The Jockey, A Short Story by Charles Bukowski

By Charles Bukowski

Larry Peterson, Blue Mongoose seen on the again to the background. Larry has been driving for 15 years and he knew his horses. He actually had a bug on his ass.

Larry tried to alleviate the horse, however issues weren’t higher within the publish -time. He drove to the gate for the opposite horses and located McKelvey. He mentioned to McKelvey: “This rattling beast is unsuitable. I would like him to be scratched. “

“He appears to be like good,” replied McKelvey. Larry knew that McKelvey was a kind of stewards who nervous that the cash that the job misplaced on a scratch was a critical matter. Nonetheless, the lack of cash was too uncared for as a result of the fools acquired their a reimbursement and wager on one thing else.

Larry descended and gave the reins to McKelvey: “Get a sense from this Skitterish Motherfucker! See in case you can hold it on the ground! “

McKelvey was a giant man, he grabbed the reins. Blue Mongoose Bongerde, rolled his head. The horse was in a foam.

“You bastard, settle down!” McKelvey shouted on the horse. He pulled to the reins and waved the horse in a circle, then in one other after which one other one.

“McKelvey, you solely make it worse!”

McKelvey straightened the horse and stared at Peterson: “There’s nothing unsuitable with him, Larry! Otherwise you mount on whether or not I like to recommend that they’ve floor you 5 racing days to refuse to experience a match mount! “

“You are taking the meals out of my mouth, McKelvey!”

“Driving or ravenous, boy!”

“Shit!”

Larry mounted. The gang, understanding nothing, applauded. Blue Mongoose was the 8 horse. That they had the primary seven. Mongoose wouldn’t enter his stall. A number of of the gate males pushed to the stick of the horse till they obtained it. The beast vibrated and sniffed. After they positioned the 9 horse within the stall subsequent to him, it did – Mongoose tore, he introduced excessive within the gate and threw Larry unfastened and backwards, exhausting within the filth. It was a bang, however he was nonetheless conscious. He moved slowly and obtained up. Then he walked round, limping, his proper leg beating. He was dizzy and he had bitten his tongue.

Larry spit some blood and there the fats boy was watching him there. Larry mentioned, “McKelvey, your bastard, I hate each a part of you!”

McKelvey gave the order after which the announcer came to visit the general public handle system: “Girls and gents, commissioned by the stewards, Blue Mongoose is scratched from this race. Your tickets can be reimbursed … “

Larry walked off the monitor and down via the tunnel.

A foul day, a 3rd place and 4 of the cash and considered one of them had been a shot of 6 to five. Larry preferred to stroll on or close to the tempo. It appeared that his agent by no means acquired early foot horses.

He got here to the dressing room, pulled out his tack. His valet was gone, the bastard had a sizzling date with a McDonald’s counter lady …

It was enjoyable within the bathe. Lance Griffith was a stall or two down – he was second within the taking part in face with a shot from 16 to 1 and felt fairly good.

“Hey, Larry!”

“Sure?”

“Let’s go and get fucked tonight!”

“I’m a married man, Lance -“

“What the hell does that need to do with?

I’m too! “

“I do not play it that means …”

“Do not be a idiot, Larry, whereas we experience these horses, our outdated girls drive one thing else.”

“I do not take a look at it that means …”

“Do you assume they’re sleeping with us as a result of we choose up at 100 and fourteen? You’ve gotten discovered one thing to come back, man. “

‘Hear, I simply thrown via my final mountain. I do not need to take heed to quite a lot of shit. “

“Okay, Larry, okay.”

The best leg was stiff and the driving was painful.

Goddamn McKelvey, nervous concerning the job. That quantity can be lengthy after they have been all gone.

He pulled the experience, obtained it within the storage, went up the steps to the door, opened him and Karina was on the telephone, all good six ft of her. Larry was like most different Jocks: he cherished tall girls. Lengthy hair. Class. Holly Schooling.

“Reena, honey,” he mentioned.

Karina glanced at Larry, waved with an arm, often to drop it off. She was heavy within the telephone.

“Sure, mother, properly, pay attention … you must take higher care of your self … you want extra mates … Oh, I can see whenever you’re down … I do know your voice enter … Hear, when Are you coming to go to us? Right here is Larry! “

Karina threw him up vigorously, mentioned with a peaceful voice, “Say hey to Mama!”

Larry took the telephone. “Howdy, Stella … how are you … that is okay … Oh, I simply got here in … what? Oh, I drove … No, no winners at this time … Perhaps tomorrow. .. sure, oh, sure, it is heat right here … Effectively, look, you are good now … right here is Karina … “

He gave the telephone to his spouse. Then he walked via the room and the steps. He went into the lavatory and let the new water run within the tub. The leg turned actually stiff.

