…Ezra Pound
1
First； I closed the windows and bolted the flimsy aluminum door。 Then I flicked on the overhead light and snapped the Venetian blinds shut。 Without the cross ventilation； it was stifling inside the trailer。 Outside； in the florida sunlight； the temperature was in the high eighties； but inside； now that the door and the windows were locked； it must have been a hundred degrees。 I wiped the sweat away from my streaming face and neck with a dishcloth； dried my hands； and tossed the cloth on the floor。 After moving Sandspur's traveling coop onto the couch； I checked the items on the table one more time。
Leather thong。 Cotton。 Razor blade。 Bowl of lukewarm soapy water。 Pan of rubbing alcohol。 Liquid lead ballpoint pencil。 Sponge。 All in order。
I lifted the lid of the coop； brought Sandspur out with both hands； turned the cock's head away from me； and then held him firmly with my left hand under his breast。 I looped the noose of leather over his dangling yellow feet； slipped it tight above his sawed off spur stumps； and made a couple of turns to hold it snug。 Holding the chicken with both hands again； I lowered him between my legs and squeezed my knees together tight enough to hold him so he couldn't move his wings。 Sandspur didn't like it。 He hit back with both feet four times； making thumping sounds against the plastic couch； but he couldn't get away。
I pinched off a generous wad of cotton between my left thumb and forefinger and clamped my fingers over his lemon…yellow beak。 There was just enough of a downward curve to his short beak so he couldn't jerk his head out of my fingers。 He couldn't possibly hurt himself； as long as the cotton didn't slip。
Impatient knuckles rapped on the door。 Dody again。 A vein throbbed in my temple。 At that moment I would have given anything to be able to curse。
〃How long you gonna be； Frank？〃 Dody's petulant voice shrilled through the door。 〃I gotta go to the bathroom！〃
I didn't answer。 I couldn't。 She rapped impatiently a couple of more times and then she went away。 At least she didn't holler anymore。
My right hand was damp again； and I wiped my fingers on my jeans； still holding Sandspur's beak with my left thumb and forefinger。 I picked up the razor blade and cut a fine hairline groove across his bifi as high up as possible。 This was ticklish work and I cut a trifle too deep on the right side。 I dropped the razor blade back on the table and released the cock's head。 I picked up the ballpoint lead pencil with my left hand and rubbed the point across my right fingertip until it was smeared with liquid lead。 Pinching off more cotton with my left hand； I caught Sandspur's beak again and rubbed the almost invisible groove with my leadsmeared forefinger。 I took my time； and Sandspur glared at me malevolently with his shiny yellow eyes。
As soon as I was satisfied； I unloosened the thong around his feet and put the bird on the table； washed his legs with luke…warm soapy water； and rubbed his breast and thighs。 I repeated the rubdown with alcohol。 I was particularly careful with his head and bill； only using cotton dipped in the pan of alcohol。
Finished； I returned the items to my gaff case and dumped the used soapy water and alcohol into the sink。 Sandspur was a fine…looking fighting cock； and after his light rubdown he felt in fine feather。 Holding his head high he strutted back and forth on the slick Masonite table。 He was a Whitehackle cross in peak condition； a five…time winner； and a real money bird。 I knew he would win this afternoon； but I also knew he had to win。
I stepped in close to the table； made a feinting pinch for his doctored beak and he tried to peck me。 I examined his beak； and even under close scrutiny the bill looked cracked。 The liquid lead inside the hairline made the manufactured crack look authentic even to my expert eyes。 As a longtime professional cocker I knew the crack would fool Mr。 Ed Middleton； Jack Burke； and the accordion…necked fruit tramp bettors。 I picked Sandspur up and lowered him gently into his coop。
I opened the door； but Dody was nowhere in sight。 She was probably visiting inside one of the other trailers in the camp。 After sliding up all the windows again I lit a cigarette and sat down。 What I had done to Sandspur's bill wasn't exactly illegal； but I didn't feel too proud about it。 I only wanted to boost the betting odds and my slender roll。
Although I knew I couldn't possibly lose； I was apprehensive about the fight ing up。 Everything I had； including my old Caddy and my Love…Lee…Mobile Home； was down on this single cockfight。 And Sandspur was the only cock I had left。 In my mind； I reviewed my impulsive bet。 I had been a damned fool to bet the car and trailer。
At four that morning I had slid out of bed without waking Dody and switched on the light。 Dody slept like a child； mainly because she was a child。 The girl was only sixteen。 I had picked her up in Homestead； Florida； three weeks before at a juke joint near the trailer camp where I had been staying。 Her parents had their trailer in the Homestead camp； and Dody was only one out of their five children。 It was a family of fruit tramps； and I doubt very much if they even missed her when I took her away with me。 I wasn't the first man to sleep with Dody； not by any means。 There had been dozens before me； but seeing her asleep and vulnerable that morning made me feel uneasy about our relationship。 She was awfully damned young。 At thirty…two； I was exactly twice as old as Dody。
It was too hot in Belle Glade to have even a sheet over you； and Dody lay on her back wearing a flimsy cotton shorty nightgown。 She slept with her mouth open； her long taffy…colored braids stretched out on the pillow。 Her face was flushed with sleep； and she didn't look twelve years old； much less sixteen。 Her body was fully mature； however； with large； melon…heavy breasts； and long tapering legs。 In her clumsy； uninhibited way she was surprisingly good in bed。 She was as strong as a tractor； but not quite as intelligent。
I felt sorry for Dody。 She didn't have much to show for her life so far。 With her parents； she had followed crops all over the country…staying locked in a car by a field someplace until she was big enough to carry baskets…and this constant exposure to the itinerant agricultural worker's lackadaisical code of living had made her wise beyond her age。 After spending the night with me in my trailer in Homestead； she had begged to be taken along； and I brought her with me to Belle Glade。 Why I weakened I don't know； but at the time I had been depressed。 I had lost four birds in the Homestead fighting； and if Sandspur hadn't won his fight； the Homestead meet would have been a major disaster。 But three weeks is a long time to live with a young； demanding girl…and a stupid； irritating girl； at that。
Anyway； it was four a。m。 I dressed and took Sandspur outside and around to the back of the trailer。
It was stifi dark and I wanted to flirt him for exercise。 A cooped bird gets stale in a hurry。 I sidestepped the chicken six times； gave him six rolls； and let him drink a half dip of water。 He would get no more water until after the fight。 When the sky began to lighten I released him。 Sandspur lifted his head and crowed twice。 I lit my first cigarette of the day。 As I watched the cock scratch in the loose sand； a shadow fell across my face。 I looked up and there was Jack Burke； a wide grin splitting his homely face。 I scooped Sandspur up quickly； dropped him into the coop and closed the lid。 Burke had seen him； but there still wasn't enough light for a close look。
〃That the mighty Sandspur？〃 Burke said。
I nodded。
〃He don't look like no five…time winner to me。 Tell you what I'll do； Mr。 Mansfield；〃 Burke said； as though he were doing me a big favor； 〃I'll give you two to ones'
When Burke made this offer； I had just started to get to my feet。 But now I decided to remain in my squatting position。 Burke is a man of average height； but I am a full head taller than he is； and my eyes are bluer。 My blond hair is curly； and his lank blond hair is straight。 Looking down on me that way g