cwilleford.cockfighter-第10部分

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　　As　I　sat　back　with　a　full　stomach　to　drink　my　afterbreakfast　coffee；　Ed　told　his　wife　that　I　was　going　to　buy　his　remaining　chickens。
　　〃That's　wonderful；　Ed；〃　Martha　said　happily。　She　smiled　at　me　and　bobbed　her　chin　several　times。　〃You　know　Ed　wouldn't　sell　those　old　birds　to　just　anybody；　Frank。　But　Ed　has　always　had　a　lot　of　respect　for　you；　and　I　know　you'll　take　good　care　of　them。〃
　　I　nodded；　finished　my　coffee；　and　slid　out　of　the　booth。
　　〃Frank　isn't　taking　the　cocks　today；　Martha；〃　Ed　said；　getting　up　from　the　table。　〃He'll　be　back　for　them　later　On。〃
　　〃Oh；　I　didn't　know　that！　I　thought　he　was　taking　them　now。〃
　　〃These　deals　aren't　made　in　an　instant；　sweetheart；〃　Ed　said　sharply。　〃But　we've　shaken　hands　on　the　deal；　and　Frank'll　be　back；　all　in　good　time。〃　He　forced　a　smile　and　turned　toward　me。　〃e　on；　Frank。　I'll　drive　you　into　Orlando。〃
　　〃Where're　you　going；　Frank？〃　Martha　asked。
　　I　shrugged　indifferently　and　returned　her　smile。　This　was　the　kind　of　question　that　could　only　be　answered　by　writing　it　down；　and　I　didn't　feel　that　it　required　an　answer。　Where　I　was　going　or　what　I　was　going　to　do　couldn't　possibly　have　any　real　interest　for　the　old　lady。
　　〃Frank　can't　answer　questions　like　that　without　writing　them　down；〃　Ed　reminded　his　wife。　〃But　you　know　we'll　be　reading　about　him　in　the　trade　magazines。〃
　　〃Well；　I'll　pack　a　lunch　for　you　anyway。　Wait　out　on　the　patio。　Take　some　more　coffee　out　there　with　you。　It'll　only　take　a　minute　and　you　can　surely　wait　that　long。〃
　　While　she　fixed　a　lunch　for　me；　I　repacked　my　suitcase　and　took　it　out　to　the　car。　Ed　unlocked　the　door；　and　I　removed　the　coop　and　handed　it　to　him　before　I　tossed　the　suitcase　on　the　floorboards。
　　〃Sure；　leave　the　coop　with　me　if　you　like；〃　he　said；　leaning　it　against　the　concrete　wall。
　　When　I　returned　for　Icky；　I　could　use　the　coop　to　carry　him；　and　I　didn't　feel　like　lugging　it　along　to　Jacksonville；　not　hitchhiking；　anyway。
　　A　few　minutes　later　Martha　joined　us　on　the　patio　and　handed　me　a　heavy　paper　bag　containing　my　lunch。
　　〃I　used　the　biscuits　left　from　breakfast；〃　she　said；　〃and　made　a　few　ham　sandwiches。　There's　a　fat　slice　of　tomato　on　each　one　and　plenty　of　mayonnaise。　There　wasn't　any　pie　left；　but　I　put　in　a　couple　of　apples　for　dessert。〃
　　Rather　than　simply　shake　hands　with　her；　I　put　an　arm　around　her　narrow　shoulders　and　kissed　her　on　the　cheek。　Mrs。　Middleton　broke　away　from　me　and　returned　to　the　safety　of　her　kitchen。　Ed　called　through　the　door　that　he　would　be　back　from　Orlando　when　he　got　back。
　　We　drove　down　Ed's　private　road　to　the　highway。　I　didn't　know　where　he　was　taking　me；　but　I　hoped　he　wouldn't　drop　me　off　in　the　center　of　town。　With　the　baggage　I　was　carrying；　the　best　place　to　start　hitchhiking　was　on　the　I…4　Throughway　on　the　other　side　of　Winter　Park。　Several　years　had　passed　since　I　had　been　forced　to　use　my　thumb；　and　I　wasn't　too　happy　about　the　prospect。
　　Orlando　is　a　fairly　large　city　and　well　spread　out。　The　streets　that　morning　were　crowded　with　traffic。　Ed　drove　his　big　car　skillfully；　and　when　he　hit　the　center　of　town；　he　made　several　turns　and　then　stopped　in　front　of　the　Greyhound　bus　station。　I　took　my　baggage　out　of　the　back　and　started　to　close　the　door；　but　held　it　open　when　Ed　heaved　himself　across　the　seat。　He　got　out　on　my　side；　reached　in　his　wallet；　and　handed　me　a　twenty…dollar　bill。
