INT - BOXING RING - NIGHT

SUPER: “Fight #2”.  The bell RINGS.  Mac charges ahead.  We hear a loud THUMP.

Mac crashes to the canvas, unconscious.  The bell RINGS; the fight is over.

INT - BOXING RING - A DIFFERENT NIGHT

SUPER: “Fight #3”.  Mac goes flying through the ropes, and his foot gets snagged on the bottom ring rope.  Mac hangs there unconscious as Tom, Eugene and Kid disentangle him.

INT - BOXING RING - A DIFFERENT NIGHT

SUPER: “Fight #4”.  Mac approaches the ring, with Tom, Eugene and Kid behind him.  Kid carries the bucket and Eugene carries the stool.  Eugene seems strangely proud of the stool, as if it were a trophy.  He carries it with great dignity and solemnity.

Mac climbs up the steps to the ring but slips and falls, crashing his jaw against the top step and knocking himself out cold. 

Tom rushes to Mac’s side, checks him out, and waves his arms at the Referee. The Referee blows his WHISTLE and raises the hand of Mac’s OPPONENT in victory.

INT - BOXING RING - A DIFFERENT NIGHT

SUPER: “Fight #5”.  Mac falls flat on his face, nose and lips pressed against the canvas.  He sticks there like glue, not moving.

INT - BOXING RING- A DIFFERENT NIGHT

SUPER: “Fight #6”. Mac and his OPPONENT swing at the same time, both PUNCHING each other in the face.  They are both knocked unconscious. 

                        REFEREE

... Seven!  Eight! Nine! Ten!

Both fighters lie flat on their backs.  The REFEREE blows his WHISTLE and waves his arms, signaling the end of the fight.

INT - BOXING RING - A DIFFERENT NIGHT

SUPER: “Fight #7”. Mac stands in his corner, dancing and fidgeting. 

                        OLD MAC (v.o.)

Every time I got my clock rung I started thinking about what Padre told me about boxing being my salvation, and I wondered if Jesus was gonna suddenly materialize and turn me into a priest.

The bell RINGS; Mac rushes forward.  We hear a loud THUMP.  Mac crashes to the canvas, unconscious.

MAC’S P.O.V.

The crusty old REFEREE counts, spittle flying from his lips as he screams.

                        REFEREE

Eight!  Nine!  Ten!  So long, sonny-boy!

                        OLD MAC (v.o.)

Now, who’s to say what Jesus really looks like? But speaking for myself, I think I know what he don’t look like.

The Referee’s goofy old face stares directly into Mac’s eyes.

INT - BOXING RING - A DIFFERENT NIGHT

SUPER: “Fight #8”. Mac lies on the canvas, head lolling.  The REFEREE counts.

                        REFEREE

Six!  Seven! Eight!

Mac struggles to his feet.  The referee checks him out, then signals the fight to continue.

Tom yells from where he stands ringside.

                        TOM

Come on, Mac, dance!  Stay on your toes!

Mac dances around his opponent, STAN RUPINSKY, a jiggling ball of white blubber.  Mac lands a ripping RIGHT HOOK into Stan’s stomach, making the layers of fat ripple.

Stan bends over double, the wind knocked out of him.  Mac follows up with a RIGHT UPPERCUT that puts Stan on the seat of his pants.

                        REFEREE

One!  Two!

The bell RINGS and the fighters retreat to their corners.
Tom and Kid fan Mac. Eugene stands ringside, and reaches through the ropes to put the waterbucket at Mac’s feet. Tom takes out Mac’s mouthpiece, and Kid gives Mac a drink of water from the ladle. 

                        TOM

C’mon, spit.

Mac spits the water directly into Eugene’s face. Tom puts the mouthpiece back in Mac’s mouth.  Eugene grimaces and wipes his face.

                                                TOM (cont.)

Listen.  Hit him in the belly.

                        MAC (lisping through the mouthpiece)

Othay.

Mac and Stan advance on each other.  They study each other, each waiting for the other to make the first move.

Mac and Stan circle each other slowly, neither one throwing a punch.  The crowd begins to GRUMBLE.

                        VOICE #1 FROM CROWD

Hit him, ya bum!

                        VOICE #2 FROM CROWD

What’re you, scared?

Mac’s brow knits with anger.  He rushes forward.

Mac and Stan swing simultaneously.  Mac swings a RIGHT into Stan’s belly, and Stan smashes a RIGHT into Mac’s nose.

Mac collapses, bleeding from the nose.  Stan bends over double and stumbles around the ring clutching his stomach.  He makes it to his corner then collapses onto one knee with his head down low, gagging and holding onto the ropes for support.

                        REFEREE

Seven!  Eight! Nine!

At the count of nine Stan gets up with a wretched, sick look on his face.

                        REFEREE

Ten!

