cwilleford.cockfighter-第45部分

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　　〃Are　we　going　to　win　the　tourney；　Frank？〃　Omar　said；　as　we　undressed　for　bed。
　　Down　to　my　underwear；　I　sat　on　the　edge　of　my　bed　and　checked　over　the　official　scorecard。　Jack　Burke；　Roy　Whippie　and　Johnny　Norris　were　ahead　of　us；　but　they　weren't　so　far　ahead　that　we　couldn't　catch　up　with　them　the　next　day。　I　drew　a　large　question　mark　on　the　blank　side　of　the　scorecard；　sailed　the　square　of　cardboard　in　Omar's　general　direction　and　got　wearily　into　bed。　With　a　full　day　of　fighting　to　go；　the　top　three　could　just　as　easily　be　the　bottom　three　when　the　points　were　tallied　at　the　end　of　the　meet。
　　Before　Omar　finished　counting　and　stacking　the　money　into　neat　piles　on　top　of　the　dresser　and　switched　off　the　overhead　chandelier；　I　was　sound　asleep。
　　
　　
　　The　next　morning　at　eleven…during　my　third　match　of　the　second　day…soft…spoken　Johnny　Norris　was　no　longer　a　contender。　His　name　was　stricken　from　the　lists；　and　he　was　barred　forever　from　Southern　Conference　petition　for　ungentlemanly　conduct。
　　At　most　southern　pits；　the　sidewalls　are　constructed　of　wood；　but　the　sunken　pit　at　Milledgevifie　has　concrete　walls。　At　a　wooden…walled　pit；　when　two　cocks　are　fighting　close　to　the　barrier；　it　isn't　unusual　for　one　of　the　fighters　to　jab　one　of　his　gaffs　into　a　board　and　get　stuck。
　　Because　of　this　possibility；　cockpits　with　sixteen…inch　wooden　walls　have　a　ground　rule　〃to　handle〃　when　an　accident　like　this　happens。　The　handler　then　pulls　the　gaff　loose　from　the　wall　and；　following　a　thirty…second　rest　period；　the　birds　are　pitted　again。
　　There　was　no　such　rule　at　Mifiedgeville。
　　With　a　concrete　pit；　this　ground　rule　was　considered　unnecessary。　Unfortunately　for　Johnny　Norris；　after　many　years　of　operation；　there　were　hairline　cracks　in　the　concrete　wall。　In　the　sixth　pitting；　my　Claret　drove　Johnny's　spangled　Shuffler　into　the　walls　During　a　quick　flurry；　the　Shuffler　hung　a　gaff　into　one　of　the　narrow　cracks。　The　long　three…inch　heel　was　wedged　tight。　The　Shuffler　was　immobilized；　with　his　head　dangling　down；　about　ten　inches　above　the　dirt　floor　of　the　pit。
　　Johnny　looked　angrily　at　Buddy　and　said：　〃Handle；　for　Christ's　sake！〃
　　〃No　such　rule　at　this　pit。〃　Buddy　shook　his　head　stubbornly。
　　My　aaret　had　backed　away　and　was　eyeing　the　upsidedown　bird；　judging　the　distance。　Advancing　three　short　steps；　he　flew　fiercely　into　the　helpless　Shuffler　with　both　heels　fanning。　The　fight　was　mine。
　　Johnny　swung　a　roundhouse　right　and　broke　Buddy　Waggoner's　jaw。
　　After　a　near　riot；　order　was　restored　when　Senator　Foxhall　announced　that　he　would　stop　the　tourney　and　clear　the　pit　if　everybody　didn't　quiet　down。　Johnny　Norris　was　taken　off　the　S。C。T。　rolls　and　banished　back　to　Birmingham。　Because　of　Johnny's　forced　withdrawal；　the　remaining　seven　entries　had　to　be　reshuffled　and　rematched　by　the　officials。　This　administrative　work　took　more　than　an　hour。
　　At　one　o'clock；　when　the　lunch　break　was　called；　Mary　Elizabeth　still　hadn't　put　in　an　appearance。　I　had　made　a　nuisance　out　of　myself　by　writing　notes　and　checking　periodically　with　the　box　office　and　parking　attendants；　but　by　one　p。m。　I　had　resigned　myself　that　she　wouldn't　e。
　　I　took　Bernice　to　the　house　for　lunch。
