the races were one mile in length it meant two times around the track. Crestwyn was a big horse and AJ had warned me that he’d have trouble with the turns. Eddie seemed to think he’d be OK. I wished that I’d had a chance to train him at least once before I raced him.
It didn’t go well at all. As AJ had predicted, the turns were a problem for him. Over the past five years he’d only raced on a half mile track a handful of times. I think I might’ve finished last. It wasn’t the start that I’d been counting on and it didn’t get any better. The next night, in the one race that I thought I really had a chance to win, a local driver, who was drunk, hit my horse when he tried to pass us. I ended up third and when I went to protest him, the judges said there was no contact even though I showed the paddock judge the blood on my horse. It was a valuable lesson. Locals rule. The man was obviously drunk as he staggered away from the horse after dismounting from the sulky. I was really mad but I was just a “kid” with no credentials or standing so it didn’t matter to them.
The next morning everyone at the cook house was talking about the plane crash at the Boston airport. It had crashed into the harbor just to the West of the apartment that I'd shared with Eugene and Faith. For some reason that news really bothered me. That night, while on the track warming up a horse, a call came in for me. Because of rules promulgated to keep betting honest no phones were allowed in the paddock or grandstands. It was from my father but there was no message other than to call home as soon as possible. I had no idea if it was about Elle or one of my grandparents who at that time were both in ill health. I don’t even remember which horse I was racing but I know my mind wasn’t on the race. It was after midnight when I finally got to a phone. I was a father for the second time as Elle had given birth to a healthy girl. I remember being happy but totally perplexed as to what to do. Here I was, up in New Hampshire, responsible for nine valuable race horses with no one to turn them over to and my wife had just given birth to my baby. I knew I just couldn’t go off and leave the horses but I also had a responsibility to my family. I was in for another long night.
I tried to reach AJ the next morning but was unsuccessful. I left messages at the hotel he was supposedly staying at but didn’t get a response. I fully expected him back on Friday night and had listed him to drive two horses on Saturday. I wasn’t able to talk with Elle so explained my situation to my father and asked him to pass it on to her. The way I left it with him was that I’d be home on Saturday
I got a call late Friday afternoon from Mrs AJ and it wasn’t the one that I wanted to get. AJ had pneumonia and was in the hospital in Harrisburg. She didn’t know when he’d be released and she wanted to know that I’d stay with the horses until he got back. Talk about a blow to the mind! And, as far as I was concerned I was already gone.
The bad news didn’t stop there. We always got paid, in cash, on Saturday. Mrs AJ was in Harrisburg and had no way to get money to us. I couldn’t have gone home anyway because I was broke. Of the four men working for AJ, only “Pop” and Eddie had any cash at all. I explained the situation to them and they, reluctantly, agreed to lend food money to the others. Eating wasn’t my big problem... getting in touch with Dan and telling him about my situation was.
Fortunately he wasn’t home and I talked to his wife. She sounded sympathetic which gave me some hope. By the time I got off the phone it was time to get out onto the track. I’d never raced either of the horses I was scheduled on that night and that was a different concern. In retrospect, I was truly overwhelmed.
I didn’t do well with either of the horses and I have no idea where I finished with either of them. I’d gotten everything ready with the trailer so I could leave first thing in the morning. I'd put loose stuff in boxes and on the bed. I didn’t really have a place to sleep. I also didn't have even the faintest idea of what I was going to do the next day. I ended up falling asleep in my clothes in a place I managed to clear off the couch.
Even though I had horses to train that next morning I needed to get the situation with the money taken care of. It was mid morning when I finally got in touch with Mrs AJ. There was no news with AJ’s condition so she couldn’t give me any guidance as to how long I’d be needed. As far as the money, she’d contacted a relative of AJ’s who lived in Massachusetts who was going to drive to the track with some, but not all, of the money owed to us. That was the only positive I was able to garner. At least I had some good news for the men when I got back.
Before I was able to start training the horses that were scheduled there was a call over the loudspeakers for me to come to the office. It could’ve only been Elle or Dan and I had no information to share with them. It was probably going to be a plea from Elle and an ultimatum from Dan. In my mind I just couldn’t leave there at that time. It turned out to be Dan... and I was right. He was really upset with me and I thought I was going to hear him say to forget about the job. I do remember my legs shaking as I listened to him. Just when I was at my lowest point I heard him say something along the lines of “be there next Saturday or don’t bother showing up”. I also remember standing there by the phone for quite a while before I was able to move.
Elle was a different story. Tears and sobs was about all I heard. It ended up being a long, long day, especially after adding in another bad performance with the horses I drove that night. AJ’s relative showed up in time for all of us to be able to eat that evening. It was the first real meal I’d had in over two days. Back at the trailer I gave some serious thought to just quitting the horses altogether when AJ showed up. I'd performed poorly with the horses and had some doubts about my ability as a driver. I remember thinking about what I might be able do about getting a job with my college degree. I also remember not being able to come up with an idea.
To be continued...
Monday, May 17, 2010
HARD TIMES... change, not for the better (Part 55g)
I stayed in there for a while before coming out. My heart was still beating fast when I did. There was nothing happening but I was reluctant to venture back into their bedroom. When I calmed down I realized that my back was really hurting so I went into my bedroom to lie down. I was asleep when Eugene and Faith returned. It was time to go to the track and check on the horses. I was glad that it was Sunday because I knew AJ wouldn’t be there. Even though I was almost certain that I’d go to work for Dan I dreaded telling AJ. I also dreaded telling Eddie. We were really close and I knew it would make him sad. I spent as little time as I could before returning to the apartment.