The Referee holds Stan’s hand up in the air.  Stan tries to straighten up to acknowledge the victory, but suddenly bends over double and spits up a big chunk of sausage on the ring mat.  The Referee jumps away quickly.

Tom, Kid and Eugene have dejected looks on their faces.

EXT - PARK IN BROOKLYN HEIGHTS - DAY

The park overlooks the Manhattan skyline.

                        FABULOUS FREDDY (o.s.)

That’s where the money is, Mac. Can you smell it?

                        MAC (o.s.) (with a nasal tone)

I can’t smell nothing.

Mac and Fabulous Freddy sit on a bench with a view of Manhattan.  Mac has a bandage around his face that covers his nose, and a bloody wad of tissue stuck up one nostril.

                        FABULOUS FREDDY

You can’t smell nothing.  Of course you can’t, you got a broken nose!

Freddy thinks this is very funny, and LAUGHS.  Mac pulls out the wad of tissue.

                        MAC

It finally stopped bleeding.

                        FABULOUS FREDDY

Here’s the thing.  I can’t afford to pay you to fight no more.

                        MAC

But ... we have a contract, Freddy.

                        FABULOUS FREDDY

Remember I said rules are made to be broken?  Same thing with contracts.  If it’s not working it’s not doing either one of us any good.  I don’t need to go bankrupt and you don’t need to break any more bones. 

                        MAC

But I can do this Freddy, I know I can. 

                        FABULOUS FREDDY

I’m trying to give you an education here.  It’s like this: if you’re not winning the game, sometimes you need to try a different game.
                        MAC (bristling)

You’re saying let’s quit. 

                        FABULOUS FREDDY

You’re not listening to me, I’m trying to propose something. It’s not quitting, it’s a proposal.  Do you want to hear it?

Mac glowers in silence.

                        FABULOUS FREDDY (cont.)

Gambling. People have to go all the way to Atlantic City or Las Vegas to do it.  Until now.  There’s a proposal to legalize gambling in Manhattan.  Whoever runs the casinos ... get the picture?

                        MAC

What’re you asking me?

                        FABULOUS FREDDY

Not asking, offering.  It’s an investment opportunity.  For fifteen thousand I know some people will guarantee my name gets on the list for a casino license.  If we don’t get the license, the money’s returned, clean, with interest.  If we get the license, well, it’s a license to print money.  It’s a no risk investment.  Lilly put in five “G’s”, I got eight.  You can put up the other two, we’ll be partners.

                        MAC

I don’t have it.

                        FABULOUS FREDDY

I know, what I’m saying is, we can work something out.  I’ll let you keep fighting for me, but instead of me paying you, I’ll give you a piece of the casino deal when it comes through.  What do you say?

                        MAC

I don’t know.

They are silent for a moment.

                        FABULOUS FREDDY

I’m going to ask Lilly to marry me.

Mac struggles to retain his composure.

                        MAC

When?

                        FABULOUS FREDDY

Soon. Soon enough.  I’m gonna really surprise her. But I gotta save up some money to do it right.  Do you know what it costs to get married?  You don’t want to know.

Mac looks Freddy in the eye.  Mac’s nose is bleeding again.

                        MAC

You’re right, I don’t.  Listen, I got two more fights and I’m gonna do ‘em even if it kills me.  Pay me or don’t pay me, I don’t care, but I’m doing ‘em.

A LITTLE LATER

Mac, alone in the park, stands by the railing looking across the water at Manhattan.  A few raindrops fall on him but he doesn’t notice.

Mac STRIKES himself across the face with an open hand, then does it again and again.

EXT - OUTSIDE WEGMAN’S COFFEE SHOP - NIGHT, LATER THE SAME DAY

It’s a cold, rainy evening. Mac, wearing a rain jacket and hat, looks through the window and sees Lilly pouring coffee for a customer. 

INT - WEGMAN’S COFFEE SHOP - NIGHT

Lilly is behind the counter.  She walks up to Mac, who is seated at one of the counter stools.  Lilly can’t see it’s Mac because he holds a newspaper in front of his face.

                        LILLY

What can I get you, mister?

                        MAC (from behind the newspaper)

Coffee with chocolate ice cream.

Lilly pulls down the newspaper and sees Mac.  They laugh.

                        LILLY

Sorry, it’s not on the menu.

Mac looks around, as if making sure no one is eavesdropping.

                        MAC (in a hushed tone)

I promise not to tell anybody.

Lilly leaves and comes back a moment later with the coffee/ice cream drink.  Mac tries it.

                        MAC

It’s pretty good once you get used to it.

                        LILLY

Exactly.  Oatmeal’s like that too. I remember the first time I tried oatmeal.  At first there was something weird about it, and then the next thing you know I found myself craving it at two in the morning.

                        MAC

Freddy said you gave him five thousand dollars for that casino thing. That right?

                        LILLY

We took a note out on the house.

                        MAC

Is that such a good idea? What if something goes wrong?

