Body and Soul Page #6

It's not enough to be great, Charlie. I tried to tell you in Philly. I tried to tell you in L.A. we're infested with rats!

He's not just a kid who can fight, he's money!

And people want money so bad they make it stink, and they make you stink!

If you don't like the racket, Shorty, you can always quit.

I quit before I ever came in here.

And if he has any sense left, he'll do the same!

I'm through and you can keep your pension.

Come on, Shorty...Let's all relax. Come on...

Shorty...Shorty!

Don't run out on me. Don't leave me alone. Because I can't do it all by myself.

Now remember, long ago he came to us and asked us, and we said:

"It's all right, Charlie, go ahead."

Now we've got to help him!

Nobody can help him.

He's got to help himself.

Shorty!

Charlie!

Charlie, your hands, look!

We all know you can fight.

Thanks, friend!

Shorty, you're hurt!

- I'm all right...take care of Charlie.

- Come on, Shorty.

Charlie, Shorty's hurt.

Shorty!

I tell you he walked right into it! He didn't even look where he was going.

It's too late!

What's the matter...You lose your key?

No. I'd like to have a cigarette, if you don't mind.

If one could only say, Charlie...

that it started here...or there...

But we're in something horrible and we've got to get out.

Well what can I do? Go back to the candy store?

It was an accident.

Only the dying, nothing else?

It was all inevitable.

You must quit.

It took a long time, Peg!

Rotten and hard and tough.

Now I'm a champ.

Now it's gonna be easy.

I can't stop now...I can't throw it all away.

It's what we wanted.

But, Charlie...we can't live with these people! I couldn't bear it.

You won't have to see them, or meet them again.

We'll live fine...I'll make the money.

I'll look after Ben...Believe me, I'll do everything I can!

But I can't start again.

From what? With what?

But Charlie...you'll have to start again with nothing anyway someday.

Only it'll be worse.

You'll be like Ben.

I'm too smart for that.

It's nothing to argue, Charlie!

I can't live this way.

You'll stop now.

Or I'll stop.

But that's not fair!

Was it fair for Shorty to die?

It was an accident!

And for Ben to fight with a blood clot?

I didn't know.

Charlie...one way or the other.

But I'm the champ!

You mean Roberts is.

Charlie...

I can't marry you.

That would just mean marrying him.

Go on, take the money...Take it!

Then...how about working with me?

It's not charity...I need someone.

Someone I can trust.

Okay, Charlie. Okay!

Not this time, Charlie.

What's the matter?

You know I'm good for the money.

Only if you fight!

- So I'll fight.

- And it's gotta be Marlowe!

Leave the door open, you dope!

Are you crazy coming in here in front of everybody?

It's a gym...People come and go here.

Besides, I'm an admirer of yours...I like to watch you train.

- So you're all set for the Marlowe match?

- Yeah, we're all set.

That's great...The odds are 2 to 1 for you to win. That's a lot of dough...

if you bet on Marlowe.

I ain't handing no title over to any kid!

I can beat him.

Betting on yourself to win, Charlie?

I didn't think you were punch-drunk yet...

- I think I can beat him.

- You're not thinking, Charlie...you're dreaming.

It's only natural after all these years of living good.

A fight now and then, the dough rolling in...and the dough rolling out.

You begin to dream this can go on forever.

When I lose the championship, they'll have to carry me out.

This gym is full of guys who were carried out.

Mr. Roberts is right, Charlie.

You'd like to see me take a dive, wouldn't you?

No...why should I? You mean money in the bank to me...

But facts are facts, Charlie.

- Yeah?

- How much of my money have you got in the bank, Quinn?

How much you got, Charlie?

There's 60 grand in there...You wanna count it?

60 grand, a clean fast fight, 15 rounds to a decision.

60 grand at 2 to 1, your end of the purse at 2 to 1.

I'm good at figures, Charlie...it'll add up to a fortune.

Besides, you don't like fighting anymore...You like living too much.

So why not live the easy life?

- Maybe open a caf with this singer, with this...what's her name...

- Alice!

- Yeah, Alice.

- You punch the cash register instead of getting punched.

You got a million friends, Charlie...You can't miss!

All right, Charlie...Let's stop being nice to each other.

We agreed to make a killing on this fight months ago.

You're into me for a lot of dough!

I made my arrangements with Marlowe, and a lot of other people.

Nobody backs out now.

That's the way it is.

Besides, a lot of guys think Marlowe can beat you on the square.

I don't take no dive for nobody...What do you think I am, a tanker?

Who's asking you to take a dive?

15 rounds to a decision.

- 15 rounds to a decision?

- That's right.

When you get ready to bet that dough, Charlie...

see that you give it to me to bet for you.

I'll get you a few extra points!

How's the head, Ben?

It's still on, Mr. Roberts...

no thanks to you.

Are you still sore?

I should have done something for you, Ben!

I like being Charlie's trainer.

Here's a little something to sweeten the past...

I don't take blood money, Mr. Roberts.

Mine or anybody else's.

You only have to bend down to pick it up, Ben!

Hey...take it easy, Ben! You mustn't get excited.

It's just the pressure, Charlie.

The last couple of weeks, I've been fighting my head all the time.

We've got to get you a real examination, Ben!

Yeah, after the fight.

- Are you all right now?

- Yeah, I'm all right.

Ben...Take the money, Ben!

It's not like people. It's got no memory. It don't think!

Did you sell the fight, Charlie?

Are you crazy?

I'll see you up in camp. Take it easy.

Leave the doors open, Quinn, what'll people think?

You care?

You sure you're not worried?

I got nothing to be worried about.

As long as you can keep your mind on the dough...

To the money!

Are you gonna bet?

If I have to beg, borrow and steal, I'm gonna bet this fight.

Just remember baby...I told you about it.

You get in on a big fix once in a lifetime...And after it's over?

No problem...The boy's gonna make a snootful of dough!

He'll go through it in a year with your help.

That gives me a year, Quinn. What about you?

I'll find myself another mug. They come and they go but I stay.

That's the reason you should listen to me, baby!

Don't you ever get tired?

No...I got no time for pride!

He could have had the whole world, so he leaned over sideways and grabbed you!

Nobody grabbed me, I grabbed him!

Sure, baby, sure! All love in the yard wide. But every time he's low-down,

he's gone to Peg. He's not gonna feel so high after this fight.

I don't care where his heart is, only the money!

What about me, how I feel?

Don't romance me, Quinn. You're getting old.

You could use a new paint job yourself.

And I know where to get it.

Hey Charlie, who you hiding?

How about going out, cutie?

Charlie, take it easy!

Early delivery today.

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