The Races that Weren't

All semester I had been hearing about 'Race Day.' This day where everyone put on their nicest frocks, donned a darling fascinator, filled their bellies with alcohol, and made their way to the horse races. Only a wee drive out of town was the location for the horse races, and it was set on the same day as the Melbourne Cup, so attendendence was always high.

I joined Liam and his friends for the event, dragging in our other flatmates and though they all started drinking at around 9am, I had a final to complete before making my moves. At 1030, when I was finally able to leave the restraints of the final's rule, I ran home and then waited through varied goodbyes and getting ready rituals to get to Simpson Park.

Behind Ash's house Ash, Campbell, Cmac and various other hands have been working over the years to turn forrestry and bush into a wee park. Though the stairs were questionable as they were dirt cut with a spade, the area was perfect for drinks on a warm sunny day.

A bunch of people were gathered there when I arrived with my bag of goon to make a fatal mistake and play the game of 'catch-up'

Catch-up: the situation one is placed in whilst arriving a few hours late to a drinking event, wherein everyone is already pissed, and said character feels the need to rapidly catch up to the rest of the crowd. This is often a fatal mistake, and in most cases leaves people in, shall we say, a state.

We chatted, took pictures, watched people try to go on the flying fox, and ultimatley got ready for our 50 person coach bus to the races. A good crew of people were working on a concoction they had created with 5 different bottles of spirits, a box of no-doze, energy drinks, tea bags, lemons, and whatever the fuck else they threw in. It was surprisingly yummy, but so dangerous.

The bus ride there was fun, and that's about all I remember. [catch up]









On the way back I realised we were on our way back and not still on our way there [awkward] and that I lost my shoes.


Though I recall no horse, the day was fun and I got hungover early enough in the night [2:30am] to then be sweet for the next day filled with studying for my final final.