Between my back bothering me and trying to come up with some way to tell AJ that wouldn’t make him mad I didn’t get much sleep. I remember that there was a storm blowing in off the ocean as Eugene and I drove to the track. It was raining so hard that we didn’t take the horses out of the barn to even jog them a bit. It meant that we spent a lot of time just standing around and, as we did, I summoned up the nerve to approach AJ. I fully expected to get a “lecture” from him and had even imagined what he might say. When I told him there was hardly a change in his expression. He was very calm. He did make me feel bad when he asked if I'd told my grandfather. I told him that I’d stay until the racing ended on October 1st which was a full two weeks away. I stood there waiting for a reaction but the only thing I remember him saying was that he’d like it if I’d stay until end of the first week in October as he and the owner were headed to the Harrisburg auctions. His friend, Hank, was moving on to race in the city so AJ needed someone to train and race the horses while he was gone. At first I didn’t pick up on the last part... “and race the horses”. I told him that my arrangement with Dan was contingent with me being able to start around the first of the month. He didn’t plead but did ask if I‘d at least ask Dan for the extra week. I said I would.
It was over the next hour that remorse set in. I started questioning myself, focusing on what he’d said “and race the horses”. Had I made my “move” too soon? The owner had already bought five horses and was obviously committed to buying more. Was I going to miss out on something good? I was a mess. Standing around on a cold day, in the rain, wasn’t helping my back. We had a couple of horses racing that night so even though I didn’t want to come back I knew I had to. I also had to try and get in touch with Dan. Nothing was going right.
When I finally got through to Dan I told him that I would accept the offer but that I couldn’t start until the 10th of October. I told him that I just couldn’t leave AJ “hanging”. He didn’t like hearing that but, reluctantly, said “OK”. Now I had to break the news to Eddie. More discomfort.
One of the horses that Eddie was caring for was racing that night which made it a bit easier. I can still see the look on his face when I told him. It honestly made me sad. He tried “selling” the concept of the new horses and the potential they offered. I was aware of that but it was the offer of more money and having horses to race on my own that were the big items for me. When I told him I’d be around until AJ got back from Harrisburg and that he’d indicated that I’d get to drive the stable’s horses in his absence it seemed to cheer him up.
Between my back and the events of the day it was another pretty much sleepless night. On top of that Eugene’s baby was sick and she spent a good bit of the night crying. Because I was awake I got up and washed and dressed early the next morning. When I walked into what served as the living room I saw Faith curled up asleep on the couch with the baby nestled into her arms. But I also got a peek at her panties, It was nothing special but it made me smile for a few seconds.
We were down to just nine horses that were capable of racing and that meant that I had some nights off. As I mentioned earlier, the apartment was located between the Atlantic Ocean and Boston Harbor. Right across the harbor was the Boston airport and one of the flight paths to it was right over the apartment building. Over time, I’d gotten used to the droning sound of the engines. (Jet service was still fairly new at that time) On my first night off I went up on the roof to watch some planes while landing. I don’t remember how long I was up there but I do remember that I was about to leave when I looked out to the East. It seemed like there was this small orange ball moving towards me. After a few minutes it became obvious that it was a plane with an engine on fire. I stood there watching it come closer and closer. I was frozen in place. I watched as it flew right over the apartment and then I ran to the other end of the roof and watched as it proceeded to land. I truly expected to see a crash.
The picture of the flaming engine stayed with me all night. I couldn’t get comfortable what with my back and that image clouding my mind made for another bad night. As far as the racing was concerned I couldn’t wait for us to move to New Hampshire. I was looking so forward to getting to drive some of the “good” horses. Eugene’s lease for the apartment was up on September 30th so he planned on leaving on that date. AJ decided to ship five of the horses on up early and I went with them. I never really got to see more than a couple of VPL’s during the rest of the time I spent with Eugene and Faith. I had hoped to get a picture of them (especially Faith) but didn’t have a camera and neither did they. When I left we said that we’d get together over the Winter. Dan’s farm was less than two hours away from their’s so it seemed reasonable. At least I hoped that it did.
To be continued...
I stayed in there for a while before coming out. My heart was still beating fast when I did. There was nothing happening but I was reluctant to venture back into their bedroom. When I calmed down I realized that my back was really hurting so I went into my bedroom to lie down. I was asleep when Eugene and Faith returned. It was time to go to the track and check on the horses. I was glad that it was Sunday because I knew AJ wouldn’t be there. Even though I was almost certain that I’d go to work for Dan I dreaded telling AJ. I also dreaded telling Eddie. We were really close and I knew it would make him sad. I spent as little time as I could before returning to the apartment.
Between my back bothering me and trying to come up with some way to tell AJ that wouldn’t make him mad I didn’t get much sleep. I remember that there was a storm blowing in off the ocean as Eugene and I drove to the track. It was raining so hard that we didn’t take the horses out of the barn to even jog them a bit. It meant that we spent a lot of time just standing around and, as we did, I summoned up the nerve to approach AJ. I fully expected to get a “lecture” from him and had even imagined what he might say. When I told him there was hardly a change in his expression. He was very calm. He did make me feel bad when he asked if I'd told my grandfather. I told him that I’d stay until the racing ended on October 1st which was a full two weeks away. I stood there waiting for a reaction but the only thing I remember him saying was that he’d like it if I’d stay until end of the first week in October as he and the owner were headed to the Harrisburg auctions. His friend, Hank, was moving on to race in the city so AJ needed someone to train and race the horses while he was gone. At first I didn’t pick up on the last part... “and race the horses”. I told him that my arrangement with Dan was contingent with me being able to start around the first of the month. He didn’t plead but did ask if I‘d at least ask Dan for the extra week. I said I would.