                        LILLY

Then we get our money back.  Like Freddy said, it’s a risk free investment.

                        MAC

Ain’t no such animal in the zoo.

                        LILLY

Did he ask you to quit boxing?

                        MAC (shakes his head “no”)

That word ain’t in my vocabulary.

                        LILLY

What word?

                        MAC

Quit.

                        LILLY

Hah!  You just said it!

                        MAC

Saying it and doing it ain’t the same thing, and I ain’t gonna do it.  I’m not a quitter.

                        LILLY

Baloney.  You quit on me, but you won’t quit getting punched in the face.  How do you think that makes me feel?  What does that say about me?

                        MAC

If it says anything about you it’s that you never realized you could do better.  Let’s face it -- I’m a punching bag with a gimpy left arm.  I’m working a subsidy job from the government which I only have because someone with a few stars and bars on his arm took sympathy one me.  I live in a rat trap with paper thin walls.  All I’ve got to my name is my name, and when people tell me to quit, they’re telling me to throw that away too.  So sorry, but I’m not about to quit.

Mac stalks away, then comes back and puts some change on the counter.

                        MAC (cont.) (softly)

Every time I ever quit something I always wished later that I hadn’t.

Mac exits.

EXT - BROOKLYN STREET - DAWN

Mac runs through he streets.

EXT - BROOKLYN PARK - DAWN

Mac runs through the park.  The Manhattan skyline is shrouded in fog.

EXT - BROOKLYN NAVY YARD - DAWN

Mac runs to the waterfront area in the back and does some jumping jacks.  A tugboat glides by and BLARES its horn.

INT - BROOKLYN NAVY YARD WAREHOUSE - DAY

A hand pulls the string under a brass horn, and the BLARING of the tugboat’s horn segues into the BLARING of the five o’clock quitting-time horn in the Navy warehouse.

Mac looks up at the horn and smiles.  He walks toward the exit, but stops as he overhears two WORKERS talking.

                        WORKER #1

My grandmother could take him -- and she died last year!

                        WORKER #2

I heard he knocked himself out brushing his teeth.

                        WORKER #1

I hear he sleeps on canvas sheets ‘cause that’s the only way he can get comfortable.

Mac frowns at the sound of their LAUGHTER and walks away.

                        KID (o.s.)

Who’s gonna tell him?

INT - BOXING GYM - DAY

A few fighters are training on the heavy bags and speed bags.  There are two boxing rings, both being used.  Tom, Eugene and Kid sit on a couch by the entrance.

                        EUGENE

I ain’t gonna tell him.  You tell him.

                        KID

Tom, you tell him.

                        TOM

He’s not gonna wanna quit.  He’ll get angry if I tell him.

                        EUGENE

He’ll get killed if you don’t.

Mac bounds through the front door.

                        TOM

Hey, how you feeling, Mac?

                        MAC

Like a horse.

                        KID

Yeah, huh?

                        TOM

You been training real hard, Mac -

                        MAC

We’re gonna win this time, I guarantee it.  You can take that to the bank and buy a U.S. bond.

                        TOM

We been talking, Mac -

                        MAC

You know what Lilly says to me yesterday?  Get this: she says I should quit.

They stare at Mac.

                        MAC (cont.)

Yer all speechless.  Me too!  I says “Quit?  That word ain’t in my vocabulary.”  Course I had to say the word “quit” to tell her it ain’t in my vocabulary, but she got the point.  I told her Mac Mackouckas ain’t never run away from a fight in his life and he ain’t about to start now.

                        TOM

Well ... yeah. We’re all real proud of you, Mac.

Eugene and Kid nod.

INT - BOXING GYM - A LITTLE LATER

Kid takes a poster off the wall. The poster has a picture of Rosco Battaglia and reads “Heavyweight Title Defense at Madison Square Garden!  Rosco Battaglia (42-0) vs. Allan Yutley (14-2).”  Underneath there is a picture of Stefan Toussaint: a scary, scowling black man with white warpaint stripes across his face.  The type reads “Undercard Fight: The Witch Doctor Stefan Toussaint (5-0) vs. Mac Mackouckas (0-7-1).”

Mac is punching Eugene around the ring. Mac still punches almost exclusively with his right, but now he’s keeping his left glove up by his cheek for protection; his boxing technique is clearly improving.  Padre, Tom and Kid stand outside the ring.

                        KID

Stefan Toussaint.  Don’t sound like a name for a witch doctor, does it?  Sounds more like a French pastry chef.

                        TOM

He’s an Indian, from the Chapahoutle tribe in New Orleans.  He killed a man in the ring.

INT - LOCKER ROOM - A LITTLE LATER

Mac gets dressed.  Tom, Kid and Eugene put the equipment away.

POPS, the eighty-year old curmudgeon who runs the boxing gym, enters the dressing room.  He’s smoking a cigar and carrying a gift-wrapped package with a bright red bow on it.  Pops’ voice sounds like a croaking frog.

