Body and Soul Page #7

But Charlie...come in.

- Trouble?

- No...no.

I better make some coffee, you look as if you need some.

Isn't this a trifle early for you?

No, I got up early this morning.

That is, I didn't get to sleep.

Oh? Celebrating the Marlowe match?

I tried to.

I thought you skipped all the places in the papers that mentioned my name.

On the contrary, I read about you religiously.

Orange juice?

Sure.

Yes, I've been promoted since you were last here.

I'm a fully fledged designer now.

That's great.

well, good health!

What is it this time, Charlie?

Last time you came it was because you were bored.

And the year before, you were lonely...

Once it was your birthday, twice it was mine...

What's the occasion now?

I don't understand.

I worked very late last night so I'm not very bright this morning, but I'll try and I'll...

What do you want?

Advice? Comfort? Recriminations...

I brought this, too.

It doesn't look like me. It's bad technique.

Isn't this your problem?

Don't you want it anymore?

No.

I just don't understand...

Now...I'm still half asleep...

If you don't want it anymore, why return it after all these years?

I want you.

Well here I am, Charlie.

Peg...I'm scared...so low-down, I...

I had to see, I wanted to know, I had to find out, once and for all, I had to know!

And we won't be broke...it's my last fight...

Look, I got 60 grand and more to come and I'll...

Don't tell me what you can get me, don't tell me what you can buy.

You've got nothing to buy.

I...I said all that once before, didn't I?

Don't talk, Charlie. Just sit.

Because you'll only start saying those things you've learned to say.

Not what you once were.

What you are.

Ever since Irma left, it runs over!

Irma! Where is she?

In Texas.

Texas? Doing what?

She's married.

She married the first guy that ever bought a statue from her!

Is she happy?

Oh, deliriously!

It all happened on a rainy afternoon.

Things happen that way. Sometimes you...you wait very long for happiness.

And sometimes you fall over it just before you learn to walk.

She just walked it all...Or jumping!

I must be jumping, I can't think why.

I think I'm ill, I'm running a high...

What am I talking about, do you know?

Do you know what it's like to love, and be alone?

Don't poke it...pat it gently.

Is it spoiled?

- No, no...

I'm trying to be useful.

Then get me a saucer.

There...Let the expert have a taste.

One pretty woman in the family's enough.

More.

You approve?

You know, that's a taste that never leaves your mouth!

The expert approves!

Say, I meant to ask you...What did the old lady say when I told you this was my last fight?

She cried.

And then she said the most beautiful thing I've ever heard in my life.

- What?

She said she didn't think that at her age she could fall in love again.

With who?

Us.

By the way...What did you do with all my money?

I put it in my bank.

Well, in the morning I'll go down with you and pick it up.

- What for?

I need it.

- Why?

To bet on the fight.

Charlie, if you lose the fight and the money, then you'll want to fight again...

No, no, I'm not going to give you the money to bet. We're rich enough.

Charlie!...Charlie, you're a sight for sore eyes.

Hello, Shimen!

Good to see you! You look wonderful...He looks fine.

You know Miss Born, Charlie's fiance?

This I suspected. Here you are, Mrs. Davis...

Charlie, something special for you.

Straight from the Garden of Eden.

- Thanks!

Have some wine, Shimen.

- What's the occasion?

Charlie's last fight.

- You don't say.

Don't spread it around, Shimen!

I'm like a grave.

Does that mean you won't fight anymore?

- That's right.

So you'll retire champion...That's bad?

It's good!

To the future retired champion of the world...good luck!

And to my five dollars that I bet on the fight, good luck too.

Excuse me...Charlie, everybody is betting on you. The whole neighborhood, like you was the Irish Sweepstakes!

People shouldn't bet.

- No, no, Mrs. Davis...

It isn't the money. It's a way of showing.

Over in Europe, the Nazis are killing people like us, just because of their religion.

But here, Charlie Davis is champion.

So you'll win and you'll retire champion.

And we are proud, period.

And Charlie, when you leave, stop in and say toodle-doo.

What's the matter with people, anyway?

Why do they have to bet?

It's a racket, don't they know? They know it's a racket.

People gamble.

Well, they're suckers! Tell them not to bet on me.

I'm too old to walk up and down New York telling people not to bet. Especially when they win.

You don't win all the time, you can lose, too.

Suckers like Shimen shouldn't bet!

- Suckers like Shimen?

You didn't hear what he said, Charlie...It isn't the five dollars that's important...

I heard, I heard...I can still lose!

That's right, Charlie! So why bet, why take a chance?

Well you don't understand. It's a diffrent thing.

I don't want to quit without money. I don't want to end up broke!

Broke? You have $60,000, you could stop right now.

Stop now, are you kidding?

There's a million bucks riding on my back!

If I don't fight, I don't get a dime.

I'm all mobbed up, tied hand and foot, down to my last buck.

You think I want to end up like Ben, punchy, with a blood clot on the brain, ready to die any day...

Or with a bullet in my back in an alley?

What do you mean, bullet?

Don't you understand? The fight's fixed!

Fixed? What does it mean, fixed?

It...it means I'm...I'm throwing the fight.

- Throwing the fight?

It means I'm gonna lose, it's all arranged!

It's a racket anyway. That's why I want to bet the 60 grand.

You get it Peg, don't you?

Yeah, I get it.

It's an investment, a sure thing...

Well what do you want? What are you looking at?

Then you didn't understand what Shimen said.

It's none of my business what they think or what they do! Nobody looks out for me!

Poor Charlie, nobody's looking out for you.

You're all so high and mighty!

You wouldn't even have that dirty candy store if it wasn't for me! You wouldn't have a dime, the clothes on your back!

It's my money, isn't it? You were in such a hurry to take it and slap it in the bank.

Sure, you said "We're rich enough", like the rest of them.

But it comes out of my hide!

I take the beatings and you take the dough, like all the rest of them!

Well, this time I'm taking care of the dough.

Give me back that 60 grand!

Yeah, that's right.

I'm like the rest of them.

So you want your money back?

Well take it back! And everything else you've given me.

Here! What everybody gives you!

The long years of happiness, the promises broken,

the lonely nights!

That's enough, Charlie.

Take it easy for the rest of the day, Charlie.

Been that way for two months, boys, there's no stopping him.

It's gonna be a Marlowe massacre!

You're looking great, champ!

Thanks, Pete. I feel fine. I can even name the round.

- Good.

The last night, eh, Charlie?

- Yeah...

I always get a sort of sad feeling when I see them breaking camp.

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