　　〃You　can't　hitchhike　with　all　that　stuff；　Frank。　You'd　better　take　a　bus。〃
　　I　nodded；　accepted　the　bill　and　buttoned　it　into　my　shirt　pocket。　That　made　five　hundred　and　twenty　dollars　I　owed　him；　but　I　was　grateful　for　the　loan。
　　We　shook　hands　rather　formally；　and　Ed　plucked　at　his　white　chin　with　his　puffy　fingers。　〃Now　don't　worry　about　Icarus；　Frank；〃　he　said　with　an　attempt　at　levity。　〃I'll　take　good　care　of　him　whether　you　e　back　for　him　or　not。〃　His　eyes　were　worried　just　the　same。
　　I　held　up　two　spread　fingers　in　the　〃V〃　sign。　It　was　a　meaningless　gesture　in　this　instance；　but　Ed　smiled；　thinking　I　meant　it　for　him。　I　remained　at　the　curb　and　waved　to　him　as　he　drove　away。
　　I　picked　a　folder　out　of　the　rack；　circled　Jacksonville　on　the　timetable　with　my　ballpoint　pencil；　shoved　the　folder　and　my　twenty　under　the　wicket；　and　paid　for　my　ticket。　After　slipping　the　ticket　into　my　hatband；　I　gathered　my　baggage　around　me　and　sat　down　on　a　bench　to　wait　for　the　bus。
　　I　thought　about　Icky。　In　reality；　five　hundred　dollars　wasn't　even　enough　money　to　get　started。　I　needed　a　bare　minimum　of　one　thousand；　five　hundred　dollars　to　have　at　least　a　thousand　left　over　after　paying　for　the　cock。　Two　thousand　was　more　like　it。
　　Somehow；　I　had　to　get　my　hands　on　this　money。
　　
　　
　　
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　　I　didn't　arrive　in　Jacksonville　until　a　little　after　three　that　afternoon。　Instead　of　waiting　for　an　express；　I　had　taken　the　first　bus　that　left　Orlando；　and　it　turned　out　to　be　the　kind　that　stops　at　every　filling　station；　general　store　and　cow　pasture　along　the　way。　A　long；　dull　ride。
　　After　getting　my　baggage　out　of　the　side　of　the　bus　from　the　driver　I　left　the　station　and　walked　three　blocks　to　the　Jeff　Davis　Hotel；　where　I　always　stayed　when　I　was　in　Jax。　On　the　way　to　the　hotel　I　stopped　at　a　package　store　and　bought　a　pint　of　gin。
　　Perhaps　the　Jeff　Davis　isn't　the　most　desirable　hotel　in　Jax；　but　it　is　downtown；　handy　to　everything；　the　people　know　me　there；　and　crowded　or　not　I　can　always　get　a　room。　The　manager　follows　cockfighting；　advertises　in　the　game…fowl　magazines；　and　there　is　usually　someone　hanging　around　the　lobby　who　knows　me。　The　daily　rate　is　attractive；　as　well…only　three　dollars　a　day　for　cockers；　instead　of　the　regular　rate　of　five。
　　As　soon　as　I　checked　in　at　the　desk　and　got　to　my　room；　I　opened　my　suitcase　and　dug　out　my　corduroy　coat。　In　September；　Jacksonville　turns　chilly　in　the　afternoons；　and　the　temperature　drops　below　seventy。　Not　that　it　gets　cold；　but　the　weather　doesn't　pare　favorably　with　southern　Florida。　The　long　pull　of　gin　I　took　before　going　out　on　the　street　again　felt　warm　in　my　stomach。
　　I　walked　briskly　through　the　streets　to　the　post　office；　entered；　and　twirled　the　bination　dial　on　my　post…office　box。　It　didn't　open；　but　I　could　see　that　there　was　mail　inside　the　box　through　the　dirty　brown　glass　window。　I　searched　through　my　wallet；　found　my　box　receipt　for　the　rental；　and　shoved　it　through　the　window　to　the　clerk。　He　studied　the　slip　for　a　moment；　and　called　my　attention　to　the　date。
　　〃You're　almost　ten　days　overdue　on　your　quarterly　box　payment；　Mr。　Mansfield；〃　he　said。　〃Your　box　was　closed　out　and　rented　to　somebody　else。　I'm　sorry；　but　there's　a　big　demand　for　boxes　these　days　and　I　don't　have　any　more　open　at　present。　If　you　want　me　to；　I'll　put　your　name　on　the　waiting　list。〃