                        POPS

Special delivery.

Mac is surprised.  He takes the package.

                        MAC

Thanks, Pops.  What is it?

                        POPS

Big box.

Mac reads the attached card. It says “To Mac. From a Fan.”

                        MAC

Who gave it to you?

                        POPS

Hey, whudda I know?  I was takin’ a leak and when I got back -- (sucks on cigar and exhales) -- end of story.

Mac opens the package.  Inside is a red, cloth robe with black trim, folded up.

                        EUGENE

Geez, Louise.

                        KID

Hey, Mac, that’s something.

                        MAC

Did you guys do this?

                        TOM

No.  Least I didn’t.  You fellas?

Eugene and Kid shake their heads “no”.

                        MAC

Wow.  A genuine boxing robe, like a real professional.

Mac takes the robe from the box.  He hold it up by the shoulders and displays it proudly.

Tom, Eugene, Kid and Pops stop smiling and stare at the robe with surprised expressions on their faces.
Mac turns the robe around.  On its back is printed in large, black block letters “CANVAS BACK MAC”.  

The silence in interrupted by a Pop’s loud, croaking laughter.

                        POPS

Ha ha ha ha! Canvas Back Mac.  That’s rich!

Pop turns exits, LAUGHING.

                        POPS (cont.)

Ha ha!  I wish I’da thought of that.  Canvas Back Mac it says.  He’s a canvas back all right!

Mac’s face grows red.

                        EUGENE

Whoever did this is gonna pay.

                        KID

I’ll bet it was Pops.  He was laughing at you.

                        EUGENE

Yeah, and he was saying “Canvas Back Mac” too!

                        TOM

He only said that ‘cause he saw it on the robe.

                        EUGENE

Maybe because he’s the one that put it there in the first place?

                        KID

Ah, who knows?  It’s like the chicken and egg.

                        EUGENE

The what?

                        KID

You know, what came first, the chicken or the egg?

                        EUGENE

The chicken of course.  Where else are you gonna get an egg?

                        KID

But where’d the egg come from?
                        EUGENE (condescendingly)

From the chicken, stupid.

As they others argue Mac puts on the robe; it is a perfect fit.  He ties the belt around the middle and looks at himself in the wall mirror.

                        MAC

I’m gonna wear it.

                        KID

But Mac, people are gonna laugh at you.

                        MAC

Maybe they should.  If I can’t win no fights then I don’t deserve to wear any better’n this.

                        TOM

You’re not serious -

                        MAC

I’m gonna wear this thing until I can tell the world I ain’t a canvas back no more. 

                        EUGENE

But it’s embarrassing, Mac.

                        MAC

Then you’re free to go. Listen, no one’s holding a gun to your heads, so if you’re embarrassed now’s the time to walk out.

Tom, Eugene and Kid look at each other.

                        EUGENE

I’m sticking with you, Mac.

                        KID

Me too.

They look to Tom.

                        TOM

I always considered you an embarrassment anyway, so I guess nothing’s changed.

                        MAC

Only one thing’s changed.  I ain’t losing no more.

EXT - WEGMAN’S COFFEE SHOP - NIGHT

Mac stands across the street, watching Lilly serve a CUSTOMER.

MAC’S P.O.V.

Lilly looks in a mirror and adjusts her hair.  She accidentally knocks over some napkins and bends over to pick them up, outlining the lovely angles of her legs and hips.

EXT - WEGMAN’S COFFEE SHOP - NIGHT

Mac crosses the street and looks in the window.  Lilly turns around and sees him.  She smiles and waves for Mac to come in.

INT - WEGMAN’S COFFEE SHOP - NIGHT

Mac smiles, points to his watch, shrugs his shoulders and points down the street.  Through the glass, he mouths the words “Are you coming to the fight?”.

                        LILLY (shaking her head)

What?

Mac mouths the words “Are you coming to the fight?” again.

                        LILLY (shaking her head)

I can’t hear you!

                        CUSTOMER

He says, are you coming to the fight?

LILLY

Oh.  Ask him if he wants me to come to the fight.

                        CUSTOMER (yelling)

Do you want her to go to the fight?

Mac nods his head.

                        CUSTOMER

I’d say that’s a “yes”.

                        LILLY

Okay.  Tell him I’ll be there.

EXT - WEGMAN’S COFFEE SHOP - NIGHT

The customer yells loud enough for Mac to hear him through the glass.

                        CUSTOMER

She says she’ll be there!

Mac smiles, waves good-bye.  The customer waves back, and returns to his coffee.

EXT - MADISON SQUARE GARDEN - NIGHT

A huge crowd swarms around Madison Square Garden.  The marquee reads “Tonight:  Heavyweight Title Fight! Rosco Battaglia vs. Allan Yutley.” 