It was over the next hour that remorse set in. I started questioning myself, focusing on what he’d said “and race the horses”. Had I made my “move” too soon? The owner had already bought five horses and was obviously committed to buying more. Was I going to miss out on something good? I was a mess. Standing around on a cold day, in the rain, wasn’t helping my back. We had a couple of horses racing that night so even though I didn’t want to come back I knew I had to. I also had to try and get in touch with Dan. Nothing was going right.
When I finally got through to Dan I told him that I would accept the offer but that I couldn’t start until the 10th of October. I told him that I just couldn’t leave AJ “hanging”. He didn’t like hearing that but, reluctantly, said “OK”. Now I had to break the news to Eddie. More discomfort.
One of the horses that Eddie was caring for was racing that night which made it a bit easier. I can still see the look on his face when I told him. It honestly made me sad. He tried “selling” the concept of the new horses and the potential they offered. I was aware of that but it was the offer of more money and having horses to race on my own that were the big items for me. When I told him I’d be around until AJ got back from Harrisburg and that he’d indicated that I’d get to drive the stable’s horses in his absence it seemed to cheer him up.
Between my back and the events of the day it was another pretty much sleepless night. On top of that Eugene’s baby was sick and she spent a good bit of the night crying. Because I was awake I got up and washed and dressed early the next morning. When I walked into what served as the living room I saw Faith curled up asleep on the couch with the baby nestled into her arms. But I also got a peek at her panties, It was nothing special but it made me smile for a few seconds.
We were down to just nine horses that were capable of racing and that meant that I had some nights off. As I mentioned earlier, the apartment was located between the Atlantic Ocean and Boston Harbor. Right across the harbor was the Boston airport and one of the flight paths to it was right over the apartment building. Over time, I’d gotten used to the droning sound of the engines. (Jet service was still fairly new at that time) On my first night off I went up on the roof to watch some planes while landing. I don’t remember how long I was up there but I do remember that I was about to leave when I looked out to the East. It seemed like there was this small orange ball moving towards me. After a few minutes it became obvious that it was a plane with an engine on fire. I stood there watching it come closer and closer. I was frozen in place. I watched as it flew right over the apartment and then I ran to the other end of the roof and watched as it proceeded to land. I truly expected to see a crash.
The picture of the flaming engine stayed with me all night. I couldn’t get comfortable what with my back and that image clouding my mind made for another bad night. As far as the racing was concerned I couldn’t wait for us to move to New Hampshire. I was looking so forward to getting to drive some of the “good” horses. Eugene’s lease for the apartment was up on September 30th so he planned on leaving on that date. AJ decided to ship five of the horses on up early and I went with them. I never really got to see more than a couple of VPL’s during the rest of the time I spent with Eugene and Faith. I had hoped to get a picture of them (especially Faith) but didn’t have a camera and neither did they. When I left we said that we’d get together over the Winter. Dan’s farm was less than two hours away from their’s so it seemed reasonable. At least I hoped that it did.
To be continued...
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
HARD TIMES...change, not for the better (Part 55f)
The last thing I was thinking about was Faith’s panties when I picked Eugene up to go back to the apartment. I told Eugene about the offer and was looking for some validation from him. Because he’d only worked with his father he really didn’t have much experience in the way of what was or wasn't a fair offer. Back at the apartment I was concentrating on how to ”sell“ the offer to Elle and not thinking about Faith and Eugene leaving the apartment for the afternoon. I knew the hang up for Elle would be the lack of people at the farm to socialize with. I was actually worried that she’d say no.
It was about 1pm when Eugene’s friends arrived. Faith fixed us all a bite to eat and then they left. I should’ve been beside myself with excitement when they left but my thoughts were on my upcoming talk with Elle. I came up with all kinds of sales pitches and really didn’t like any of them. I’d told Elle that I’d call around 3pm and knew she’d be waiting for my call. I really didn’t want to talk with her... but I had to.
It went better that I thought it would. I really ”pushed“ the extra money that I’d be making and, with the new baby, how much we needed it. Basically, she was quiet on the other end of the line. I took that as a positive. I’d shown up at the phone booth with almost $5 in change and was about out when I flat out asked her what she was thinking. At first there was more silence and then she said something like ”do what you think is best“. I had no more money so took that as a ”yes“. I don’t remember what my immediate thoughts were but I was soon thinking about how to tell AJ.
I was back at the apartment before the thought of Faith’s panties crossed my mind. When it did I could feel my heart start to pound. In all the time I’d been staying there I’d never really had a look inside their bedroom. Every time I’d go into the bathroom I’d check just about everywhere looking for something faith might’ve left behind but had never found anything. I made a note of the angle of the bedroom door as I pushed it open enough for me to enter. There were two things I wanted a peek at and one was the dirty clothes basket. It was half hidden behind a chair and, again, I made note of the positioning of it as I picked it up and was disappointed to see very little in it. I’d forgotten that she’d done all the wash the day before and I was somewhat mad at myself for not remembering... since she’d used my car to go to the laundromat. One of Eugene’s shirts was right on top. I lifted it up and saw exactly what I was looking for... a pair of Faith’s white nylon panties. I made a mental note of how both the shirt and panties had been laying as I picked them up. As soon as I touched them I had a bulge. As I held them up there were a number of noticeable things about them. The one thing that struck me was the treatment of the leg openings. It wasn’t lace but it appeared to be lace like. I found the leg elastic and then about 1/2 inch of the same material as the panties only it was ”gathered“ which gave them the look of lace. It just seemed strange to me. I looked closely at the crotch area and it was definitely wider than most of the nylon panties that Elle had. It was also longer, from front to back, than Elle’s. I don’t remember any stains which indicated they were fairly new. Turning them inside out I looked at the label which read ”Seam Pruf”, a name I’d not seen before. The waist elastic was the tunnel type, enclosed by the same material as the panties. I'd seen that before in some of the nicer made ones. I, for sure, liked them!
