July 20th

I was sitting here at my computer pretending that I was working on my new manuscript, when in reality I was playing 5 roll.  I really thought that this was the year that I would have my Saratoga Track/love story finished by opening day of the Flat track, but since I just found out 2 days ago that the track will be open July 20th, I don't think that's going to happen.  Granted, I only have 3 chapters left to write, but I know my limitations and between working overtime, house stuff, trying to find time to sleep, catching up on shows that are DVR'ed: there's just not going to be enough time.  Sigh...

Anyhoo, as I was sitting here playing 5 Roll, I also have my Windows Media Player playing.  Suddenly, the song "Running Away" by Roy Ayers Ubiquity came on, and I was immediately transported back to the year 1978.  It was August, I was in Saratoga at the Golden Grill Disco, and I was always on the dance floor.  I remember it like it was yesterday: the heat of the place since it was summer, what "fashions" we were wearing, who I was dancing with and even some of the people that were there.  When I say we, I'm referring to my cousins Denise and Ivy, my very good friend Vicky and her cousins Joan and Nancy.  During August, all of the track people from Belmont came up and you'd meet people that you knew you'd only see again if they showed up in Saratoga the next year.

The song by Roy Ayers always reminds me of a tracker that we called "Billy the White Negro."  We called him this because although he had black features, his skin was white and he had gray eyes.  He was cute and he was a good dancer.  But honest to goodness we could never understand a word he said.  Perhaps he was latino and we were too young and sheltered to realize, or maybe he was just drunk or stoned and slurring his words.  Regardless, we'd always dance with him and smile and nod if he said anything.  I wonder what ever happened to him?  The last time I saw him was probably 1981...and with the way that drugs were growing rampant among the track crowd, I'm pretty sure Billy was a casualty...

But other people that I remember from that year were the 3 Butches: Big Butch, Little Butch, and Tiny Tot Butch.  Tiny Tot Butch was this little groom who worked at the track, and he couldn't have been more than 5 feet tall.  Little Butch was a white art student from Skidmore that surprised us with how well he could dance, with his hat, goatee, jeans and fringed vest. Not the typical guy that frequented the Grill!  Big Butch was a big black guy that only showed up occasionally, but he became a good friend of ours.

There was also Ricky, and we loved him. He was in love with our beautiful friend Joan, yet she didn't return those particular feelings.  His brother toothless Ralph, who was fine as was wine but like his nickname said: he had no front teeth.  I'l have to tell you a story about him sometime!  There was Sly, who always danced in flip flops.  Donnie: who didn't dance but sold a lot of drugs (not to us!).  Spud, the eternal stud. Danny, who had a wife and kids at home but didn't want that fact to get out.  And a whole slew of other guys that I'm sure we've long forgotten...

But Saratoga in August was truly the place to be!  Well for us it was more being at the Grill every weekend.  We danced, hung out, met new people, made out with a few guys (hey,we were young and it was still the 70's!), sweat a lot, stayed out too late but still made it to work the next day...Man, there are times when I wish I could turn back the clock to that fun, carefree time when I was thin, gorgeous and in demand: and me and my "crew" were closer than sisters.

Where are they now?  Vicky ended up marrying Donnie, straightening him out and now she works for the federal government.  Denise is in the insurance field, and her sister Ivy is a personal trainer.  Neither one of them keeps in touch.  Sadly, Nancy died a few years ago of cancer.  She fought the good fight, but we lost one of the world's great partiers.  We miss you Nancy!!  And her sister Joan has remarried, but I lost touch with her after Nancy died.

We may  not still be together, but I bet that they share the same nostalgic feelings when or if they hear any of our old "songs".  I just hope they have happy memories too!

In the meantime, I have 8 minutes to get to bed.  I'm glad I took the time to jot down this post.  I'm going to share a few more Saratoga stories with you over the course of the next couple of weeks, since it's obvious I won't have the book completed! Sigh...maybe before the meet is over?  Stay tuned!