Day at the Races, Night at the Bar

         A cheer rose from the crowd as the horses rounded the final bend. Hands clapped, necks craned and the announcer’s voice continued in a steady drone.

         Tom and Jerry are bringing up the rear. Heckle and Jeckle are neck ‘n neck! And the winner is…

         I tuned out the noise as much as I could and tried to focus my attention on the man sitting next to me. Mark Duckman was a short, squinty-eyed bald man who very much resembled Mr. Magoo. Though in his current garb- a gray hat and matching trench coat- he more resembled Inspector Gadget.

         “You remember my little ponies, Speed Racer and Rainbow Brite?” I shout over the ruckus.

         “Yeah, of course I do! You were spending’ money on those horses so fast I thought you’d inherited funds from Richie Rich!”

         I tried to suppress a groan, and nearly succeeded. “Well, their first race is coming up. Both of them are on the next ticket.”

         “Well, I’ll be watchin’ for ‘em then.”

          I looked at the horses being trotted off the track, and tried to sneak a peek at those being led to the gates. “So who’d you bet on this time?”

         Mark rustled a collection of loose papers in his lap and, after a long wait, read a list of name. “Wish Kid, Strawberry Shortcake, Little Lulu, Precious Pup…”

         “Precious Pup? Who the hell would name their horse ‘Pup’?” I asked.

         “It gets worse, Heathcliff! The others are Gandy Goose and Dinky Duck.”

         “Is there some connection between birds and horses that I’m unaware of?” I paused for a moment before growling, “And don’t call me Heathcliff!”

         Laughing easily, Mark waved a hand in the air. “Okay, Heath! I’m sorry. Who did you pick?”

         “I went for the pick six too. Star Blazers, Popeye, Kissyfur, Sailor Moon, and I bet on Lulu and Wish too.”

         “You didn’t even bet on your own horses?” my friend asked incredulously.

         “No, they’ve never raced before!”

         Listening to my friend’s chuckle, I glanced at the starting gates. The horses were nearly ready to go with jockeys already mounted. Butterflies were dancing in my stomach. I tensed as I heard a sharp bang.

         And they’re off! Flukey Luke is in the lead as we reach the first bend. Jabber Jaw is close behind with Speed Racer trailing in third.

         Speed Racer went by in a flash. “Go Go, Speed Racer!” I shouted through cupped hands.

         “Maybe you should have bet on him after all,” Mark sniggered beside me. I decided to ignore him, never taking my eyes off the running horses.

         Flukey Luke falls behind on the final bend. Jabber Jaw is in the lead. Speed Racer is holding strong in second position. This is gonna be a close one folks!

         I held my breath and willed Speed Racer to go faster. If my picks couldn’t win, a horse I owned was the next best thing. I peeked at Mark briefly. He seemed to be as excited as I was.

         Speed Racer leads by a nose! Jabber Jaw is working forward again. Will he make it in time?

         I jumped to my feet and shouted, “Come on, Speed Racer! You can do it, boy!”

         And the winner is… Jabber Jaw!

         My shoulders slumped as I reached down to gather my belongings. Mark mumbled something that sounded like ‘tough break’. Whether he was speaking to me or to himself didn’t matter. We both lost.

         “See ya later, Mark.” I turned to leave when he grabbed my arm.

         “Aren’t you stickin’ around for the next race?”

         “I’ve had enough excitement for one day, thanks.” As I wandered into the parking lot to claim my car I made a decision. It was the same decision I always made after a big loss.

         “I’m never gambling again!”









Prompt:  I want a story or poem with at least 20 cartoon tv show titles. Old, new, kid's, adult, etc.

Cartoon Show Titles:  23