A limousine pulls up and some WELL-DRESSED PEOPLE step out and walk the red carpet to the VIP entrance.  The limousine pulls away, and another one takes its place.

INT - DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT

Mac sits on a bench while Tom ties his boxing gloves.  Eugene and Kid rush in the door.

                        EUGENE

It’s a mob!

                        TOM

Did you ever think you’d see the day you’d be fighting in Madison Square Garden?

                        MAC

For a good seat maybe, but never in the ring.

There’s a KNOCK at the door, and it opens.  Rosco Battaglia pokes his head in.

                        ROSCO

Good luck there, kid.  I always root for the New Yorker.

Rosco grins then closes the door.

                        KID (amazed)

That was -

                        MAC (in awe)

Rosco Battaglia.

                        EUGENE

I don’t believe it.  He came in here and said “Good luck, Mac!”

                        KID

No, he said, “Good luck, kid.”
                        EUGENE

No, he said “Mac.”  He wasn’t talking to you.

                        KID

I know, but he didn’t say “Mac,” I heard him say “kid.”  He said “Good luck, kid.”

                        EUGENE

He wasn’t saying “good luck” to you, stupid!  You ain’t even fighting.

                        KID

What’s wrong with this guy? I know I ain’t fighting!  But he said “kid,” not “Mac” even though he was talking to Mac and not me.

                        EUGENE

Oh, so now you’re calling the heavyweight champion of the world stupid? (opening the door) Do you want to say that to his face?  ‘Cuz I’ll go get him for you!

                        KID

No, I’m just saying -

The sound of DRUMS starts THROBBING through the building.  Mac, Tom, Eugene and Kid all look around.

INT - MADISON SQUARE GARDEN - NIGHT

SUPER: “Fight #9”. The DIN of the crowd grows SOFTER as the sound of the DRUMS grows LOUDER.

The RING ANNOUNCER, wearing a tuxedo and bow tie, steps into the middle of the ring.  He reaches for the microphone hanging from the ceiling into the ring.

                        RING ANNOUNCER

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Madison Square Garden, the Mecca of professional boxing!

The crowd CHEERS.  The DRUMS get louder.

                        RING ANNOUNCER (cont.)

Tonight’s undercard is a heavyweight fight with some up-and-coming young talent.  Those drums can only mean one thing.  Ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together for the Witch Doctor, Stefan Toussaint!

The DRUMS build to a CRESCENDO.  Heads turn in the crowd to look toward the curtain from the dressing rooms.

STEFAN TOUSSAINT emerges from behind the curtain.  He wears a huge Mardi Gras Indian headdress, and a necklace of teeth.  He scowls through the war paint on his face.  He is followed by his trainer PHILLIPE  THERIOULT and four shirtless MARDIS GRAS INDIANS all banging on DRUMS.

Stefan walks slowly, regally toward the ring.  His entourage WHOOPS and HOLLERS and POUNDS on the drums.  Faces in the crowd betray awe and fear.

Stefan climbs into the ring and makes a slow circle.  He stands alone in the middle of the ring and then emits a BLOOD CURDLING INDIAN WAR SCREAM.  The crowd responds with a ROAR.

INT - CURTAIN LEADING FROM DRESSING AREA TO RING - NIGHT

Tom peaks through the curtain and looks over his shoulder at Mac.

                        TOM

Showtime.

INT - BOXING RING - NIGHT

                        RING ANNOUNCER

And his opponent, hailing from Brooklyn, New York -

The crowd CHEERS.

                        RING ANNOUNCER (cont.)

 - weighing in at one hundred ninety-five pounds, Mac Mackouckas!

The crowd looks up the aisle to the dressing room.

The curtains part and Mac steps out wearing his red robe.  The crowd CHEERS.  Tom follows.  Kid is next, BANGING a ladle on the water bucket.

                        KID

That’s right!  Make some noise for your home town boy!

Eugene follows behind, proudly holding a wooden stool over his head as if it were a trophy.  Mac, Tom, Eugene and Kid march toward the ring.

Sonny sits ringside, waving a little American flag.  Fabulous Freddy and Lilly sit together in the crowd.
Mac climbs through the ropes and steps into the middle of the ring.  He raises his hands over his head and turns around in a circle, acknowledging the crowd.

As he turns, we see the back of his robe: CANVAS BACK MAC.  People in the crowd begin to notice, and LAUGHTER spreads through the crowd.

                        VOICE #1 FROM CROWD

Get a load of his robe!

                        VOICE #2 FROM CROWD

It’s Canvas Back Mac!

Flashbulbs begin to POP.

Fabulous Freddy’s jaw drops.  He covers his face with his hands and shakes his head.

                        VOICE #3 FROM CROWD

Hey, Canvas Back Mac!  Hey, Canvas Back Mac, look over here!

Mac grins a tight-lipped grin.  Tom juts his jaw out and stares straight ahead.