　　The　rematching　delay　ruined　the　planned　schedule。　The　last　match　between　Roy　Whipple　and　Colonel　Bob　Moore　didn't　start　until　three　thirty。　The　moment　the　two　cockfighters　entered　the　pit；　Omar　and　I　raced　for　our　cockhouse　to　heel　Icky　for　the　last　hack　between　my　bird　and　Burke's　Little　David。
　　When　we　returned　to　the　pit；　Jack　Burke　was　already　heeled　and　waiting。　As　the　three　of　us　stood　in　the　doorway；　watching　the　fight　in　progress；　Jack　looked　contemptuously　at　Icky　and　said；　〃Let's　raise　the　bet　to　two　thousand；　Frank。〃
　　Omar　bridled。　〃One　thousand　is　the　bet；　Mr。　Burke。　You've　had　Little　David　on　a　country　walk　all　season；　and　Icky's　had　to　fight　to　qualify。　If　there's　any　bet…changing　to　be　done；　you　should　give　us　some　odds。〃
　　〃Are　you　asking　for　odds；　Frank？〃　Burke　challenged；　ignoring　my　partner。
　　I　shook　my　head。　Holding　Icky　under　my　left　arm；　I　pointed　to　the　pit　with　my　free　hand。　Colonel　Bob　was　carrying　out　a　dead　chicken；　and　Ed　Middleton　was　cutting　the　gaff　tie　strings　away　from　Whipple's　winner　with　his　knife。
　　We　reported　to　the　judge's　booth　and　weighed　in。　Icky　was　at　fighting　weight；　an　even　4：02。　The　freedom　of　the　long　rest　on　a　farm　walk　had　brought　Little　David's　weight　up　from　four　pounds　to　4：03。　Omar　protested　the　oneounce　overweight　immediately；　and　Peach　Owen　ordered　Burke　to　cut　away　feathers　until　his　cock　matched　Icky　exactly。
　　〃While　the　results　of　the　tourney　are　being　tabulated　and　rechecked；〃　Peach　drawled　into　the　microphone　with　his　deep　southern　voice；　〃there'll　be　an　extra　hack　for　your　pleasure。　The　weight　is　4：02；　short　heels；　between　entries　four　and　five！〃
　　A　murmur　of　approval　and　a　scattering　of　applause　encircled　the　packed　tiers。　The　majority　of　the　people　in　the　audience　were　aware　of　the　extra　hack　before　the　announcement。　Omar　had　laughingly　told　me　about　some　of　the　rumors　he　had　heard。　Some　people　thought　that　the　hack　was　a　simple　grudge　match；　while　others　claimed　that　several　thousand　dollars　had　been　bet　between　us。　The　reported　incident　at　Plant　City；　when　Dody　had　kicked　me　in　the　shins；　had　also　caused　a　great　many　rumors。　Supposedly；　I　had　made　a　pass　at　Jack's　wife；　or　Jack　Burke　had　taken　Dody　away　from　me；　and…wildest　of　all…Dody　had　been　my　childhood　sweetheart。　How　a　man　of　thirty…three　could　possibly　have　had　a　childhood　sweetheart　of　only　sixteen　didn't　prevent　the　rumors。　What　Jack　had　spread　about　himself；　or　what　people　said　about　me；　didn't　matter。　My　only　concern　was　to　win　the　hack。
　　Ed　Middleton　examined　both　cocks；　returned　them　to　us；　and　told　us　to　get　ready。
　　〃I've　been　ready！〃　Jack　said。
　　I　bobbed　my　head；　and　Ed　said；　〃Bifi　'em。〃
　　We　billed　the　cocks　on　the　center　score。
　　〃That's　enough7　Ed　said；　when　he　saw　how　quickly　the　bativeness　of　both　cocks　was　aroused。　〃Pass　'em　once　and　get　ready。〃
　　Holding　our　gamecocks　at　arm's　length；　we　passed　them　in　the　air　with　a　circling　movement　and　retreated　to　our　respective　eight…foot　scores。
　　〃Pit！〃
　　As　usual；　by　watching　the　referee's　lips；　I　let　Icky　go　first；　beating　Burke　off　the　score。　I　needed　the　split　second。　The　O'Neal　Red；　with　its　dark　red　b；　and　fresh　from　a　country　walk；　was　faster　than　Icky。　Despite　his　superb　condition；　the　days　and　nights　in　a　narrow　coop　walk　had　slowed　my　Blue　chicken　down。　Icky　missed　with　both　spurs　as　Little　David　side…stepped；　and　my　cock　wound　up　on　his　back　with　a　spur　in　his　chest。
　　〃Handle！〃