After putting them and the wash basket back I headed for the dresser. I remember finding that she shared her lingerie drawer with Eugene’s underwear. There wasn't all that much on her side but I saw a pile of 4 or 5 panties right on top. I assumed that they were the panties that she’d just washed. I took the whole pile out and spread them out on the rug. There were two that caught my eye right away. They both had floral designs on them but were each very different. The first one was basically white with little rosebuds scattered throughout. As soon as I picked them up I noticed the feel of them was definitely different. They weren’t nylon or rayon and they weren’t cotton like any that I’d seen or felt. I held them up and when I turned to look at the back I saw something totally foreign to any panties I’d ever seen. I saw that the crotch panel started in the normal place on the front but, following it to the back, saw it didn’t end like all the other panties I’d seen before with a “half moon”. The panel continued on up to the waist elastic tapering as it went on up to a single point right in the middle of the back. That point was also the place the waist elastic started and ended and the label was placed. It read "BeFree". As I held them up it looked like an inverted “V”. The crotch fabric was doubled as with all other “normal” panties. When I went to stretch them I found that I couldn’t. I was truly puzzled. A close inspection of the middle of the crotch found some staining that indicated that they weren’t all that new. I folded them up and picked up the other floral pair. They had the same "feel" as the pair that I’d inspected from the wash basket and, after closely looking at them found them to also be made by “Seam Pruf”. Because the floral print flowed throughout the material I couldn’t see if there was any crotch staining. I then picked up one of the other panties and looked at the crotch area first. They didn’t have much staining either which was a bit of a disappointment. I was about to look for the label when I heard a sound from the living room. My heart stopped... or close to it. I quickly stacked the panties back up in the order that I’d laid them out and dropped them back into the drawer. I stood there to see if any more sounds came from the living room area. I don’t know if it was my imagination or not but I thought I did. The bathroom was right outside the bedroom door so I slipped as quietly as I could out into the hall and into the bathroom and closed the door.
To be continued...
The last thing I was thinking about was Faith’s panties when I picked Eugene up to go back to the apartment. I told Eugene about the offer and was looking for some validation from him. Because he’d only worked with his father he really didn’t have much experience in the way of what was or wasn't a fair offer. Back at the apartment I was concentrating on how to ”sell“ the offer to Elle and not thinking about Faith and Eugene leaving the apartment for the afternoon. I knew the hang up for Elle would be the lack of people at the farm to socialize with. I was actually worried that she’d say no.
It was about 1pm when Eugene’s friends arrived. Faith fixed us all a bite to eat and then they left. I should’ve been beside myself with excitement when they left but my thoughts were on my upcoming talk with Elle. I came up with all kinds of sales pitches and really didn’t like any of them. I’d told Elle that I’d call around 3pm and knew she’d be waiting for my call. I really didn’t want to talk with her... but I had to.
It went better that I thought it would. I really ”pushed“ the extra money that I’d be making and, with the new baby, how much we needed it. Basically, she was quiet on the other end of the line. I took that as a positive. I’d shown up at the phone booth with almost $5 in change and was about out when I flat out asked her what she was thinking. At first there was more silence and then she said something like ”do what you think is best“. I had no more money so took that as a ”yes“. I don’t remember what my immediate thoughts were but I was soon thinking about how to tell AJ.
I was back at the apartment before the thought of Faith’s panties crossed my mind. When it did I could feel my heart start to pound. In all the time I’d been staying there I’d never really had a look inside their bedroom. Every time I’d go into the bathroom I’d check just about everywhere looking for something faith might’ve left behind but had never found anything. I made a note of the angle of the bedroom door as I pushed it open enough for me to enter. There were two things I wanted a peek at and one was the dirty clothes basket. It was half hidden behind a chair and, again, I made note of the positioning of it as I picked it up and was disappointed to see very little in it. I’d forgotten that she’d done all the wash the day before and I was somewhat mad at myself for not remembering... since she’d used my car to go to the laundromat. One of Eugene’s shirts was right on top. I lifted it up and saw exactly what I was looking for... a pair of Faith’s white nylon panties. I made a mental note of how both the shirt and panties had been laying as I picked them up. As soon as I touched them I had a bulge. As I held them up there were a number of noticeable things about them. The one thing that struck me was the treatment of the leg openings. It wasn’t lace but it appeared to be lace like. I found the leg elastic and then about 1/2 inch of the same material as the panties only it was ”gathered“ which gave them the look of lace. It just seemed strange to me. I looked closely at the crotch area and it was definitely wider than most of the nylon panties that Elle had. It was also longer, from front to back, than Elle’s. I don’t remember any stains which indicated they were fairly new. Turning them inside out I looked at the label which read ”Seam Pruf”, a name I’d not seen before. The waist elastic was the tunnel type, enclosed by the same material as the panties. I'd seen that before in some of the nicer made ones. I, for sure, liked them!
