At the end of each long day, many of the miners crowded into Snappy's Saloon to share stories, have a drink and gamble.
But when it came to gambling, everyone knew the big money was bet on the turtle races each Sunday at 2 pm in front of Snappy's,
However, one turtle soon won all the races, Lightening Lily, so gamblers often bet on how fast she would get to the finish line, instead of whether she would win.
Lily was smaller than most racing turtles, just one foot long across her shell.
When she arrived with her owner Nathan, she always wore four red knit slippers on her feet and a matching red knit cap rested on her head.
As she got ready to run, off came her outfit.
After a three year racing carrier, she was undefeated and Nathan decided it was time for her to retire.
In her final race, she even beat Sonora Sam, the renowned speedster brought in from Mexico to race her.
During her retirement party, while she rested on Snappy's bar, everyone crowded around Nathan and her, asking what was the secret to her success.
"It is very simple," Nathan replied with a grin, as he revealed Lily's secret.
"Before each race, I would let Lily sniff her favorite food, broccoli."
"Then when she lined up to race, I would set the broccoli just beyond the finish line. Lily focused on the broccoli and she would go as fast as she could to get it."
"Broccoli is awful," said a newspaper reporter, "I can't stand it."
"But that's the point," replied Nathan as he gently rubbed Lily's head.
"Most people focus on what they like, not on what someone else likes, yet they should if they want that person, or in this case a turtle, to do what they would like them to."
"Lily is the one who loves broccoli, I wanted her to win, and it was her I pleased."
Dick
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