Circle of Complaints
Originally Written: September 10, 2008
There are two things that come out of a bettor’s mouth: bets and complaints. And smoke and pieces of food, if you want to get technical. Many of the complaints, naturally, relate to horse racing. Jockeys who held their ponies back too long, horses that wouldn’t let their jockeys ride them, tracks who messed with the odds, etc. Even when they win, they’ll complain and tell you they’re still down a thousand dollars for the day (this is the diplomatic way of telling us we ain’t getting tipped anytime soon.)
But a lot of the complaints are about us. And it wasn’t long before I noticed, sitting there for seven hours, staring at the food-speckled bullet-proof glass, that when they weren’t complaining to me, my co-workers were. In fact, there’s a complex pattern I picked up after a couple of months that I like to call the Circle of Complaints.
The customers complain to me about everything: the horses, the races, the jockeys, the other customers and the clerks. The clerks complain to me about the customers. The clerks also complain about the managers. The managers, when my other co-workers are on break, complain to me about the clerks. The JBCs (custodians), while waiting for the bus with me, also complain about the managers. The customers complain about the JBCs, not picking up the tickets they purposely throw on the floor right beside the trashcan and not refilling the bathroom soap they usually bathe with. The customers also complain about the managers, who complain to me about the JBCs for complaining too much. The managers also complain about the customers when the JBCs aren’t complaining about the clerks, the clerks to me about other clerks, and customers about me to my face. The circle does travel behind my back as well, as evidenced by the abrupt ends of conversations and awkward looks I receive when I get back from my break. Finally, I complain about all of the above to you, here, on this blog, as well as complain to my clerks, managers, JBCs and customers about the customers, JBCs, managers, and clerks. I also throw in complaints about the Knicks, girls, capitalism and Greek food. So it’s not really a circle of complaints but more of a round squiggle you draw over and over and over on your counter while everyone complains to you about everyone else. I need new pens.
We’re a frustrated society and when you put frustrated, bored co-workers in a small room filled with a crowd of frustrated, losing gamblers… complaints are gonna be there. Sometimes, though, they just make good conversation and pass the time, so I don’t resent the Circle. After all, it’s what separates us from the animals. And, the plants, I guess, because they also do not complain.