Larry walked to the bed room and took off his footwear and stockings. Then, sitting on the mattress, he tried to get out of his pants. The best leg was stiff. The ache was large. He might barely drop his pants. He struggled with all this, laughed. It was so ridiculous. Then he completed the pants.

The undershirt and the shorts have been simpler. He managed to rise up. He took just a few steps. The leg held out. He went to the lavatory. He went in there, bent over the tub, bumped into some chilly water and combined it within the sizzling along with his hand. Whereas he was so bent over the bathtub, Karina walked in.

“I feel you have been a bit out of hand with Mama -“

“Reena, I did not need to be. I simply could not consider something to say … “

“You could not? Effectively, you could possibly attempt a little bit more durable. Mom has emotions like everybody else! That lady has skilled quite a bit, she is a courageous and an awesome lady. “

Larry obtained up, regarded on the lavatory wall behind the tub.

“Youngster, I am positive she’s …”

“You actually do not imply that, you simply say that …”

“Effectively, hell, I do not actually know your mom.”

Larry succeeded in climbing within the tub. The water appeared about good. He caught within the water. That sizzling water was so good on the leg …

“Effectively, you must make an try to get to know her.”

Karina stood over him, so lengthy there, gazing him. All that physique. These swish legs. What filly. And he or she knew find out how to costume. Type, class. To shine.

That lengthy hair. Purple combined with gold. And naturally. These inexperienced deep eyes. These eyes that may snicker. And people good enamel. Good nostril, stunning chin. Neck a little bit lengthy. However a very good spirit. And he or she knew find out how to costume. She had his favourite, the darkish blue costume that match excellent.

“I mentioned,” You need to make an try to know her “!”

“Reena, I’m actually defeated …”

‘Consider your self. All the time consider your self, your rattling your self! “

“Rattling your self?”

‘Do not you assume another person is round? Simply you, the nice jockey? And recently the non-so-called jockey! “

“Reena, are you about to have your interval?”

‘No, are you? Are you about to have your interval? “

Karina leaned over the bathtub, her arms rested on the sting, her gold purple hair swirled down.

“Hear, honey, I am sorry if …”

“Honey not!”

Larry determined to surrender. There was nothing to say. Phrases would merely result in extra ugliness.

A bit shiny he noticed her smiling and he thought, ah, it can get higher, the entire thing was a type of joke.

Nevertheless it wasn’t such a smile.

After which it left. After which he heard her once more.

‘So now you withdraw! You do not need to discuss to me! “

Larry splashed some water below his chin and felt fairly silly whereas he did.

“Look, Reena, let’s neglect every thing and begin fully. Let’s drink a drink and be completed. Issues aren’t that dangerous … “

Karina bowed nearer. “A drink? A drink, a drink, a drink, a drink. A bit drink … That solves every thing, is not it?”

“It helps” “

“Cannot you see something with no drink?”

He knew what she needed to listen to and so he mentioned, “No.”

Karina caught within the water offended and splashed a handful of his face: ‘You bastard! You fool dick! “

Her tears got here. He felt sick in his abdomen. He needed to be all over the place besides there. He needed to take a seat in jail, he needed to take a seat on Skid Row, he needed to get misplaced in a desert, he needed to be sucked away by quicksand.

“Simply depart me alone,” he mentioned.

Karina bowed nearer. She not appeared so stunning. ‘Do you permit alone? Do you permit alone? What for? So you may drive with your self? So you may play with your self? “

“Sure,” mentioned Larry, “that. Let me have that …”

“Oh, oh … my God, I ought to finish that with this!”

Larry checked out her: “I urge you, simply depart and depart me alone!”

“Why did I’ve to marry a miniature man,” she began, “I might have had -” after which a flash of roaring purple fell on him, after which darkness, and he grabbed her by the hair after which on the neck and pulled her Within the tub with him.

There was the crash and sprint of legs, elbows, clothes and she or he was there. He was large enough to sort out her, and he labored on high of her whereas she kicked and waved – he was used to utilizing 2,000 kilos of untamed meat or no matter these bastards weighed. He felt his fingers dig in her mouth, her nostrils, in opposition to her brow, and he pushed exhausting, exhausting down and the top went down and he held it there, he stored it down there, considering, she is silent now, however however He could not do it now, he let her on, he got here out of the tub, ashamed. He grabbed a towel and put him round himself whereas Karina was simply sitting within the tub in her darkish blue costume and put each arms on her face and so sat like that.

Larry felt horrible, demented, greater than offended.

He walked into the bed room, stepped in a cloak. He sat in a chair close to the bed room window. The night went into the evening. Within the east he might see the lights of town, they regarded very peaceable.

Then he heard Karina get out of the tub. It made a smashing sound. She coughed.

Then he heard her stroll. He heard the water dripping whereas she walked. He felt her strolling up behind him. He waited and regarded on the lights of town.

This text was initially Up to date within the July 1983 challenge of Excessive Occasions Journal.