Cockfighter Page #4

out even, except that Little

Joe's won at least 16 fights.

Leave the coops here

and come back after it's

All over if you want to.

This is a stick up.

Hands over your heads.

Anybody moves gets

their head blasted off.

You get that chicken?

You get those.

Get out of the pit and

up against the wall.

I'm just gonna say this once

and only once, so pay attention.

When I point this thing at

you, you pull down your pants,

Throw them over

there on that heap,

But not before I tell you to.

Then put your hands

back up over your head.

Keep your tobacco.

Freeze!

I'll hold him for

you, Mr. Mansfield.

Feels just like a baseball.

It was a shame for Little

Joe to kill a pretty

Little chicken like this 'un.

Shush, calm down.

We just about

finished, Mr. Mansfield.

C'mon boy.

May as well let Tom be referee

is that's all right with you.

Let's... let's... let's bill

them a little, Mr. Mansfield.

Oh, that Little Joe,

he likes to fight.

Flush 'em.

Get ready.

Hit!

You killed Little Joe!

You killed him!

You killed him!

Ah, you didn't have to

hit him so hard, there,

That Little Joe was his pet.

He had a right to be mad,

losing him so quick, like.

I'm, uh, little short

a $1000, Mr. Mansfield,

But I'll give you

$350 now, you've gotta

Take the rest of the game fowl.

We'll go on down to run, you can

pick yourself out six roosters.

Well, most of my

stocke's all greys,

But I've got three Palmettos.

You can't get no better

cutters than Palmettos.

Oh, ten's all the stock I got.

You can't take all 10.

Aw, c'mon there.

Ah.

You'd best not hold him under

that too long, Mr. Mansfield.

He'll like to get drownded.

The champagne hour!

Let's drink a toast!

To victory at Milledgeville!

I wait, gentlemen.

Light passes this way but once,

notwithstanding the hinders.

And I say, celebrate

a victory twice.

Once before the magic

event, and once afterwards.

A ritual is what it is.

Religious.

Mystical in it's power to invoke

the gods of lightning victory.

As the top glass fills, it

overflows into the next,

And on down into eternity.

The mystical realm

of the great cock.

A monument.

To all, all American

cock fighters.

A hearty salute.

The Anglo-Polish team of

Mansfield and Baradansky

Salute you.

Gentlemen!

Cocksmen!

Into the faith!

Milledgeville!

Ah!

Senator

Vauxhall awarded the medal to

The man he thought deserved it.

You didn't have to win the

tourny to get the Cockfighter

Of the Year Award.

The senator hadn't

given the award

To anybody in three years.

And it was possible

that he wouldn't

Give the medal again this year.

I didn't think want

to think about it.

Your room will be assigned

to you up at the house.

There's someone mighty

anxious to see you up there.

Well you go ahead,

Frank, I'll unlock.

I've never seen someone so

anxious to see Mr. Middleton.

Ed Middleton?

Frank though you

meant his fiance.

Frank.

You didn't expect to

see me here did you?

Well I'm not here

as any spectator.

I'm chief referee.

And don't think I won't be

watching every move you make.

You know, I uh, promised

Martha I'd quit,

But Milledgeville only

comes once a year, so she

Slipped my car for a few days.

Say, uh, you've

got a partner now.

I guess I'll have to ask him

how my little white chicken's

Getting along.

C'mon, I'll buy you a drink.

Another thing I

want to know is, how

Come they didn't catch you with

your pants down in Chattanooga?

It looks good, Frank.

You're gonna win the

cockfighter of the year medal.

Oh you don't have

to go downtown.

I'll phone down for the hotel

reservations for Mary Elizabeth

If you want me to.

Hey Frank.

No matter how we

come out tomorrow,

I'll always be grateful to

you for getting me this far.

Frank?

Talk to you a minute?

Hey pal, let's... let's make

the bet an even $1000 between

Little David and your chickie.

Ed and Pete's OK as long

as we tally the score.

Frank?

Jack said I had to

apologize to you.

Frank's partner, Senator.

Mr. Baradansky.

Oh yes.

Russian, are you,

Mr. Baradansky?

Uh, no.

Polish.

You look Russian.

Well anyway, you're in good

hands with Frank Mansfield.

I knew Frank's granddad.

And if you listen to

Frank, Mr. Baradansky,

You'll learn a lot about

the game fowl business.

Isn't that right, Ed?

Frank could teach

us a lot of things,

If he won't have to say them.

That's what I mean.

General Severus, before

he invaded Great Britain,

Made his Roman legion watch

cock fights for three days.

The example was enough.

Dinner is served.

They don't feed game fowl

right in Poland, Mr. Baradansky.

Game c*cks can't

fight on raw potatoes.

I'll keep that in mind.

Four generations in

Evanston, he talks to me

Like I just got off the boat.

Ladies and gentlemen.

Welcome to the Southern

Conference tourny.

And we want all of you

to have a good time.

There's only one rule.

Conduct yourselves as

ladies and gentlemen.

Uh, before the

tourny's over, you may

Want to place a small wager.

Know who you bet with, because

there may be internal revenue

Agents in the crowd.

I'll take $100 on the red bill.

One more $100, now get in.

Hit.

Handle.

Ready, hit.

Handle.

Get ready.

Hit.

Hit.

Handle.

Hit.

Handle.

Let's go to the drag pit.

Looks like this one's

going to drag on all day.

All right.

Hit.

Get ready.

Hit.

I'm referee

in this fight, Mr. Mansfield.

Get ready.

C'mon, grey.

Number five wins.

I commit some kind of a foul?

We're pushing on

the center score.

The first time I wasn't sure.

Nor the second, when

number five whistled.

But the third time

it was obvious.

Didn't you gentlemen

see him push?

Are you arguing

with my decision?

You damn right, I am.

That's a $50 fine.

Anything else?

Will you take a check?

Hey Frank.

We're due in the pit in

less than five minutes.

You wanna handle?

So far, it looks pretty even.

You think we'll win tomorrow?

Well, you wanna raise

the bets two thousand?

If you five us two

to one odds, we will.

David's been on a

country walk all season.

White Lightning here's has

to fight just to qualify.

You asking for odds, Frank?

While the final results of

the tourny are being tabulated,

There'll be an extra hack

between entries four and five.

Both 5.2, Peach.

Both birds are 5.2 and

they'll fight in short heels.

All right, let's fill 'em.

I got $20 on the white!

Get ready.

Handle.

Handle.

Get ready.

Hit.

Get him, red!

Handle.

Handle.

Watch that rough handling.

Get ready.

Handle Handle.

Get ready.

Hit.

Get ready.

One handling the bird only.

Hit.

Count.

Count's going on?

That's what I call a

dead game chicken, Frank.

One for Mr. Mansfield.

I'm picking up, Ed,

my rooster's dead.

Hell they're both

dead, but you're still

Entitled to two more counts.

Oh Jesus.

Get ready.

I'm carrying out.

The winner... Mr. Mansfield.

That's close enough.

I don't want you

to touch me, ever.

I should have watched

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