After putting them and the wash basket back I headed for the dresser. I remember finding that she shared her lingerie drawer with Eugene’s underwear. There wasn't all that much on her side but I saw a pile of 4 or 5 panties right on top. I assumed that they were the panties that she’d just washed. I took the whole pile out and spread them out on the rug. There were two that caught my eye right away. They both had floral designs on them but were each very different. The first one was basically white with little rosebuds scattered throughout. As soon as I picked them up I noticed the feel of them was definitely different. They weren’t nylon or rayon and they weren’t cotton like any that I’d seen or felt. I held them up and when I turned to look at the back I saw something totally foreign to any panties I’d ever seen. I saw that the crotch panel started in the normal place on the front but, following it to the back, saw it didn’t end like all the other panties I’d seen before with a “half moon”. The panel continued on up to the waist elastic tapering as it went on up to a single point right in the middle of the back. That point was also the place the waist elastic started and ended and the label was placed. It read "BeFree". As I held them up it looked like an inverted “V”. The crotch fabric was doubled as with all other “normal” panties. When I went to stretch them I found that I couldn’t. I was truly puzzled. A close inspection of the middle of the crotch found some staining that indicated that they weren’t all that new. I folded them up and picked up the other floral pair. They had the same "feel" as the pair that I’d inspected from the wash basket and, after closely looking at them found them to also be made by “Seam Pruf”. Because the floral print flowed throughout the material I couldn’t see if there was any crotch staining. I then picked up one of the other panties and looked at the crotch area first. They didn’t have much staining either which was a bit of a disappointment. I was about to look for the label when I heard a sound from the living room. My heart stopped... or close to it. I quickly stacked the panties back up in the order that I’d laid them out and dropped them back into the drawer. I stood there to see if any more sounds came from the living room area. I don’t know if it was my imagination or not but I thought I did. The bathroom was right outside the bedroom door so I slipped as quietly as I could out into the hall and into the bathroom and closed the door.
To be continued...
Sunday, May 09, 2010
HARD TIMES... change, not for the better (Part 55e)
Hank did just as I’d told him to do and I could see his whip strike Crestwyn’s rump right at the start. By the time they got to the quarter mile pole he was about 5 lengths in front. He stayed that way all the way to the finish line. Seeing him cross the line first was a great feeling... and it wasn’t because of the approximately $85 that Eddie and I each won. I caught up with Hank a little later and he told me that he really hadn’t needed to hit the horse at the start. He was probably right but Eddie and I wanted our ”plan“ to be carried out just the way we’d designed it.
It was a good night for Eugene as well as he won his first race. Even though Faith was asleep when we got back to the apartment he woke her up to tell her. She’d been sound asleep and when she walked out into the living room she was rubbing her eyes. More important, (to me) was that she was wearing a fairly short flimsy nightgown. I could see her panties through it as she walked over to the table. Even though it was only for a short time it was a thrill just the same.
The next night Hank was to drive the 2 year old. I was not happy about that at all. He was still very skittish around other horses especially near the starting gate. As Hank was leaving the paddock for the race I warned him to keep the horse back from the starting gate even if the starter yelled at him to get him up closer. He didn’t respond. I had more horses to warm up so couldn’t go over to the grandstand to watch the race. With the paddock at the head of the stretch it was possible to see the start. To put it bluntly, it was a disaster. I could see the 2 year old swerve to the right and then watched as two horses went down. It’s always a sickening sight but especially after the experience I’d just gone through. Long story short... Hank had tried to take the two year old right up to the gate and the horse had shied to the right, running into that horse who, in turn, ran into the horse next him. No one was hurt but Hank was called into the judge’s booth to explain what had happened. The result was that the 2 year old was barred from racing the rest of the meet. I was really mad and it was at Hank. I’d told him about the horse and what to do with him but in his eyes I was just a ”kid“ so he ignored me. He wouldn’t talk to me about it. It was just another in the growing list of things that was upsetting to me.
Eugene didn’t have any horses racing that night so I didn’t have anybody to let off steam with. I lay awake for a long time and was praying that Dan would come through with a concrete offer when we would talk on Sunday. It was still three days away and since Eugene and Faith had made arrangements to spend that afternoon and evening with another young couple it was going to be my chance to finally peek at Faith’ panty drawer. To say I was eagerly looking forward to Sunday was an understatement.(12)
I’d only casually mentioned Dan to Elle when she was visiting. I only had slivers of information from him but the one thing I did know was that he’d built a half mile track at his farm in Pennsylvania and was planning on spending the winter there. If there was one concern that I had it was about that. I didn’t want to say too much to her until I had all the information hoping that there would be enough good things to overcome the fact that we would be basically all alone at the farm.
AJ returned on Saturday with what seemed like good news about his trip. The owner had purchased five yearlings including the most expensive filly (female) sold at the sale. He was not only excited about that but also that he and the owner would be going to the Harrisburg auctions to buy some race ready horses. The auction coincided with the close of racing at Boston and I knew we were going to New Hampshire at that time. I also knew that his friend, Hank, who’d driven AJ’s horses while he was in Lexington, wasn’t. My first thought was that maybe I’d finally get a chance. Actually, I was counting on it. The problem, for me, was it clouded my thought process as far as Dan was concerned.
When Sunday morning arrived I remember being as nervous as I was right before my first race. I had to go through my usual Sunday morning chores and was to wait at the cook house public phone for Dan to call. I was about 15 minutes early and those 15 minutes seemed like an hour. Dan actually did have an offer... and I could hardly believe my ears. I would get a $20 a week raise to start with. He would pay for my electric and heat (kerosene) for the trailer. All the food that we would buy at a local market would get a 15% discount. When it came time to go racing in the Spring I would be given a group of horses to race on my own. It was like my dream coming true over the phone. I didn’t have much to ask but did say that I needed to talk it over with my wife. At the end of the conversation he said I had to let him (or his wife) know within the week. Even though I was ready to say ”yes“ right then and there I told him I would. When I hung up the receiver I was shaking.
To be continued...
Hank did just as I’d told him to do and I could see his whip strike Crestwyn’s rump right at the start. By the time they got to the quarter mile pole he was about 5 lengths in front. He stayed that way all the way to the finish line. Seeing him cross the line first was a great feeling... and it wasn’t because of the approximately $85 that Eddie and I each won. I caught up with Hank a little later and he told me that he really hadn’t needed to hit the horse at the start. He was probably right but Eddie and I wanted our ”plan“ to be carried out just the way we’d designed it.
