cwilleford.cockfighter-第23部分

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stemper；　asthma；　catarrh；　apoplexy；　cholera；　lime　legs；　canker　and　many　others。　Any　one　of　these　sicknesses　can　knock　out　a　man's　entire　flock　of　game　fowl　before　he　knows　what　has　happened　to　him。　Fortunately；　a　feather　dipped　in　turpentine　and　shoved　into　a　cock's　nostrils；　or　swabbed　in　his　throat；　or　sometimes　just　a　few　drops　of　turpentine　in　a　bird's　drinking　water；　will　prevent　or　cure　many　of　these　diseases。　When　turpentine　fails；　I　destroy　the　sick　chicken　and　bury　him　deep　to　prevent　the　spread　of　his　disease。
　　When　I　pleted　my　list　I　sealed　it　in　a　hotel　envelope；　wrote　Doc　Riordan's　name　on　the　outside；　and　headed　for　the　drugstore　where　he　had　part…time　work。　Doc　wasn't　in；　but　the　owner　said　he　was　expected　at　noon。　Figuring　that　Doc　would　freely　requisition　most　of　the　items　on　my　list　from　the　owner；　I　decided　not　to　leave　it；　and　to　e　back　later。
　　I　walked　to　the　Western　Union　office　and　sent　two　straight　wires。　The　first　wire　was　to　my　neighbor　and　fellow　cocker　in　Ocala；　Omar　Baradinsky：
　　
　　HAVE　LIGHTS　AND　WATER　TURNED　ON　AT　MY　FARM。　WILL
　　REIMBURSE　UPON　ARRIVAL。　F　MANSFIELD。
　　
　　I　knew　Omar　wouldn't　mind　attending　to　this　chore　for　me　in　downtown　Ocala　and　inasmuch　as　I　didn't　know　what　day　or　what　time　I　would　arrive　at　the　farm；　I　wanted　to　be　certain　there　was　water　and　electricity　when　I　got　there。
　　The　other　wire　was　to　Mr。　Jake　Mellhorn；　Altamount；　North　Carolina。　Jake　Mellhorn　bred　and　sold　a　game　strain　called　the　Mellhorn　Black。　It　was　a　rugged　breed；　and　I　knew　this　from　watching　Blacks　fight　many　times。
　　These　chickens　fought　equally　well　in　long　and　short　heels；　depending　upon　their　conformation　and　conditioning；　but　they　were　unpredictable　fighters…some　were　cutters　and　others　were　shufflers…and　they　had　a　tendency　to　alternate　their　tactics　in　the　pit。　As　a　general　rule　I　prefer　cutters　over　shufflers；　but　I　needed　a　dozen　Aces　and　a　fair　price。　Jake　Mellhorn　had　been　after　me　for　several　years　to　try　a　season　with　his　Blacks；　and　I　knew　that　he　would　give　me　a　fairly　low　price　on　a　shipment　of　a　dozen。　If　I　won　with　his　game　strain　at　any　of　the　major　derbies；　he　would　be　able　to　jack　the　price　up　on　the　game　fowl　he　sold　the　following　season　to　other　cockers。　I　could　win　with　any　hardy；　farm…walked　game　strain　that　could　stand　up　under　my　conditioning　methods…Claret；　Madigan；　Whitehackle；　Doms…but　the　excellent　cocks　I　would　need　would　cost　too　much；　especially　after　putting　out　five　hundred　dollars　for　Icky。　It　wouldn't　hurt　anything　to　send　a　wire　to　Jake　and　find　out　what　he　had　to　offer　anyway。
　　
　　TO：　JAKE　MELLHORN；　ALTAMOUNT；　NC。
　　NEED　TWELVE　FARM…WALKED　COCKS。　NO　STAGS；　NO　COOPWALKS
　　WANTED。　PUREBRED　MELLHORNS　ONLY。　NO　CROSSES。　SEND　PRICE
　　AND　DETAILS　C/O　JEFF　DAVIS　HOTEL；　JACKSONVILLE；　FLA。
　　F。　MANSFIELD。
　　
　　
　　If　I　knew　lake　Mellhorn；　and　I　knew　the　egotistic；　selfcentered　old　man　well；　I'd　have　a　special　delivery　letter　from　him　within　a　couple　of　days。　And　on　my　first　order；　at　least；　he　would　send　me　Aces。
　　I　paid　the　girl　for　the　wires；　and　then　ate　a　hamburger　at　a　little　one…arm　joint　down　the　street　before　returning　to　Foster's　Drugstore。
　　Now　that　the　wires　were　on　their　way；　I　felt　mitted；　even　though　they　didn't　mean　anything　in　themselves。　I　felt　like　I　was　getting　the　dice　rolling　by　forcing　my　luck。
