Victims of Comics
Four-panel comic titled BETTER DAYS. Panel 1: two bookies' pens stand close together on a counter: a chewed, matte red old pen with bloodshot, heavy-lidded eyes, stubble and a snapped clip, and a shiny new blue pen with eyelashes and a clip, looking up hopefully. The new pen says: "I hope I get to write dreams!" Panel 2: the red pen gives her a pitying sideways look: "You will, love." Panel 3: a betting slip on the counter, filled in in blue biro: time 3.40, selection 7 Better Days, price 80/1, Win ticked; the new pen lies beside it. Panel 4, no words: an old telly showing the 3:41 race; horse 3 wins with the jockey's arm up, and horse 7, in pink silks, is alone at the back. Signed Victims of Comics.

#010 · Better Days

Write-off.

Psst. Pick me up.OK. Put me back.
Bonus panel. The next day on the same counter: the blue pen now has a crack taped over, her clip snapped off, her eyes bloodshot and twitching. Beside her, a shiny new green pen with sparkles looks up and says: "I hope I get to write dreams!"
This isn't the true “wee blue bookie pen” I wanted, but it works. When I was young, there was a 10p horse racing game at the arcade. The pink horse was 10/1 and rarely came in.