This story appeared in the January 2002 issue of Esquire. See the full issue at our online archive, Esquire Classic.

I gambled only on horses. I liked the thrill of them turning into the stretch. I still like it. Except it's not as much fun when you don't need the money. It's much more fun when you're riding on the rent.

The best day I ever had at the track—it could never fit the way you do this story, because it's a whole magazine piece. I'm dead broke. Station I was working at had just switched to ethnic. Hired all black—and we were all let go at once.