An adventureous young lad with a spare dollar goes off to watch the horses run .

It was Saturday morning and Tommy looked out the window. The sky was blue and the sun was up. He said to myself,
“What a great day it is. Too good for being stuck inside the house. I’ll go out and see what’s happening “

He rummaged through every drawer and inside his trouser pockets until he found some loose change. He had the total sum of one dollar and it was just about ready to burn. So after breakfast he went down town.

Tommy jumped on the Racecourse bus. It was a free service provided for people going to the races. Tommy always enjoyed the free trip.

The bus was always well served with people.
At the end of the journey Tommy rose to his feet and got off like everyone else. He walked with the crowd until they reached the ticket stalls of the racetrack. Today at the track there was free admission. Something to do with a fashion designer promotion. Anyway Tommy decided to go and have a look at the horses race.

Beside the entrance of the racetrack was a man there, who had a hot dog stand. Tommy could almost taste the hot dogs.
Mmm he thought. If I buy a hot dog all my money will be gone.
Then he thought I could have a bet and try to win some money at the races.

He decided to try his luck and went into the racetrack.
Tommy made his way around to the stables before the first race jumped.
He looked at all the horses. There were big black proud stallions and small but flighty fillies. Then there was this very sad looking little horse. It looked more like a donkey than a horse. It had the number seven saddlecloth and its name was Paddy Whack.

“That’ll do “
Says Tommy. That’s the one I like.
So he went to the bookie that had put up the odds of one hundred to one on Paddy Whack winning the race. Well when Tommy reached him his dollar the bookie laughed and put the dollar in my pocket. Looked at Tommy as if he was the biggest loser in the world and handed him his ticket for one hundred and one dollars.

Tommy made his way to watch the race.
The horse jumped as one except for Paddy Whack who had missed the start and trailed the field by fifty lengths. Tommy had almost ripped up his ticket when a few of the front-runners came down at the first hurdle. There was a domino effect that ended up one by one taking out every runner in the race bar one. Paddy Whack who was a goof fifty lengths last came running around the turn now. The only horse left in the race. The crowd all were silent except for Tommy who was screaming out for Paddy Whack.

The little horse with number seven on the saddle came home past the post.
Tommy must have been the only person there who backed Paddy Whack.
He went and collected over a hundred dollars from the bookie.

Then he went over to the stables to see Paddy Whack.
Tommy found him there alone in the stable.
Tommy jumped over the rail and spoke to him.
“No body believed you could win Paddy Whack. But I did. “
The little horse stood so proud.
It seemed taller that every other horse there.
Paddy Whack rubbed his nose up against Tommy’s head.
Tommy said,
“Listen I’m going to buy myself a hot dog and I’ll bring you back a few carrots or something. “

Tommy went outside to the man with the hot dog stand and ordered a hot dog
With the works and a few carrots for the horse.
He returned to the stables and reached out the carrots to Paddy Whack.
He could see that the horse wasn’t interested in the carrots. Instead Paddy Whack had his eyes fixed on Tommy’s hot dog.
When Tommy reached out the hot dog to Paddy Whack he lost the lot in a second. It was gone.
Tommy was stunned and said,

“Ok the so you liked that Paddy Whack. I’m just going over to buy another one for myself then. I’ll be back in a minute “:
Paddy Whack reared up with his two front legs and stamped both of his front shoes down heavily on the ground.

Tommy said,
“Oh I get it. You want me to but two hot dogs.”

Paddy Whack nodded its head in agreement and so it was done.

After bringing back the hots dogs Tommy spend most of the day talking with Paddy Whack.
There was only one race left to go and Tommy said to Paddy Whack that he would put most of his winnings on the favourite.

Paddy Whack shook its head and walked over to where the horses were being saddled up for the race.
Tommy watched, as Paddy Whack seemed to talk with all the horses there.
When Paddy Whack retuned he stomped his feet five times on the ground.

Tommy said,
“Are you trying to tell me number five will win.”
Paddy Whack nodded in agreement.

Tommy ended the day in style. The last winner won at the generous odds of two hundred to one. Tommy was rich.
After collecting his winnings he went out and made an offer to the man with the hot dog stand. He bought it from him and so from that day Tommy went into the hot dog business.

Every weekend outside the track you would find Tommy and Paddy Whack at the mobile hot dog stand. Tommy and his hot dogs were popular.
So was the old four-legged friend called Paddy Whack who Tommy had bought from its owner one lucky day at the races.

By Paul McCann


THE END