by Joseph Zavarella

Created on: August 15, 2008   Last Updated: August 17, 2008

A DAY AT THE TRACK
Carrie felt the eyes on her as she took short steps in the white spiked heels and yellow mini-skirt she knew would not be comfortable for a day at Saratoga. The white short sleeved blouse with the top two buttons open seemed to be getting the kind of attention she expected. A young woman dressed in tight blue jeans and a white tee shirt nodded knowingly at Carrie as she sauntered by. The silent look of understanding that passed between them went unnoticed by the throngs of racing enthusiasts milling about the large space in front of the betting windows.

Carrie did not feel guilty about being at the track. She felt it was Howard's fault. He spends all his time on the golf course while she was supposed to stay at the hotel; a golf widow like her friends Claire and Eleanor. Those two semi-pros happily spend their days shamelessly posturing for the swim suit clad, hunks who serve them their drinks at poolside. Like high paid concubines they gleefully whiled the time away awaiting their husbands to return from a hot day at play and to whisk them away to a fine restaurant and evening of fun. She imagined the hotel swimming pool to be like what a sheik might come home to after a hot day on the desert.

The argument with Howard before he left the hotel suite this morning kept replaying in her mind. He hugged her and placed a stack of twenties on the table saying, "Honey let's not fight. If you're bored why don't you just take a day off from the pool and go shopping or something."

Carrie was angry at the way he took her for granted, and she felt cheapened by being paid off the way she was. She felt good though about taking the day off from the pool. She did miss the excitement of the old days before she and Howard were married. Her cover back then was, INTERIORS BY CARRIE, a business she started and developed from scratch. Howard, a naive Wall Street stockbroker, actually hired Carrie to furnish and decorate the interior of his new home in Katonah. Their relationship rapidly went from professional to personal and she abandoned her business to become his third wife.

She was exhilarated on the escalator leading to the grandstand level and the club house entrance. She went directly to the bar in the clubhouse where the stools were tilted meaning they were reserved. The ruddy faced bartender ignored her until she naively asked, "Oh are all these stools taken?"

His brow lifted and he said, "I'm afraid so ma'am, but you can sit until they get here."
Carrie awkwardly

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• Next Page >>