Adventureland » jalph

Chapter 6

Ralph sighed as he stood behind the counter, watching the children and some adults play the game called "THE DERBY RACE."

He heard Bobby yell at someone for throwing their trash on the ground

"Hey, litterbug! In the clown mouth!"

Suddenly the bell rang and the game ended.

"Okay," Ralph spoke in a microphone. "We have a winner, it's the purple horse. Uh, green's in second, yellow's third, congratulations." He handed a kid a prize. "Here you go, you can- you can have that.."

"Hey Ralph?" Bobby and the red headed lady walked towards him.

"Yeah?" he spoke into the microphone and jumped in surprise, turning it off.

Bobby leaned up against the counter. "Um, think you can maybe, you know, take it up a notch?"

"Yeah, I know. Maybe I'm not the right guy to run this game. I really- I think I should probably be on the rides department.

Bobby shook his head and lowered his eyebrows. "No. No, no, no. No."

"Mm–mmm."

"No, you're more of a game guy."

The lady shook her head. I read her name tag and it said "Paulette"

"Yeah, you're very– you're very gamey," she said.

"Yeah, yea yeah, okay," Ralph glanced down.

"Have you ever seen a horse race before?" Bobby asked. "Have you ever, like, heard one on the radio?"

"Um, harness racing or, like, the normal kind?"

"Oh, that's a good question," she said."

Bobby glanced back at Paulette. "I-It really doesn't matter.. Look, the Kentucky derby, have you ever seen the Kentucky derby? The way they announce it on the radio, and it's really–"

"Yeah yeah, '100, 200, 200, going'–

"That's an auction, sweetie," Bobby said.

"Right.." she nodded slowly.

"That's an auction."

"So don't— yeah, just get into it, you know? Make it a show, make it a performance." he waved his arms around. "You know what I mean? That's what people come for.So let's take it in a 10. All right, got faith in you, man." Bobby knocked on the counter and raised his eyebrows.

"Thank you," Ralph spoke into the microphone as Bobby and Paulette walked away and watched closely.

Two guys sat down at the game.

"Uh, ladies and gentlemen," he spoke into the microphone. "Put down your uh, put down your mint juleps. Horses are all at the starting gate."

The bell rung.

"Okay, and they're off! And red bolts out of the gate, taking an early lead! But look out! Here comes green, issuing a challenge from the outside lane. Green runs well on a muddy track, folks, so today's conditions give him a slight edge.. And yellow is dead last!
What a disappointment after yellow's strong showing at Saratoga last spring. Wait! Look out! Wait a second, out of nowhere, orange breaks ahead of the pack, and now, in the backstretch, orange and green. Orange and green, and orange takes it by a nose!" The bell rang, "Green places and red shows. Please come to the window to collect your winnings."

"What window?" a man said.

"Huh?"

"There's a window?"