The REFEREE waves Stefan and Mac into the middle of the ring.  Stefan and Mac stare  at each other.  Mac looks surprisingly confident.  Stefan stands almost six inches taller than Mac, but his fierce expression has gone and he looks perplexed.

                        VOICE FROM CROWD (o.s.)

Canvas Back Mac!  Canvas Back Mac! Canvas Back Mac!

More voices join in.  Soon the crowd is CHANTING:

                        CROWD

Canvas Back Mac!  Canvas Back Mac!  Canvas Back Mac!

Stefan turns to the Referee.

                        STEFAN (New Orleans accent)

Canvas Back Mac? Is this a joke?

                        REFEREE

You tell me.

Stefan looks at Mac.

                        STEFAN

Are you a crazy man?

Mac answers with a lisp caused by the mouthpiece already in his mouth.

                        MAC (waving a fist)

Crazy like a chicken.

                        STEFAN (to Referee)

Is this a circus?  I am supposed to fight him?

Stefan turns to his trainer, Phillipe Therioult.

                        STEFAN (cont.)

Phillipe, I cannot fight this man. I think he is retarded.

                        PHILLIPE

He’s just punchy.  Been knocked out eight times in a row.  Make it nine.

                        STEFAN

I will not. It is very back luck to hit a man like that.

                        PHILLIPE

You can’t walk away, this is Madison Square Garden.

Stefan fixes Phillipe with a deadly stare.

                        STEFAN

Do not anger me, Phillipe.

                        MAC (lisping through the mouthpiece)

Come on, take your medicine.

Stefan climbs between the ropes and walks down the steps.  The Referee goes to the corner of the ropes and begins counting.  The crowd ROARS in anger.

                        REFEREE

One!  Two!

Mac spits out the mouthpiece.

                        MAC

Hey!  Come back here and fight!

                        REFEREE

Three!  Four!

Mac runs to the side of the ropes next to the Referee.

                        MAC

I said come back here and fight, you coward!

Tom runs up behind Mac and throws an arm around him, trying to pull him away.

                        TOM

Let him go, Mac, you’re gonna win the fight.

                        REFEREE

Five!  Six! Seven!

                        MAC

Get offa me!

The crowd JEERS and throws things at Stefan and his entourage as they leave the ring.  Mac breaks free of Tom’s grip and runs to the ring corner closest to Stefan.

                        MAC

Quitter!  You’re a quitter!

                        REFEREE

Eight! Nine!  Ten!  Dah winner!

The Referee throws Mac’s hand in the air.  Mac pulls away, climbs up the ropes and stands on the top turnbuckle.  Flashbulbs POP all around him.

                        MAC (yelling at Stefan)

I wanna rematch!  I wanna rematch!

                        REFEREE (to himself)

I’ve been a referee for eighteen years and this is the first time I’ve ever seen the winner demand a rematch.

Stefan waves his hands at Mac.

                        STEFAN

Phooey!

                        MAC

Phooey?!  Why you ...  I ain’t letting you quit!

Mac launches himself in a headfirst dive off of the top rope directly toward Stefan.  A million flashbulbs POP all at once.

The picture freezes as Mac flies through the air.  Mac is colored white by the illumination of a flashbulb.

                        OLD MAC (v.o.)

This was the other key moment that I was talking about. I coulda taken the cheap win and made everybody happy.  But for some reason I wasn’t satisfied.  I knew there was something more to really winning, and I wouldn’t be happy until I found out what it was.

Tom, Eugene, Kid, the Referee, Sonny, Lilly, Fabulous Freddy, Stefan Toussaint and various faces in the crowd tilt their heads back and follow the trajectory of Mac’s flight.  They follow Mac’s liftoff, his gaining of altitude, and then their faces turn down to follow the course of his plummet: a loud CRASH marks the inevitable.

Mac lies unconscious at Stefan’s feet; he missed Stefan entirely.  Stefan’s jaw hangs slack and he looks down at Mac in astonishment.

The Ring Announcer strides into the middle of the ring.

                        RING ANNOUNCER

Ladies and Gentlemen, your winner by default ... Canvas Back Mac! (beat) Is there a doctor in the house?

Mac is unconscious.  The crowd CHEERS, LAUGHS and APPLAUDS. 

A man wearing shades and a tuxedo and sitting next to a stunning BLONDE WOMAN at ringside stands up.  He removes his shades and APPLAUDS.  It is Hurricane Tony, his ink-black hair slicked back into a perfect pompadour.

INT - ST. BARTHOLOMEW’S CHURCH - DAY

The ORGAN PLAYER peers over the side of the choir loft at the large groups of people assembled below.  Fabulous Freddy stands at the front near the altar, wearing a dark suit.  Freddy looks at the Organ Player and nods.

The Organ Player plays sad FUNERAL MUSIC.

Freddy turns and looks down the aisle toward the Church’s entrance.  He makes an almost imperceptible gesture with his right hand.

