The Jockey

    to ter a moment stepped to one side and stood motionless, o tels in tos of August roses scattered tals on te table linen and from ted o tinized til at last able in a corner diagonally across from  ed o one side, iffened so t tense against tced in this way.

    of green C evening, tailored precisely and tume outfit for a c ie striped el colors.  iff,  bang on  emples and  in a er a time  c t nod; ill ense  of .

    t table rainer, a bookie, and a ricrainer er -- a large, loosely built fellozer, ernoon. te-coated er  broughe dinner.

    It er  dos Bitsy Barlo; ;Standing over t c;

    quot;O; said turned o look be;Ask ;

    quot;God no,quot; Sylvester said.

    quot;; Simmons said. t and  inflection. ed, t deadlock between fear and greed.

    quot;ell, I  call  exactly,quot; said Sylvester. quot;Ive kno six mont if  see ing anot cant.quot;

    quot;It was w ; said Simmons.

    quot;?quot; asked the rich man.

    Sylvester glanced across t t tongue. quot;A accident. A kid got  on track. Broke a leg and a icular pal of Bitsys. A Iris a bad rider, eit;

    quot;ts a pity,quot; said the rich man.

    quot;Yeaicular friends,quot; Sylvester said. quot;You s page toget;

    quot;ell, t; said the rich man.

    Simmons cut into eak. e and carefully piled on mus;; ed. quot;;

    All tables in ty at t table in ter, and green- mot and fluttered about to treet outside came teria.

    quot;t in August Saratoga is t toa in t; Sylvester turned to t; do you t;

    quot;I  kno; said t;It may very ;

    Daintily, Simmons  --quot;

    quot;ait,quot; said Sylvester. quot;o come over ;

    t table in trut, s ep, ing smartly into t carpet on t t in at t table; epped back and boesy, e closed.  at a corner of table, beter and t a nod of greeting or a c, gray face.

    quot;; Sylvester asked.

    quot;Some people mig t.quot; tter, clear.

    Sylvester put e. ted ion, turning sides, unpoliss, and a s -- tfit day and nig on h his dinner.

    quot;Like a spot of seltzer er?quot; asked Sylvester. quot;Or somet?quot;

    t anse case from  and snapped it open. Inside tes and a tiny gold penknife. o cut a cigarette in ed o a er passing by table. quot;Kentucky bourbon, please.quot;

    quot;Noen, Kid,quot; said Sylvester.

    quot;Dont Kid me.quot;

    quot;Be reasonable. You kno to be;

    t corner of iff jeer. o t on table, but instantly er . ttered corn, and a side dis black olives. A plate of Frencatoes able before t look at t kept er piece of full-blo;I dont suppose you remember a certain person by t; he said.

    quot;Noen,quot; said Sylvester.

    ter broug fondling trong, callused   t clinked against table edge. After turning t;No, I dont suppose your memory is t long and extensive,quot; he said.

    quot;Sure enougsy,quot; said Sylvester. quot; makes you act like today?quot;

    quot;I received a letter,quot; t;tain person  aken out from t on ednesday. One leg is ts all.quot;

    Sylvester clucked ongue and s;I realize ;

    quot;Do you?quot; t table. o te of fried potatoes. igtered and als, bruised it bet in h.

    quot;ell, t; said the rich man.

    trainer and ting, but t on tes. ttery fingers in er glass and h his napkin.

    quot;ell,quot; said t;Doesnt somebody  me to pass to re-order. Anoteak, gentlemen, or --quot;

    quot;Please,quot; said Sylvester. quot;Be reasonable.  you go on upstairs?quot;

    quot;Yes, ; the jockey said.

    it teria.

    quot; I go up to my god-damn room and e some letters and go to bed like a good boy?  I just --quot;  up. quot;O; ;Foo to you. I  a drink.quot;

    quot;All I can say is its your funeral,quot; said Sylvester. quot;You kno does to you. You know well enoug;

    t into ttan, and Sylvester cand igogettle finger out from tail glass and sipping the drink slowly.

    quot;; said Simmons. quot;Like I said.quot;

    Sylvester turned to t;If s a lamb c in omacer t of ;

    quot;A jockey s drink,quot; said the rich man.

    quot;t satisfy  used to and  s it out. If s a lamb cc tooc in omac dont go do;

    ttan. tom of tanding at , turned toouts arted an argument about ain in t nigy-dollar bill and didnt count the change.

    o to table at   sit do;No, I  presume to t extensive,quot;  table top reac to , and oop. quot;No, youre too busy gobbling up dinners in dining rooms. Youquot;re too --quot;

    quot;ly,quot; begged Sylvester. quot;You got to be;

    quot;Reasonable! Reasonable!quot; t in a mean, frozen grin. able so t tes rattled, and for a moment it seemed t  over. But suddenly opped.  toe nearest to ely  a featoes in urned and spat out t ines,quot;  ance t gratified ;You libertines,quot; urned and  of the dining room.

    Sylvester ser t ableclot speak until ter came to clear away.