　　The　second　I　disengaged　the　spur　from　Icky's　breast；　I　retreated　to　my　side　of　the　pit　and　examined　the　wound。　It　wasn't　fatal。　Using　the　cellulose　sponge　and　pan　of　clean　water　furnished　by　the　pit；　I　wiped　away　the　flowing　blood；　and　pressed　my　thumb　against　the　hole　to　stop　the　bleeding　until　the　order　came　to　get　ready。
　　〃Pit！〃
　　Little　David　was　overconfident　and　Icky　was　vigilant。　The　Red　tried　three　aerial　attacks　and　failed　to　get　above　my　pitwise　Blue。　With　mutual　respect；　they　circled　in　tight　patterns；　heads　low　above　the　floor；　hackles　raised；　glaring　at　each　other　with　bright；　angry　eyes。　Icky　tried　a　tricky　rushing　feint　that　worked。　As　Little　David　wheeled　and　dodged　instead　of　sidestepping；　Icky　walked　up　his　spine　like　a　lineman　climbing　a　telephone　pole。　There　was　an　audible　thump　as　Icky　struck　a　gaff　home　beneath　Little　David's　right　wing。
　　〃Handle！
　　Burke　removed　the　gaff　with　gentle　hands。　The　O'Neal　Red　had　been　hurt　in　the　second　pitting。　The　wound　in　Icky's　chest　no　longer　bled；　but　I　held　my　thumb　over　the　hole　anyway；　and　made　him　stand　quietly；　facing　him　toward　the　wall　where　he　couldn't　see　his　opponent。
　　The　third；　fourth　and　fifth　pittings　were　dance　contests　that　could　have　been　set　to　music。　The　two　colorful　gamecocks　maneuvered；　wheeled；　sidestepped；　feinted　and　leaped　high　into　the　air　as　they　clashed。　When　one　of　them　did　manage　to　hang　a　heel；　first　one　and　then　the　other；　the　blow　was　punishing。
　　Prior　to　the　sixth　pitting；　I　held　Icky's　legs　tight　under　his　body　to　rest　them；　facing　him　toward　the　wall。　I　raised　my　eyes　for　a　moment；　and　there　sat　Mary　Elizabeth；　not　six　feet　away　from　me。　I　almost　didn't　recognize　her　at　first。　She　was　wearing　a　light　blue　coat　with　raglan　sleeves；　and　she　had　a　pastel…blue　scarf　over　her　blonde　hair；　tied　beneath　her　chin。　She　sat　in　the　second　row…not　in　the　seat　I　had　reserved　for　her。　Her　skin　was　pale；　and　her　expression　was　strained。　As　I　smiled　in　recognition；　Ed　called　for　us　to　get　ready；　and　I　had　to　turn　my　back。
　　〃Pit！〃
　　For　the　first　time　in　months　I　was　second　best　in　releasing　my　gamecock's　tail。　Little　David　outfiew　my　Blue　and　fanned　him　down。　On　his　back；　Icky　shuffled　his　feet　like　a　cat。　Both　birds　fell　over；　pronged　together　with　all　four　gaffs；　like　knitting　needles　stuck　into　two　balls　of　colored　yarn。
　　〃Handle！〃
　　It　took　Burke　and　me　almost　a　full　minute　to　disengage　the　heels。　Both　cocks　were　severely　injured　and　my　hands　were　red　with　blood　as　I　sponged　my　battered　bird　down　gingerly　with　cold　water。　During　the　short　rest　period　I　didn't　have　time　to　exchange　any　love　glances　with　my　fiancée　in　the　stands。　Thirty　seconds　passed　like　magic。
　　〃Get　ready　。。。　Pit！〃
　　Both　gamecocks　remained　on　their　scores　as　we　released　them。
　　〃Count！〃　Burke　ordered。
　　〃One；　two；　three；　four；　five；　six；　seven；　eight；　nine　and　one　for　Mr。　Burke。　Handle！〃　Ed　said；　looking　up　from　his　wrist…watch。
　　Both　of　us　needed　the　additional　thirty…second　rest　period。　I　sucked　Icky's　b　to　warm　his　head；　held　his　beak　open　wide　and　spat　into　his　open　throat　to　refresh　him。　I　was　massaging　his　tired　legs　gently　when　Ed　told　us　to　get　ready。
　　〃Pit！〃
　　Stiff…winged；　the　two　cocks　advanced　toward　each　other　from　their　scores　and　clashed　wearily　in　the　center。　Too　sick　and　too　tired　for　aerial　fighting　they　buckled　again　and　again　with　weakened　fury。　Little　David　fell　over　limply；　breathing　hard；　and　stayed　there。　Grateful　for　this　respite；　Icky　also　stopped　fighting；　standing　qui