big time loser
was on the train to Del Mar and I left my seat
to go to the bar car. I had a beer and came
back and sat down.
pardon me,” said the lady next to me, “but you’re
sitting in my husband’s seat.”
oh yeah?” I said. I picked up my Racing Form
and began studying it. the first race looked tough. then a man was standing there. “hey, buddy,
you’re in my seat!”
already told him,” said the lady, “but he didn’t pay
any attention.”
This is my seat!” I told the man.
it’s bad enough he takes my seat,” said the man looking
around, “but now he’s reading my Racing Form!”
looked up at him, he was puffing his chest out.
look at you,” I said, “puffing your goddamned
chest out!”
you’re in my seat, buddy!” he told me.
look,” I said, “I’ve been in this seat since the
train left the station. ask anybody!”
no, that’s not right,” said a man behind me,
he had that seat when the train left the
station!” “are you sure?”
sure I’m sure!”
got up and walked to the next train car.
there was my empty seat by the window and there was
my Racing Form.
went back to the other car. the
man was reading his Racing Form.
hey,” I started to say...
forget it,” said the man.
just leave us alone,” said his wife.
walked back to my car, sat down and
looked out the window
pretending to be interested in the landscape,
happy that the people in my car didn’t know what
the people in the other car knew.
Other works by Charles Bukowski...
