I’m sure many of us have said those words. To be fair, I’m not sure if I have uttered that sentence but I know a man who has and I read it today. For privacy, I won’t mention his name but call him Mr. Mister (nothing to do with the American rock band, although being from the states he may well know their song Broken Wings). Anyway, he is a published writer and very much a horse racing man. It makes sense he writes for me considering I run a number of blogs related to this subject matter.
If there’s one thing I like to be that’s quick off the mark when it comes to paying people. If someone does the work then they deserve to be paid. It’s a transaction of not only a product or service but doing the right thing and behaving in a professional manner. It shouldn’t be too much to ask. However, so often it is. Late payers. People who never pay. He made me smile because he said: ‘You’re the best fellow I have ever worked for…’ He followed this statement with: ‘I have been severely unappreciated and fully abused over the years and can’t remember a time I didn’t have to fight to get paid. Several times I didn’t’.
‘Your parents did a good job and should be proud.’
Kind words, hey. I don’t imagine he was saying them for effect.
In ways gambling and life are the same.
My Dad always loved a bet. Going to the races at Great Yarmouth. Working so hard, he was the one person who deserved to have more time to do exactly what he wanted. I guess he didn’t because he never quite have enough money in his pocket to stop working for a while. Always thinking about not letting someone down. If he wasn’t at work perhaps he would miss a customer. I’m sure if Dad was alive now he would look back and make changes. He would have done more what he wanted and pleased himself. He most certainly should have. If myself and my brothers could go back in time we would make sure that happened.
‘Let’s go to the races today!’
‘Forget about the work, that can wait until tomorrow.’
I always remember when my brother and I were younger and very talented within our niche of two-year-old horse racing. We wanted credit for how good we were. I guess we were looking for approval, respect or appreciation. As if showing the world would somehow make this happen. I always remember Dad saying: ‘If I knew something worth knowing I wouldn’t tell anyone and just have a smile on my face.’
He was and still is 100% correct in that thought.
Whether it is someone writing an article, shining shoes on the street or working for years to understand something to help win when betting on the horses we are all the same. In essence, we are all fighting to be paid. It may be today, tomorrow or years later. For some that delayed gratification never arrives but so often it shines brightly when you reach your goal.
For the majority of people in life nothing comes easy. It is a fight (mostly mental rather than physical but it can be both) where you have to put the work in to get any return and even then there isn’t a guarantee of success or that elusive payday.
We have to fight.
The best fighter isn’t always the biggest or strongest. Sometime they are the most courageous with wisdom.
The best gamblers are those who have not only bet but sat, thought and considered the answers to questions. If you said to many that gambling is very much a philosophical question they would think you have lost the plot. It doesn’t seem to have any philosophical aspect. But the only person who thinks that is the person who hasn’t sat quite long enough to appreciate the subject matter.
As in life, how you work or treat others runs deep.
Someone once said of me: ‘Whatever he says it is true.’
That is a statement of trust.
Like father like son.
If you meet a good, kind soul, treat them right.