FOUR WOMEN carrying wreathes and flowers walk down the aisle and arrange the flowers around the sides of the altar.  Freddy looks up again at the choir loft at a LARGE WOMAN, and nods.  She begins to SING a hymn along with the organ.

Freddy turns, looks down the aisle and makes another gesture.  In response, SIX PALLBEARERS carry a coffin toward the altar.  Freddy watches their feet to make sure they are all in synch with each other.

                        FABULOUS FREDDY (softly, to himself)

Left, right, left.  That’s it. They got it.

Freddy looks to the altar.  Padre is waiting to exit the rectory door and walk onto the altar.  Padre takes a step out, and Freddy shakes his head “no” and holds up one finger.  Padre freezes.

Freddy waits until the coffin is nearly at the front of the church.  Just as the pallbearers arrive Freddy looks up at Padre and drops his finger.

Padre walks onto the altar.  Freddy looks up at the Singer and the Organ Player and makes an urgent face.  The MUSIC STOPS just as Padre raises his hands over his head.

                        PADRE

Friends, we are gathered here today to mourn the passing of our dear sister Angelina Cicio -

Freddy smiles contentedly.

INT - FABULOUS FREDDY’S HOUSE - DAY

About thirty people mill around Fabulous Freddy’s modest home.  The guests drink coffee and hold plates of cake and cookies.

Tom pulls Mac aside, and speaks low so others don’t hear.

                        TOM

Do you get the odd feeling that Freddy is enjoying his own mother’s funeral?  It’s like he’s producing a television show.

                        MAC

He’s gonna ask Lilly to marry him.

                        TOM (surprised)

You’re not going to let that happen, are you?

                        MAC

What would you do?

                        TOM

I don’t know.  Punch him in the nose or something?

                        MAC

I can’t do that.
                        TOM

Why not?

                        MAC

He just lost his mother.  How can I punch him in the nose?

                        TOM

You’re right. (beat) How long do you think we have to wait until it’s okay to punch him in the nose again?

                        MAC

I don’t know.  Let’s ask Padre, he’ll know.

                        TOM

A week, tops.

Celia, Lilly and Mrs. Robbins join Mac and Tom.  Celia takes Tom’s arm.

                        MRS. ROBBINS

Well, it’s true.  Mrs. Cicio never met a bottle she didn’t like.  Or a man, either, so I’m told.

                        CELIA

Oh, come on now.  I’m sure those were just rumors.

                        MRS. ROBBINS

Just look over there.

MR. ROMANO (the butcher), his WIFE, their nine year old  SON and eleven year old DAUGHTER stand at the far end of the room.  They are all stuffing their faces with cake, except for Mr. Romano, who is sweating and looks very uncomfortable in his dark suit.

                        MRS. ROBBINS (cont.)

Now look at the pictures.

They all look to the pictures on the wall: one shows Freddy’s mother holding Freddy as a baby.  Another shows Freddy as a ten year old boy.  Another shows Freddy at about twenty-five. 

They all look back to Mr. Romano and family:  Mr. Romano’s son bears a striking resemblance to the picture of Freddy when he was ten. 

They all look back to the picture of Freddy at twenty-five. 

They look at Mr. Romano.  The resemblance between Freddy and Mr. Romano is more than a coincidence.
They all stare with open mouths.  Mrs. Robbins has a “told you so” expression on her face.

                        MAC

The butcher did it!

                        MRS. ROBBINS

Just because they’re rumors doesn’t mean they’re not true.

They all turn and look at Freddy again.  Freddy is listening politely to an elderly man, and then breaks into a big laugh and claps the man on the back.

                        TOM

He sure doesn’t look too upset.

The front door of the house opens and a MURMUR goes through the small crowd. Hurricane Tony walks in the front door, with his blonde girlfriend in tow. As always, Hurricane Tony’s hair is perfect.

Freddy spots Hurricane Tony and runs to greet him.

                        FREDDY

Tony!  Glad you could make it.  It is so good of you to come.

Hurricane Tony gives Freddy a somber handshake. Freddy casts a quick look around to make sure that everybody notices the moment.

                        HURRICANE TONY

Not at all, Freddy.  Please accept my sincerest condolences.

                        FREDDY

Thank you, Tony.

                        HURRICANE TONY

How was the funeral?

                        FREDDY

Fabulous! 

                        HURRICANE TONY

Really?

                        FABULOUS FREDDY

Big flowers, the organ player and the singer doing the “Ave Maria,” the priest got all his lines right. It was a big production, you would have liked it.

HURRICANE TONY

That’s great, Freddy.

Hurricane Tony looks over toward Mac and Lilly.

                        HURRICANE TONY (cont.)

Hey, is that who I think it is?

Hurricane Tony walks toward Mac and Lilly, with Freddy following closely.

Lilly smiles with surprise; she thinks Tony recognizes her.