　　I　couldn't　pay　for　the　Mellhorns；　no　matter　how　good　a　price　Jake　gave　me。　I　couldn't　even　repay　Omar　Baradinsky　the　utilities　deposit　money　he　would　put　up　for　me　in　Ocala…and　yet　I　felt　confident。　Surely　Judge　Powell　would　e　through　with　one　thousand；　five　hundred　dollars　now；　because　I　had　acted　as　though　he　would。　It　was　a　false　feeling　of　confidence；　and　I　knew　that　it　was　bogus　in　the　same　way　a　man　riding　in　a　transatlantic　airplane　knows　that　there　cannot　possibly　be　a　crack…up　because　he　bought　one　hundred　thousand　dollars'　worth　of　insurance　at　the　airport　before　the　plane　took　off。
　　Doc　Riordan　was　sitting　at　the　fountain　counter；　wearing　a　short　white　jacket；　when　I　entered　the　drugstore。　I　eased　onto　the　stool　beside　him　and　tapped　him　on　the　shoulder。
　　〃Hello；　Frank；〃　he　said；　smiling。　In　the　cramped　space；　we　shook　hands　awkwardly　without　getting　up。　〃Mr。　Foster　said　there　was　a　big　man　with　a　cowboy　hat　looking　for　me。　Inasmuch　as　I　don't　know　any　bill　collectors　who　don't　talk；　I　figgered　it　was　you。〃
　　I　handed　Doc　the　envelope。　He　studied　the　list；　and　whistled　softly　through　closed　teeth。　〃That's　a　mighty　big　order　on　short　notice；　Frank；〃　he　said；　frowning。　〃I　don't　have　any　conditioning　powder　made　up；　and　there's　been　so　much　flu　going　around　Jax　lately；　I've　got　sixty…three　prescriptions　to　fill　before　I　can　do　anything　else。〃　He　tapped　the　list　with　a　forefinger。　〃Can　you　let　me　have　a　couple　of　days？〃
　　I　had　to　smile。　At　that　stage　I　could　have　let　him　have　a　couple　of　months。　I　clapped　him　on　the　shoulder　and　nodded　understandingly。
　　〃Good。　e　in　day　after　tomorrow　and　it'll　be　waiting　for　you。　All　of　it。〃　He　smiled。　〃Kinda　looks　like　you've　got　your　chickens　for　the　season；　and　I　hope　you'll　have　a　good　one。　Anytime　you　need　something　fast；　just　drop　me　a　card　here　at　Foster's。　I　know　damned　well　I'll　make　the　Milledgeville　Tourney；　but　that'll　be　the　only　one　this　year。　I've　got　too　many　feelers　out　on　Licarbo　to　go　to　chicken　fights。　But　then；　I　might　get　a　chance　to　run　down　to　Plant　City…〃
　　He　had　work　to　do；　so　I　slid　off　the　stool　and　left　abruptly　while　he　was　still　talking。
　　For　the　rest　of　the　afternoon　I　prowled　used　car　lots　as　a　tire…kicker；　trying　to　locate　a　pickup　truck　of　some　kind　that　would　hold　together　for　four　or　five　months。　Around　four　o'clock　I　discovered　an　eight…year…old　Ford　half…ton　pickup　that　looked　suitable；　and　the　salesman　rode　around　the　block　with　me　when　I　tried　it　out。　All　afternoon　my　silence　had　unnerved　talkative　used　car　salesmen。　After　five　minutes　of　my　kind　of　silence；　they　usually　gave　up　on　their　sales　talks　and　let　me　look　around　in　peace。　This　fellow　was　more　persistent。　After　reparking　the　truck　in　its　place　on　the　fourth　row　of　the　lot；　I　looked　at　the　salesman　inquisitively。
　　〃This　is　a　real　buy　for　one　fifty；〃　he　said　sincerely。　He　was　a　young　man　in　his　early　twenties；　with　a　freckled　earnest　face。　His　flattop　haircut；　and　wet…look　black　leather　sports　jacket；　reminded　me　of　a　Marine　captain　wearing　civilian　clothes　for　the　first　time。　For　all　I　knew；　he　was　an　ex…Marine。
　　I　looked　steadily　into　his　face　and　he　blushed。
　　〃But　old　pickups　don't　sell　so　well　these　days。　Too　many　rich　farmers　buying　new　ones。　So　I'll　let　you　have　it　for　a　hundred…dollar　bill。〃