　　I　shook　my　head；　pointed　to　the　rack　of　mail　behind　him。　This　puzzled　him　for　a　moment；　and　then　he　said：　〃Oh；　you　mean　your　mail？〃
　　I　nodded　impatiently；　drumming　my　fingers　on　the　marble　ledge。
　　〃If　you　have　any；　it'll　be　at　the　general…delivery　window。〃
　　I　picked　up　my　receipt　and　gave　it　to　the　woman　at　the　general…delivery　window。　She　handed　me　two　letters　and　my　current　Southern　Cockfighter　magazine。　I　shoved　the　letters　and　magazine　into　my　coat　pocket　and　filled　in　change…of…address　cards　to　transfer　the　magazine　and　postoffice…box　letters　to　my　Ocala　address。　After　mailing　one　card　to　the　magazine　and　turning　in　the　other　to　the　woman　at　the　window　I　returned　to　my　hotel　room。
　　The　first　letter　I　opened　was　from　a　pit　operator　in　Tallahassee　inviting　me　to　enter　a　four…cock　derby　he　was　holding　in　November。　I　tossed　the　letter　into　the　wastebasket。　The　other　letter　was　the　oneS　I　had　been　expecting。　It　was　from　the　Southern　Conference　Tournament　mittee；　and　contained　my　invitation；　the　rules；　and　the　schedule　for　the　S。C。T。　season。
　　I　studied　the　mimeographed　schedule；　but　I　wasn't　too　happy　about　it。　There　wasn't　a　whole　lot　of　time　to　obtain　and　keep　gamecocks　for　the　tourney。
　　
　　SCHEDULE
　　SOUTHERN　CONFERENCE
　　
　　Oct。　15…Greenville；　Mississippi
　　Nov。　10…Tifton；　Georgia
　　Nov　30…Plant　City；　Florida
　　Dec。　15…Chattanooga；　Tennessee
　　Jan。　10…Bioxi；　Mississippi
　　Jan。　28…Auburn；　Alabama
　　Feb。　24　…Ocala；　Florida
　　Mar。　15…16　…S。C。T。…Milledgeville；　Georgia
　　
　　
　　I　was　already　too　late　for　Greenville；　Mississippi。　The　S。C。I　was　unlike　other　invitational　mains　and　derbies；　both　in　rules　and　gamecock　standards。　When　Senator　Foxhall　had　organized　the　S。C。T。　back　in　the　early　thirties；　his　primary　purpose　had　been　to　improve　the　breeds　and　gameness　in　southern　cockfighting。　The　hardest　rule　of　the　tourney　was　that　all　the　cocks　entered　in　the　final　round　at　Milledgeville　had　to　be　four…time　winners。　A　cock　can　win　one　or　sometimes　two　fights　with　flashy　flies　in　the　first　pitting；　and　some　good　luck。　But　any　cock　that　wins　four　in　a　row　is　dead　game。　Luck　simply　doesn't　stretch　through　four　wins。　This　single　S。C。T。　rule；　more　than　any　other；　had　certainly　raised　breeding　standards　in　the　South；　and　it　kept　out　undesirables　and　fly…by…night　cockers　looking　for　a　fast　dollar。　All　the　pit　operators　on　the　S。C。T。　circuit　were　checked　from　time　to　time　by　members　of　the　mittee；　and　if　their　standards　of　operation　dropped；　they　were　dropped；　in　turn；　by　the　senator。
　　Like　the　other　big…time　chicken　men；　I　had　fought　cocks　in　the　highly　petitive　six…day　International　Tournament　in　both　Orlando　and　Saint　Pete；　and　I　intended　to　enter　it　again　someday；　but　I　preferred　the　more　rigid　policies　of　the　S。C。T。　It　was　possible　to　enter　the　annual　International　Tournament　by　posting　a　preliminary　two…hundred…dollar　forfeit；　which　was　lost　if　you　didn't　show　up　and　pay　the　three…hundred…dollar　balance。　The　winning　entries　made　big　money　at　the　International；　but　I　could　make　just　as　much　at　S。C。T。　pits　and　at　the　final　Miledgeville　meet。　And　the　wins　on　the　S。C。T。　circuit　really　meant　something　to　me。
　　At　that　moment；　however；　I　didn't　feel　like　a　big…time　cockfighter。　I　was　at　rock　bottom　and　it　was　ironical　to　even　think　about　fighting　any　cocks　that　season。　All　I　had　in　my　wallet　was　eighteen　dollars；　plus　some