The next day, Jack and I were eating lunch at the inn�s restaurant when Race ran into the room, and over to us, sitting down next to Jack on in the booth.

�Race, where�ve ya been?� Jack asked.

�I�ve been busy getting ya a gig fer ta�night. IT�s a good one, too. Ovah at da Hotel Julia.� Jack whistled.

�Dat�s high class right dere. Ya sure we can do it?�

�Oh, Shoah, JackieBoy,� I said, grinning. �Da question is: will dey be able to handle yer great singin�?� Jack swatted me because of my insult and fake NY accent.

�Watch it, Shoe, or youse gonna be locked in da room, an� Race�ll do your part for ya�.�

Race stood up on cue and started to sing �My Lovey-dovey Baaa-beeeee. I boo hoo hoooooo for yoooouuuuu!� I smacked his cheek softly and grinned.

�Oh, no! We can�t let him do it! They�ll pay us to get off the stage!�

�Hey! That�s not nice!� Race yelled, hurt, and I stood up and mussed up his hair jokingly.

�Don�t pay attention to me none, Race.� I winked at Jack. �It was a...a.. joke. Yeah, that�s right. It was a joke!� I jumped out of Race�s path as he swung his arm to swat me. �I better go now!� Jack stood up and dragged me back.

�Aww, Shoe! Siddown and eat your lunch.� I obeyed because I was hungry, and Racetrack sat back down, this time next to me.

�Just think, ya guys,� Racetrack said. �This time, tomorrow, we�ll be celebrating a great performance!�

************* The Next Day ***********

Jack spooned up some potato soup and slurped it up. �How many times do I have to ask you to be polite?� I asked him, annoyed.

�Whut�s wrong now?�

�You slurped!� He shrugged.

�Sorry,� he answered simply. �didn�t know it bugged ya so much.�

�Don�t be sorry, just don�t do it next time!�

Just then, Race came and sat down next to Jack. �You guys okay? Maybe last night wus too much?�

I shrugged. �I had no idea we would be up so late. Sorry for being grumpy.�

�I�s sorry she�s grumpy, too,� Jack said.

�You don�t have to apologize for me. I already apologized.�

�I�m not apoligizin� for ya. I�s just sayin� dat I�s sorry you�re grumpy too.�

Racetrack�s grin faded as I said �Oh, so now you are tired of me? We have one successful show, and you are ready to get rid of me?�

A frown started to show on his face as Jack answered: �I didn�t say dat, but now i�s thinkin� that I might. Why do ya hafta act so superior, anyways?� Before I had a chance to respond, Race cut in.

�Guys, guys, what�s goin� on here?� Jack and I glared at eachother, neither answering. �You wanna know somethin great?� Jack and I glared at Racetrack. He stood up, with his arms in front of him in surrender.

�Fine, guys. I�m leavin�. But ya won�t be able ta see who�s on the front page of the newspapa�...� I jumped up, all irritablilty gone.

�Who?! What?! LET ME SEE!!!� I grabbed at him, looking for the newspaper. �Where is it?!� He chuckled.

�If I�da known that THAT�S what it took to get ya to do dat, I would have claimed to have a pape a long time ago!� I stuck my toungue out at him, then crossed my arms in front of my chest.

�Come on, Racetrack Higgins. Whut�s goin� on!� Jack yelled.

Race reached behind his back and pulled out a pape. �Here ya go!� He spread it out in front of Jack, and I leaned over his shoulder to see it.

�Look at us, Jack! I�ve never been in a pape before! Geeze, this is so cool!� He just continued to stare at it, awestruck, finally managing to utter out one softly spoken word: �Wow.�

�This is so great!� I exclaimed. �I can�t beleive it!� Race put his hand on my shoulder and smiled.

�An� ya know whut it means?�

�We getta sing KONY!?� I asked excitedly. He looked at me, blank. I shrugged and said �nevermind. What does it mean?�

�It means dat each a� youse paid fifty dolla�s.� I stared at him like he was crazy, and so did Jack.

�Dey pay ya to be in da pape?!� Jack finally asked, bewildered. Race nodded his head.

�You guys are celebrities! Get ova da shock!� Suddenly jack jumped up, and grabbed Race and me into a giant hug.

�We getta go home!! I getta go home!�

Read Part 11

Back to the stories

Back to Visible Imagination

Back to The Poker Hall