A Horse's Tale, Chapter 33, Gnats Car
Steph looks up from the TV, "Is that Justice making all that noise?", Rob looks over, "Probably is, he is such a dummy." Steph gets up, "I see you removed the Bell and Pink Ribbon." Rob nods, "Yeah had to, two other horses asked me for Bells and Pink Ribbons, you know how that goes." Steph nods, grabs her robe, and heads out to see what all the clanging is about. Steph stops on the patio and looks over to Justice, he is merrily kicking at the rail fence. Steph walks over Justice sees here backs away and looks around like 'not me'. "Evening Justice, what you up to?" Justice looks over, "Ahhh, eating." Steph shakes her head, "No you aren't you will banging on the railing. Why were you doing that?" Justice walks over closer to Steph, "Ahhh, every time I leave the pen late at night, I get in trouble." Steph nods, "Yes you do. So why were you banging on the rails?" Justice leans forward, "I was trying to attract the attention of General." Steph over to the left towards the back row, "Why would you want to bother General this late at night?" Justice looks in the same direction, "Oh, it’s not to bother him, I wanted to place a bet." Steph doesn't even both to look at Justice, "A bet?" Justice replies, "Yes on the Gnats Car Race." Steph now looks at Justice, "Why would you place a bet with General on a Gnats Car Race, whatever that is?" Justice looks at Steph 'as if she has no idea how these things work' "General knows a sports book people that takes beats on things." "Ahh now I understand, I guess. Well go see General and be quick about it and stop bang the rails."
Justice just stands there, Steph says, "Well go see him." Justice nods, "Open the gate." Steph says, "I know you guys can open the gates yourselves." Justice nods, "But we can't do it when people are around." Steph nods, "Lets me guess, it’s a secret." Justice nods, Steph says "Ok, just this one time." She walks to the gate, and opens it, and stands back a bit. Justice runs to the back on the pen and grabs a Wal-Mart bag and runs out of the pens, turns the corner and heads to the back row. Steph yell after him "Don't take to long." Justice does a little buck as if to say 'sure'. Steph walks over and sits down on one of the bales of hay. 'Why would Justice be placing bets on a Gnats Car Race, I just don't understand, heck I don't even know what a Gnats Car Race is, and I am pretty sure he doesn't either.' Just as she ends that thought Justice comes running back towards the pen, slams on the breaks and skids to a halt at the gate, "Thanks all done." and he calmly walks back into the pen, goes to the far side and digs a hole for his Wal-Mart bag. He turns and says "Don't forget to close and lock the gate." Steph nods, stands up and closes the gate, and locks it. She starts to head back to the house, but stops and turns to Justice "No more banging the rails." Justice nods. Steph turns stops again, 'Ok, I have to go ask General about this." She turns and walks to the back row.
General has his head in the feeder, but as Steph gets closer, he pulls his head out and looks toward Steph, General says "What you doing out this late at night?" Steph a bit short of his pen, "How did you know it was me?" General says, "It’s those funny shoes you wear, they make a special noise." Steph looks down, "They are Bunny Slippers." General nods, he won't even attempt to figure out why Steph is wearing Bunnies. Steph asks "What is this about you taking bets?" General nods, "Yes, sometimes the horses want to place bets on things, see I know this fellow, who knows another fellow, who is actually a brother to a fellow who works in a Casino." Steph nods her head as if she understands, "Ahhh, I don't think that is legal." General shakes his head, "Sure it is, horses having been betting on things nearly forever. Where do you think the phrase 'How the west was won' came from?" Steph is stumped on that one. "So who is this first fellow, that you know?" General looks over his shoulder, "Well it’s not really a fellow, it’s a mare, her name is Flower, she lives back that way, she comes by some times and we talk." Steph walks over to the rail and reaches in, and rubs General between the ears. "Have a good night." General sticks his head back in the feeder. Steph turns and walks back to the house. 'I will have to check the gaming laws and see if its legal for a third party to place bets, pretty sure it is illegal, and then pretty sure that placing bets for horses is illegal also.'
Steph walks in the house, and sits down, and waits for Rob to ask what was going on. She waits, looks over, waits, "Aren't you going to ask me what was going on?" Rob shakes his head, "Nope, every time I do, you come up with these weird stories." Steph nods, knowing he is right. She sits back looks at the TV, "Ahhh, what’s a Gnats Car Race?" Rob looks at her, and starts laughing.
To Be Continued.
Author Samm
MHR PMU horses