It was a good night for Eugene as well as he won his first race. Even though Faith was asleep when we got back to the apartment he woke her up to tell her. She’d been sound asleep and when she walked out into the living room she was rubbing her eyes. More important, (to me) was that she was wearing a fairly short flimsy nightgown. I could see her panties through it as she walked over to the table. Even though it was only for a short time it was a thrill just the same.
The next night Hank was to drive the 2 year old. I was not happy about that at all. He was still very skittish around other horses especially near the starting gate. As Hank was leaving the paddock for the race I warned him to keep the horse back from the starting gate even if the starter yelled at him to get him up closer. He didn’t respond. I had more horses to warm up so couldn’t go over to the grandstand to watch the race. With the paddock at the head of the stretch it was possible to see the start. To put it bluntly, it was a disaster. I could see the 2 year old swerve to the right and then watched as two horses went down. It’s always a sickening sight but especially after the experience I’d just gone through. Long story short... Hank had tried to take the two year old right up to the gate and the horse had shied to the right, running into that horse who, in turn, ran into the horse next him. No one was hurt but Hank was called into the judge’s booth to explain what had happened. The result was that the 2 year old was barred from racing the rest of the meet. I was really mad and it was at Hank. I’d told him about the horse and what to do with him but in his eyes I was just a ”kid“ so he ignored me. He wouldn’t talk to me about it. It was just another in the growing list of things that was upsetting to me.
Eugene didn’t have any horses racing that night so I didn’t have anybody to let off steam with. I lay awake for a long time and was praying that Dan would come through with a concrete offer when we would talk on Sunday. It was still three days away and since Eugene and Faith had made arrangements to spend that afternoon and evening with another young couple it was going to be my chance to finally peek at Faith’ panty drawer. To say I was eagerly looking forward to Sunday was an understatement.(12)
I’d only casually mentioned Dan to Elle when she was visiting. I only had slivers of information from him but the one thing I did know was that he’d built a half mile track at his farm in Pennsylvania and was planning on spending the winter there. If there was one concern that I had it was about that. I didn’t want to say too much to her until I had all the information hoping that there would be enough good things to overcome the fact that we would be basically all alone at the farm.
AJ returned on Saturday with what seemed like good news about his trip. The owner had purchased five yearlings including the most expensive filly (female) sold at the sale. He was not only excited about that but also that he and the owner would be going to the Harrisburg auctions to buy some race ready horses. The auction coincided with the close of racing at Boston and I knew we were going to New Hampshire at that time. I also knew that his friend, Hank, who’d driven AJ’s horses while he was in Lexington, wasn’t. My first thought was that maybe I’d finally get a chance. Actually, I was counting on it. The problem, for me, was it clouded my thought process as far as Dan was concerned.
When Sunday morning arrived I remember being as nervous as I was right before my first race. I had to go through my usual Sunday morning chores and was to wait at the cook house public phone for Dan to call. I was about 15 minutes early and those 15 minutes seemed like an hour. Dan actually did have an offer... and I could hardly believe my ears. I would get a $20 a week raise to start with. He would pay for my electric and heat (kerosene) for the trailer. All the food that we would buy at a local market would get a 15% discount. When it came time to go racing in the Spring I would be given a group of horses to race on my own. It was like my dream coming true over the phone. I didn’t have much to ask but did say that I needed to talk it over with my wife. At the end of the conversation he said I had to let him (or his wife) know within the week. Even though I was ready to say ”yes“ right then and there I told him I would. When I hung up the receiver I was shaking.
To be continued...
Thursday, May 06, 2010
HARD TIMES... change, not for the better (Part 55d)
When the train arrived I could see that Elle was very tired and I was worried about her. Even though it was only about a half hour to the apartment she fell asleep on the way. She was apprehensive about meeting Eugene and Faith and worried about her wetting. Faith was waiting and had made a light supper for all of us. As Eugene and I left for the track it appeared that her fears were unfounded as the girls were getting along well. It was certainly way better than AJ and I were.
AJ and the owner were to leave for Lexington on Sunday. I met Hank, his driver friend on that Saturday night. He seemed like a nice guy and vowed to myself not to give him a hard time the following week. We already knew which horses were entered through the next Wednesday and one of them was the two year old that I’d been training and racing. I managed to sum up the courage to ask AJ if I could at least drive him and he just shook his head ”no“.
The girls spent all Saturday at the beach which was only a few blocks away. The weather had co-operated and was promising to do the same for Sunday. For Sunday they had decided that it would be fun for all of us to go down to the boardwalk. In spite of my memorable introduction to Faith (in just her full slip) and a few ”near misses“, I hadn’t really gotten any good views of her panties. The day turned out to be unseasonably warm and she ended up wearing a pair of light blue shorts. When we were about to leave the apartment she bent down to pick up the baby and I know Elle caught me staring at her bottom. It was a fantastic VPL (visible panty line) that caught me by surprise. I had a hard time not looking in that area as we walked down the street. Elle caught me another time and gave me a good smack in the arm.
We had a good time playing some of the games and then ended up on the beach. Their baby just loved the sand. I was thankful we ended up there because it gave me a chance to actually see Faith’s panties from a different perspective. Sitting in the sand she would change her leg positions as she tried to corral the baby. The best view was when she ended up lying on her back with her legs up. I got to see her actual panties and all the way up to the crotch line. Thankfully, both Elle and Eugene were not in position to see what I was able to see. One thing it reminded me was that in the week I’d lived with Eugene and Faith I’d never been in the apartment alone. I made a note to myself to work on that.
There was no way for me to take Elle to the train station on Monday morning and I had to get a taxi to take her. She wasn’t very happy about it and neither was I, but for a different reason. The cost of the cab was going to take just about all the cash I had for the week. But, all in all, I was glad that she’d come up to visit.
