Kid Galahad Page #4

- That's fine.

I'll remember to send you a picture.

Tomorrow you'll be back in the Bronx.

Yeah? Jerry.

Jerry, I'm glad you got back to me.

The reason I called

was about that 10-round television spot...

you've got open next week.

Local, not network.

That's what I figured you.

Willy, let me talk to Zimmerman.

I want to use one of his boys.

Zimmerman?

Now what makes you think you're

gonna need one of those sleepwalkers...

Zimmerman could offer you?

Jerry, I wouldn't try to sell you

a short package anymore than I'd try...

to frame the League of American Mothers.

We've been friends too long for that.

Jerry.

Jerry, I know for a fact

Zimmerman left for Boston half an hour ago.

He's still...

- Good luck in Boston, Joie.

- Thank you, I'll need it.

I'll miss you, Galahad.

What did I tell you about the way

the kid tunes a car, huh?

So it's running, I grant you. Thank you.

What "thank you"? That's all?

He can live on gasoline fumes? Pay him.

It was nothing, Lew, it was nothing.

In a service station,

would they say it was nothing?

- Come on, pay him.

- Stay out of it, Lew.

The kid said it was nothing,

then I'm satisfied it was nothing.

Now there goes a real fast man

with a buck, that Zimmerman.

- Hey, what's this thing?

- A U-bolt I want to retread.

I wonder if Willy's got some tools

I could use.

Tools? The only tools around here

are a can-opener and a shovel. Maybe.

You want to monkey with tools?

You go right down the road to the village...

- Prohosko's garage, tell him I sent you.

- Prohosko's?

Yeah. Peter J. Prohosko.

A very good friend of mine.

I saw it on the way in.

I'll go down there as soon as I clean

up in the barn. Thanks, Lew.

It just happens

there is a big strong kid available.

A big strong kid?

How come I never heard of him?

Where'd he come from?

- Who handles him?

- I'm his manager, naturally.

He's fresh out of the service.

He won 17 straight knockouts.

Seventeen straight knockouts? Where?

Where?

Well, actually,

he did most of his fighting in Australia.

He was stationed in that area for two years.

Rose!

Why would I lie?

Quiet. Both of you. I'm talking business.

Excuse me, Jerry. No, he fights

under the name of Kid Galahad.

No, not Gavilan. Galahad.

That's right, like in the storybook.

You know, it's romantic,

and they'll love him on TV.

Available to you for $1,000.

Well, if you're in a jam, Jerry, I'll let him go

for $750, but not a quarter less.

Albany was always a fair city.

That's right. One week from tonight.

You've got a deal.

Who's he supposed to fight in Albany?

Oh, just some clown.

I'll talk to you about it later.

Wait, let's talk about it now. What clown?

Ezzard Bailey.

Ten rounds at the Capital Casino.

- Willy, how can you do a thing like that?

- Lay off, Lew.

The kid's never had a professional fight

in his life and you know it.

And Ezzard Bailey is no clown.

All right, so I get 33.3%.

It just so happens I can use the money.

Why do you both

have to look at me like that?

He should feel this happy coming back.

- This thing don't ride bad, does it?

- So did Fulton's steamboat.

- What's that supposed to mean?

- Suppose somebody sees me in this thing?

Make a fist.

- Too tight?

- No, it feels all right.

- Nervous?

- A little bit. Feel it right here, you know.

Ain't the only place you're gonna feel it.

Will you stop running, Willy?

How can I talk to you?

Jerry, you got a nasty suspicious nature.

It's what's wrong with the world.

Listen, lamb-eyes, how do I know...

you can punch your way

through a cloud of cigar smoke?

- Sixteen knockouts...

- I sent you his records, didn't I?

Yeah, I know. 16 knockouts in Australia.

- I never said that.

- Please, Willy, I'm asking him.

Seventeen straight knockouts in Australia.

I can read, too.

Thanks, Lew. It never hurts to be accurate.

Who did you fight in Australia, kid?

A pack of sick kangaroos?

He fought guys that'd make the skin

stand up on your head.

- Name one.

- Name one.

Elio "Tarzan-Boy" Pincus, for example.

Elio was a sensation until this kid...

Willy, I don't want to hear anymore

of your double talk. You name one.

Don't answer that.

You've got your constitutional rights.

Are you trying to bug my boy five

minutes before he steps into the ring?

You want to take that up

with the boxing commissioner, right now?

- Willy this is my fight...

- And that's my fighter.

A clean-cut American boy,

straight out of the army.

What'd you think when you read

all that phony publicity about yourself?

You mean about the 17 knockouts?

Yeah.

At first, I kind of felt sorry for Willy.

- Sorry for him?

- He's not a bad guy, Lew.

Maybe he's got reasons for being a liar.

- It'd be nice if we could help him out.

- Help him out?

How about you? Look at that.

Suppose you step out there in that ring...

and Ezzard Bailey separates you

from what little brains you got left, huh?

I've been thinking about that, too.

Galahad, you're a bum.

Why don't you go home

and get your shield?

Oh, Galahad!

Oh, Galahad.

Don't let it bug you, kid.

Cream puff from Cream Valley. Go on home.

Rub your shoes in the rosin.

Make it look like

you know what you're doing.

Ladies and gentlemen,

this is the feature attraction...

the main event of the evening...

ten rounds of boxing...

conducted under the rules of the

New York State Athletic Commission.

Introducing, from the East Side

of New York...

weighing 181 pounds...

wearing black trunks...

Ezzard "Bobo" Bailey!

And his opponent, wearing white trunks,

at 180 pounds...

that promising young newcomer...

from Cream Valley, New York...

Kid Galahad!

- He should be arrested.

- Who?

Your brother, naturally.

He's responsible for this.

And now giving instructions,

your referee, Tommy Hart.

All right, boys.

We've already covered the instructions

in the dressing rooms.

So if there's no questions...

I want you to shake hands now,

go to your corners, and come out fighting.

Now, cover up your head once in a while.

Like I told you,

it's not a disgrace to block a punch.

Good luck, Kid.

Grab him!

Galahad, grab him!

Willy, I'm telling you,

I can't stand to watch this much longer.

Excuse me. Must've slipped down.

Sure. One more slip like that

and he'll bury you.

Five, six, seven...

eight, nine... All right.

- Felix.

- Yeah, Chief.

Get me two boys ready

for an emergency bout.

That lollipop, Galahad, won't last the round.

They'll be screaming for their money back.

Oh, that Grogan.

You wait till I get my hands on him.

Johnny, let's go!

Stop it.

Why can't they stop it now?

One, two, three...

four, five, six...

Get up.

Eight, nine, ten. You're out.

Correction, Jerry. 18 knockouts in a row.

Hello, tiger. Let me see what's left of you.

Well, I've seen fellows look worse

after a fall off a 40-foot ladder.

- Wasn't a bad fight, son.

- Thank you, Mr. Prohosko.

I think everybody enjoyed it

a little better than I did, though.

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