　　I　studied　him　for　a　moment；　maintaining　my　expressionless　face；　and　then　got　out　of　the　cab　of　the　truck。　I　started　toward　the　looping　chain　fence　that　bordered　the　sidewalk；　and　he　caught　up　with　me　before　I　reached　the　first　line　of　cars。　He　put　a　freckled　hand　on　my　arm；　but　when　I　dropped　my　eyes　to　his　hand；　he　jerked　it　away　as　though　my　sleeve　were　on　fire。
　　〃I'll　tell　you　what　I'll　do；　sir；〃　he　said　quickly。　〃Just　to　move　the　old　Ford　and　get　it　off　the　lot；　I'll　give　up　my　mission。　You　can　have　the　truck　for　eighty…five　bucks。　Give　me　ten　dollars　down；　and　drive　it　away。　Here're　the　keys。〃　He　held　out　the　keys；　but　I　didn't　look　at　them。　I　kept　my　eyes　on　his　face。
　　〃All　right；〃　he　said　nervously。　〃Seventy…five；　and　that's　rock　bottom。〃
　　I　nodded。　A　fair　price。　More　than　fair。　The　truck　had　had　hard　use；　and　most　of　the　paint　had　been　chipped　off　in　preparation　for　a　new　paint　job。　But　no　one　had　ever　gotten　around　to　repainting　it。　I　pointed　to　the　low　sun　above　the　skyline；　and　he　followed　my　pointing　finger　with　his　pale　blue　eyes。　To　catch　his　wandering　attention　again　I　snapped　my　fingers　and　then　held　up　three　fingers　before　his　face。
　　〃Three　suns？〃　he　asked。　〃You　mean　three　days？〃
　　I　nodded。
　　〃Without　a　deposit；　I　can't　promise　to　hold　it　for　you；　sir。〃
　　I　shrugged　indifferently　and　left　the　lot。　I　had　a　hunch　that　the　pickup　would　still　be　there　when　I　came　back　for　it。
　　When　I　got　back　to　my　hotel　room　I　counted　my　money。　Twenty…three　dollars　and　eighty…one　cents。　Money　just　seems　to　evaporate。　I　had　no　idea　where　all　of　it　had　gone；　but　I　had　to　nurse　what　was　left　like　a　miser。　Twelve　dollars　would　be　needed　to　pay　four　days'　rent　on　the　hotel　room；　and　I　would　have　to　eat　and　smoke　on　the　remainder。　If　I　didn't　get　a　letter　from　Judge　Powell　within　three　days；　or　four　at　the　most；　I　would　have　to　make　other　plans　of　some　kind。
　　
　　
　　I　spent　the　next　three　days　at　the　public　library。　There　was　a　long　narrow　cafe　near　the　hotel　that　featured　an　〃Eye…Opener　Early…Bird　Breakfast；〃　consisting　of　one　egg；　one　slice　of　bacon；　one　slice　of　brushed　margarine　toast　and　a　cup　of　coffee…all　for　forty…two　cents。　After　eating　this　meager　fare；　I　walked　slowly　to　the　library　and　sat　outside　on　the　steps　until　it　opened；　thinking　forward　to　lunch。　I　read　magazines　until　noon　in　the　periodical　room；　and　then　returned　to　the　hotel　and　checked　the　desk　for　my　mail。　I　then　returned　to　the　library。　By　two　o'clock　I　was　ravenous；　and　I　would　eat　a　poor　boy　sandwich　across　the　street；　and　drink　a　Coca…Cola。　The　poor　boy　sandwich　had　three　varieties　of　meat；　but　not　much　meat。　I　then　returned　to　the　library　and　read　books　until　it　closed　at　nine　p。m。
　　My　taste　in　reading　is　catholic。　I　can　take　Volume　III　of　the　Encyclopedia　Americana　out　of　the　stacks　and　read　it　straight　through　from　Corot　to　Deseronto　with　an　equal　interest；　or　lack　of　interest；　in　each　subject。　Roget's　Thesaurus　or　a　dictionary　can　hold　my　attention　for　several　hours。　I　don't　own　many　books。　There　were　only　a　few　on　poultry　breeding　at　my　Ocala　farm　and　a　first　edition　of　Histories　of　Game　Strains　that　I　won　as　a　prize　one　time　at　a　cockfight。　And　I　also　owned　a　beat…up　copy　of　Huckleberry　Finn。　I　suppose　I've　drifted　down　the　river　with　Huck　Finn　&　Co。　fifty　times　or　more。
　　When　the　library　closed　at　nine；　I　ate　a　hamburger；　returned　to　the　hotel　and　went　to　bed。
　　Three　days　passed　quickly　this　way。　On　the　morning　of　the　fourth　day；　however；　I　didn't　leave　the　hotel。　My　stomach　was　so　upset　I　didn't　even　feel　lik