I’d mentioned the horse Crestwyn earlier and how Eddie and I had felt that the cause for his disappointing performance was AJ. We felt that AJ had some sort of fear of the horse and because of it was reluctant to drive him aggressively in the races. Horses are not the dumb animals that most people think they are. We felt that Crestwyn, knowing he wasn’t going to have to race hard, had become lazy. Eddie and I had come up with a ”plan” and I’d been looking forward for a chance to drive him so that I could put our ”plan“ to work. But it was Hank who was going to race him so we had to rethink our ”plan“.
Eddie was sure that in the five years that AJ had been racing him that Crestwyn had never been really hit with a whip. A light ”tap“ was all that Eddie could remember. On race night, prior to the actual race, each horse makes three separate warm up miles spaced out over about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The first mile is usually done in about 3 minutes with the second about 2 minutes and 35 seconds. The last warm up mile before racing is usually done in about 2 minutes and 20 seconds with the last quarter mile done just a little bit faster than the other quarters. Even with Hank doing the race driving I was still to do the first two warm ups. When I turned him to start the first of the warm ups I hit him with my whip on his rump as hard as could. O H M Y G O D ! ! ! It was as if he’d been hit with a bolt of lightning. All I could do was hold on trying to steer him from hitting other horses on the track. When the mile was over he’d done it in about 2 minutes, 30 seconds with me trying to hold him back as best I could. He’d gone faster than he should’ve gone for even his second mile. When I got him back to the paddock Eddie was laughing. It was obvious that I’d gotten Crestwyn’s attention. Eddie and I decided that we’d go with only two warm up trips. I had to find Hank to tell him when the next trip was to be. We only told him that it seemed like Crestwyn had ”a burr under his saddle“ as he was really ”fired up“. When Hank returned he told Eddie that the horse was ”a handful“. Eddie and I looked at each other trying not to laugh. When Hank left the paddock for the race I told him that he should give him a good swat just as the starting gate pulled away because he had a lazy streak once the race started. Hank looked at me with a puzzled look but didn’t say anything.
Eddie had given me $10 to bet on Crestwyn to win. I wanted to watch the race from the grandstands so I could see the whole thing. The paddock was located on the fourth turn and since it was a mile track you couldn’t see the other turns or the finish line. As I jogged over to make the bet I was debating with myself weather to bet any money myself. I had a $10 bill hidden in my wallet for emergencies and as I waited to place Eddies bet I pulled it out... and began to worry.
To be continued...
When the train arrived I could see that Elle was very tired and I was worried about her. Even though it was only about a half hour to the apartment she fell asleep on the way. She was apprehensive about meeting Eugene and Faith and worried about her wetting. Faith was waiting and had made a light supper for all of us. As Eugene and I left for the track it appeared that her fears were unfounded as the girls were getting along well. It was certainly way better than AJ and I were.
AJ and the owner were to leave for Lexington on Sunday. I met Hank, his driver friend on that Saturday night. He seemed like a nice guy and vowed to myself not to give him a hard time the following week. We already knew which horses were entered through the next Wednesday and one of them was the two year old that I’d been training and racing. I managed to sum up the courage to ask AJ if I could at least drive him and he just shook his head ”no“.
The girls spent all Saturday at the beach which was only a few blocks away. The weather had co-operated and was promising to do the same for Sunday. For Sunday they had decided that it would be fun for all of us to go down to the boardwalk. In spite of my memorable introduction to Faith (in just her full slip) and a few ”near misses“, I hadn’t really gotten any good views of her panties. The day turned out to be unseasonably warm and she ended up wearing a pair of light blue shorts. When we were about to leave the apartment she bent down to pick up the baby and I know Elle caught me staring at her bottom. It was a fantastic VPL (visible panty line) that caught me by surprise. I had a hard time not looking in that area as we walked down the street. Elle caught me another time and gave me a good smack in the arm.
We had a good time playing some of the games and then ended up on the beach. Their baby just loved the sand. I was thankful we ended up there because it gave me a chance to actually see Faith’s panties from a different perspective. Sitting in the sand she would change her leg positions as she tried to corral the baby. The best view was when she ended up lying on her back with her legs up. I got to see her actual panties and all the way up to the crotch line. Thankfully, both Elle and Eugene were not in position to see what I was able to see. One thing it reminded me was that in the week I’d lived with Eugene and Faith I’d never been in the apartment alone. I made a note to myself to work on that.
There was no way for me to take Elle to the train station on Monday morning and I had to get a taxi to take her. She wasn’t very happy about it and neither was I, but for a different reason. The cost of the cab was going to take just about all the cash I had for the week. But, all in all, I was glad that she’d come up to visit.
I’d mentioned the horse Crestwyn earlier and how Eddie and I had felt that the cause for his disappointing performance was AJ. We felt that AJ had some sort of fear of the horse and because of it was reluctant to drive him aggressively in the races. Horses are not the dumb animals that most people think they are. We felt that Crestwyn, knowing he wasn’t going to have to race hard, had become lazy. Eddie and I had come up with a ”plan” and I’d been looking forward for a chance to drive him so that I could put our ”plan“ to work. But it was Hank who was going to race him so we had to rethink our ”plan“.
