It was the spring of 1977 and the horse races were on at AK-SAR-BEN in Omaha. Bob, my best friend and roomate at the time, were off to experience the ponies at the track pronounced Nebraska backwards.
When arriving, we decided that if we happened to win the first race we would parlay the winnings into the next race. We made sure that we bet on horses that had low odds to help the percentages of our "system." For a while it worked. We had run it up until the seventh or eighth race. We had it up $200 or so and then lost it all in the ninth race. It was fun just trying.
When it was time to leave, we headed to the parking lot. We were sitting in Bob's car waiting for cars to pass by in our parking lane. In the next few seconds, I received the most profound driving advice I will ever receive. All of a sudden, he put the car in gear and pulled out right in front of the line of cars leaving and headed for the exist.
Bob simply looked over at me and said: "Never look them in the eye." I have found it to work very effectively on occasion. Sometimes it does pay to have eye contact and use the good guy approach.
Heading home to Clive, Bob indicated he would drive half way and I would drive the rest of the way. It was very late due to some stops at a few chosen "points of interest." About half way across the Missouri River heading into Council Bluffs, Bob started to doze off while driving. Oh no!
I wasn't ready to drive either, but, if we wanted to get home! The option of simply pulling over and sleeping awhile or getting a motel room didn't seem to compute. One thing saved us besides the coffee. Wolfman Jack, the syndicated disc-jockey with that low , methodical, distinctive voice, got us through the night somehow and home. He and those oldies he played did the trick. Our weekend guardian angel!
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