Kid Galahad Page #2

- Oh, lay off, Howie.

For somebody without experience...

the kid could save himself time and trouble

by stepping in front of a train.

I've had experience, Mr. Grogan.

I did a lot of boxing in the army.

Now, wait a minute.

Mercy killings aren't allowed, not even here.

Why didn't you say you wanted

to be a fighter?

Well, it's not that I want to be a fighter,

it's just...

I've had experience,

and I could use the money.

I'm only in position to pay you

$5 a round, sonny.

- I'll take it.

- That's a deal.

- Willy, you can't let him do this.

- It's no skin off me. Talk to Zimmerman.

Man, you have a visitor.

This time it ain't a bookmaker.

- What kind of visitor?

- Otto Danzig.

No, no, no. He ain't up there.

Otto's not that careless.

He's waiting for you in that new motel

down the road.

- Willy.

- Hello.

- Hello, Otto.

- Hello, Willy. Sit down.

Sit down?

Meet some friends of mine, Willy.

Associates, let's say.

Marvin and Ralphie.

They're not New York boys,

so their faces won't be familiar...

to any boxing commissioner who drops by.

They're as legal as a nice game of checkers

in this state, Willy...

and they'll be staying with you for a while.

I'll take the tab for their board and room.

Not with me you don't, Otto. I'm not running

any nursery up here for adult delinquents.

- Sit down, Willy.

- Otto said, "Sit down."

Now, please. We've been in the fight game

a long time together.

You're a sociable fellow.

You like beer and conversation.

Yeah.

Your camp is also a nice place

for people to come calling.

Cops, lawyers, district attorneys.

You like to pick up a dollar,

and you like to talk.

That's an awkward combination.

Went all through that in Washington.

The investigation's over.

Investigations are like the Greyhound bus.

There's always another one coming along.

New York is next,

and that'll be the one that counts.

Grand jury in September.

I can't help that and I'll tell you...

Something else you can't help, Willy:

You're the only one who was in that

steam room with Rocky Virgil.

That's what everybody knows

and what they won't forget.

I don't know who came into that room

and worked over Rocky.

The steam was as thick as split-pea soup.

I couldn't see and I didn't hear.

The only voice I heard was Rocky's voice.

And he was yelling like a stuck pig.

I spelled that out for the committee,

didn't I? As plain as my own name?

Yes, you were beautiful.

That's why Marvin and Ralphie are going

to be with you from now until September.

Just to make sure

you don't change your mind.

Look, Otto...

Otto, I don't want these torpedoes

hanging around my place.

Do I make myself clear?

Well, let me put it this way, Willy.

Rocky Virgil used to talk a lot like you.

Joie, come here.

Here, put this on.

Now listen, Joie,

I want you to take it nice and easy in there.

It's not like we're trying to win

the Olympics from the Russians every time.

You make me laugh. You're always worried.

What you worried about?

How do you want me to work him?

Easy. Keep sticking him. Easy. That's all.

This sort of thing a kid like you

shouldn't do, unless you've got two heads.

Which I ain't sure you ain't got.

Hello, peaches.

You know, you're a real lucky girl.

You're gonna find me available

for the whole season at no extra charge.

I wouldn't have called you at the store,

Rose, honey, unless it was an emergency.

It's hard to talk like this

with customers waiting, Willy.

Less than a month ago I sent you...

What'd you say?

I said, I like to keep a thing like this

in the family...

because, well,

blood is thicker than chowder.

That's what Pop used to say, remember?

Willy, please. This is a bad time for me.

I told you, I've got customers waiting.

All right, then, just put it in an envelope,

but without the lecture.

I wouldn't want to keep you

from your customers.

Okay, thank you.

Time.

Joie, please, take your time in there.

Hey, Walter, in case you want to duck

once in a while...

it ain't against the rules.

- This sort of thing is legal?

- You don't need a license to be stupid.

I'll lay you 3-to-1,

the kid don't last the round.

What happened? Did Joie trip?

Joie, please.

We can't afford to get knocked

out by this zombie.

Joie! Joie, can't you hear me?

I didn't mean to knock him out.

Getting a little uncomfortable in here,

you know.

Do I still get my $5?

About the $5...

Make sure this pigeon don't get away.

- You guys ready to go?

- Sure.

Hey, Joie. Come on.

How are we supposed to sing without you?

What did you hit me with? A bomb?

- Just one of those things.

- Come on, Joie. Let's go.

I think they want you over there.

Come on, why don't you come

and sing with us? Come on.

And you can sing, too?

Come on, let's get a cup of coffee.

These guys are going steady now.

You know, that Walter's a very nice kid.

Never mind how nice he is.

I hear enough of that from Dolly.

I told her the only important thing

about him is...

he's got an ax in his right hand,

and a bowling ball for a head.

How come the punches don't bother him?

Just one of those things, Willy.

He's the kind of guy you hit on the chin

and nothing disconnects.

- Marciano had it, remember?

- Yeah.

You know, he don't even blink

when he's belted.

- Like there was no fuse up there to blow.

- That's what I was thinking.

There ought to be a dollar to be made

with that kind of a knot head.

I'm keeping him around.

I've learned enough about human nature

to know the world's full of jerks...

and they'll love this guy on TV.

Come on, Willy, what's the matter with you?

All he's ever had

was a few lousy fights in the army.

He can't even hold up his hands.

- He can learn, can't he?

- Oh, yeah, "He can learn, can't he?"

Like a calf learns not to walk

on the tracks after it's been hit by a train.

Let's not worry about him, huh, Lew?

Another beer?

Dolly said she was putting a fresh pot

of coffee on.

Okay.

Hey, what'd Dolly say when she heard...

the finance company put the clamp

on your convertible?

She didn't waste much time with that.

She was more teed-off over Otto's

bird-dogs moving in.

- That'll be another dime, Howie, dear.

- Here you go, fatso.

- Howie, where's your fighter?

- He went in the kitchen with Golden Boy.

Oh, it's Ralphie.

I'm sorry. It wouldn't have happened...

but he don't know how to behave himself

with a lady.

- Thanks, Galahad.

- What?

Look. There's one thing

I want to make perfectly plain.

- Who's Galahad?

- Shut up. Who needs him?

You're a big girl now. And when you're

not big enough, you call on me.

Look, you two can have a nice fight later,

all right?

Dolly, please take Eagle Scout away

before Ralphie wakes up and kills him.

- To where?

- Anywhere. Just get him out of here.

Okay, come on.

- How could the army afford to let you go?

- Now, wait a minute.

Willy, be sensible, huh? Maynard.

Howie, you should've seen him.

- What a beautiful right hand...

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