Eddie was sure that in the five years that AJ had been racing him that Crestwyn had never been really hit with a whip. A light ”tap“ was all that Eddie could remember. On race night, prior to the actual race, each horse makes three separate warm up miles spaced out over about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The first mile is usually done in about 3 minutes with the second about 2 minutes and 35 seconds. The last warm up mile before racing is usually done in about 2 minutes and 20 seconds with the last quarter mile done just a little bit faster than the other quarters. Even with Hank doing the race driving I was still to do the first two warm ups. When I turned him to start the first of the warm ups I hit him with my whip on his rump as hard as could. O H M Y G O D ! ! ! It was as if he’d been hit with a bolt of lightning. All I could do was hold on trying to steer him from hitting other horses on the track. When the mile was over he’d done it in about 2 minutes, 30 seconds with me trying to hold him back as best I could. He’d gone faster than he should’ve gone for even his second mile. When I got him back to the paddock Eddie was laughing. It was obvious that I’d gotten Crestwyn’s attention. Eddie and I decided that we’d go with only two warm up trips. I had to find Hank to tell him when the next trip was to be. We only told him that it seemed like Crestwyn had ”a burr under his saddle“ as he was really ”fired up“. When Hank returned he told Eddie that the horse was ”a handful“. Eddie and I looked at each other trying not to laugh. When Hank left the paddock for the race I told him that he should give him a good swat just as the starting gate pulled away because he had a lazy streak once the race started. Hank looked at me with a puzzled look but didn’t say anything.
Eddie had given me $10 to bet on Crestwyn to win. I wanted to watch the race from the grandstands so I could see the whole thing. The paddock was located on the fourth turn and since it was a mile track you couldn’t see the other turns or the finish line. As I jogged over to make the bet I was debating with myself weather to bet any money myself. I had a $10 bill hidden in my wallet for emergencies and as I waited to place Eddies bet I pulled it out... and began to worry.
To be continued...
Monday, May 03, 2010
HARD TIMES... Change, not for the better (Part 55c)
I actually got a good night of sleep in spite of my back. Eugene woke me up and Faith had coffee and scrambled eggs waiting for us. She was wearing a short house coat and although I kept my eyes on her most of the time I didn’t get a peek of what she had on under it. I knew what I’d be looking for every morning. I was in fairly good mood when I arrived but AJ soon took care of that. He told me that he and the owner of the 2 year old that I raced were going to the yearling sales in Lexington Kentucky the following week. My first thought was positive in that I expected that I’d get to race more of the horses. He went on to say that a good friend of his was shipping in a few horses and that he would be driving all the horses during that week including both of my grandfather’s horses. Talk about being deflated. I was so upset that I don’t remember if I ever asked him why. I do remember walking away from him and avoiding him the rest of the day.
Eugene and I drove back to the apartment, about a 20 minute drive at that time of day, for lunch. Faith had it ready for us and seeing her calmed me down. I hadn’t called Elle since I had arrived at the track and needed to do it. They had no phone which meant another trip downstairs. The apartment was located in a small community which was best known as a place for Summer entertainment. The community was located on a narrow spit of land between the Atlantic Ocean and Boston Harbor. Right down the street was a boardwalk with all kinds of amusements and I headed in that direction looking for a public phone. It was Labor Day and the area was packed with people. When I finally found a phone it was hard to hear Elle and hard for her to hear me. I hadn’t told her about my incident with three footed horse and decided that it was not the right time to do so. What I did get to hear was a plea for me to let her come up and visit for a weekend. At that point in time all we both knew was that the baby was due sooner than we had originally expected so I told her that if her doctor said it was OK I’d arrange for it. The only problem with that was that I hadn’t yet told her about my living arrangements. I remember walking back to the apartment wondering why life had to be so complicated.
Labor Day night was the grand opening for the track. To make a big ”splash“ they had asked the trainers to enter their best horses. The best horse AJ had was a big roan one with the name of Crestwyn. Eddie, my friend and the best groom AJ had, was his caretaker (groom) all five years that AJ had been training him. Over the time I had worked with AJ, Eddie and I had seen him drop from a really top of the line race horse all the way down to class B. Eddie was convinced that the problem wasn’t the horse but was in the way AJ raced him. We had chatted about how I would race him if I ever got the chance. Eddie was disappointed that I wasn’t going to get to do it when AJ took off for Lexington the following week. When Crestwyn didn’t do all that well that night it made Eddie even more upset.
I was the most upset when AJ raced my grandfather’s horse. I was the only one to drive him for the past two years and this move was, to me, a slap in the face. The fact that he won with him didn’t help matters either. I decided to try and get in touch with Dan and see if his offer of a job was for real. It took three days for the two of us to connect and nothing was decided. Setting a time and date for the next conversation was about all we accomplished. Elle had gotten clearance to travel from her doctor and my father made the train reservations for her to arrive on Friday afternoon. Watching Eugene and Faith interact with their baby made me miss Elle more than since I’d taken her home.
I made sure to go to the right train station this time but when I got there found that the train would be about 2 hours late. To kill time I decided to walk around the area. One of the area's big department stores was located nearby. Of course I made my way to the lingerie department. Back in those days it wasn’t uncommon for panties to be displayed on partial manikins and as I walked down this one aisle I saw this stunning pair of light blue panties with vertical lace inserts along side the side seams. As I stopped and looked I noticed a very distinctive waist elastic. I’d seen it before but couldn’t place it. While staring at the panties I didn’t see the salesperson walk up and she startled me. I know I was blushing when she asked if she could help. I probably stammered when I answered. It had been quite a while since I’d bought any panties. I pointed to the ones on the display and when she asked what size I hesitated. As I mentioned earlier, Elle was a lot bigger than in the first pregnancy. I knew that size 5 was what she normally wore but I asked for size 6. The manufacturer was Vanity Fair and I remember that I bought 3 pair for right around $5. The idea was to basically do the same as with the last pregnancy and to hold them aside until after the baby was born and then give them to her. It wasn’t until I got back to the car that I took them out of the bag to inspect them closely. When I got to the crotch I found something that I’d never seen before. All the nylon panties I ever seen had two layers of nylon in the crotch. The inside of these felt something like cotton but was much fluffier than cotton. It turned out that this was my introduction to ”brushed nylon“.
To be continued...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)