                        HURRICANE TONY (cont.)

Is it you?  Canvas Back Mac?

Hurricane Tony takes Mac’s hand and shakes it enthusiastically.  Lilly frowns.

                        HURRICANE TONY (cont.)

I saw you fight at the Garden last week.  You were incredible.

                        MAC

I was?

                        HURRICANE TONY

The picture of guts.  There you were in the middle of the ring in Madison Square Garden, surrounded by ten thousand screaming people, looking up at the biggest, scariest heavyweight I have ever seen, short of Rosco Battaglia, and you had him beat at the stare down.

                        MAC

It wasn’t exactly like that -

Eugene and Kid have snuck up behind Hurricane Tony.  Kid takes out his comb and starts combing his hair back into a pompadour like Tony’s.

                        HURRICANE TONY

Don’t I know it.  And when he turned yellow and tried to slink out, you wouldn’t let him. You showed him true courage.  I heard you’re Marines, 5th Amphibious?  At Iwo Jima?

                        MAC

That’s right.
                        HURRICANE TONY

4th Armored.  Did my four years before the Big One.  You’re true blue, kid.  No guts, no glory!  Take no prisoners!  Right?

Eugene pretends to blow on Hurricane Tony’s hair from behind.  Kid continues combing his hair back and patting it, all the while mugging and mouthing the word “Perfect!”.

                        MAC

I ain’t no quitter, sir.

                        HURRICANE TONY

He’s no quitter.  Did you hear that?  Not a quitter!

Freddy waves Eugene and Kid away.

                        FREDDY

That’s right, Tony. Mac’s one of my top guys.

                        HURRICANE TONY

Oh, so you’re under contract with Freddy?

Freddy, standing behind Hurricane Tony, looks at Mac with a pleading look on his face and puts his palms together as if praying.  Mac pauses a beat before answering.

                        MAC

Yeah, that’s right.

                        HURRICANE TONY

I want you on my show.  Freddy, call Mona in the morning.  Book Mac for Wednesday night.  And that kid you got, the dancing kid.

                        FREDDY

Little Ernie Mendlebaum.

                        HURRICANE TONY

Yeah.  Him too.  It was a true pleasure to meet you, Mac.

Hurricane Tony turns and leaves with his blonde escort.

Lilly turns to Freddy with an angry look on her face.

                        LILLY

And what am I, a house plant?  You didn’t even introduce me!
                        FREDDY

Hey, Lilly -

                        LILLY

You’ve been promising to put me on his show for almost a year, and then when he’s right here in your own living room you can’t even let me say hello?

                        FREDDY

You heard Mona.  Freddy doesn’t like dogs.

                        MAC

Never trust nobody who don’t like dogs.

                        FREDDY

Mac, please, stay out of this.

                        LILLY (to Mac)

And you get to be on his show just for getting knocked out all the time!  (to Freddy)  I suppose you think that’s entertainment? 

Lilly turns and bumps into an OLDER GENTLEMAN.  Lilly gives him an angry look.

                        LILLY

Men!

Lilly exits, leaving the older gentleman with a befuddled look on his face.

                        MRS. ROBBINS

Lilly.

Mrs. Robbins turns her wheelchair around to follow Lilly.  Celia helps her, taking the handles of the wheelchair and pushing her.  They exit after Lilly.

EXT - FRONT PORCH OF FABULOUS FREDDY’S HOUSE - NIGHT

Mrs. Robbins and Celia come from the house onto the porch and see Lilly standing in the corner.

                        MRS. ROBBINS

Come inside, dear.  (shivering) The wind is blowing cold tonight.

A breeze blows Lilly’s scarf off and it falls on the floor.  Lilly doesn’t notice.

                        LILLY

Can you please take mother back in for me, Celia?  I’ll be along in a minute.

Mrs. Robbins and Celia go back into the house. Lilly stares at the sky.

INT - TELEVISION STUDIO - NIGHT

The ANNOUNCER steps up to the microphone. The sound of GUSTING WINDS emanates from the large speakers above his head.

                        ANNOUNCER

Get ready to be bloooowwwn away! It’s time for the Hurricane Tony Show, brought to you by Miracle Hold Hair Tonic.  Your hair will look perfect every time, even in a hurricane.  Just ask Tony.

Tony stands with his face into a wind machine.  The wind blows his tie and jacket around him, but not even a hair moves on his well-oiled pompadour.

The wind and sound effects die down and Hurricane Tony smiles.  He pats his hair.

                        HURRICANE TONY

Perfect.

The crowd LAUGHS and APPLAUDS.

INT - BACKSTAGE - NIGHT

Mac, Freddy and ERNIE MENDLEBAUM watch Hurricane Tony doing his shtick.  Ernie, a thin boy of about twelve years old, wears a red suit and shiny black shoes.

                        ERNIE

I’m not gonna be first, am I?  I don’t wanna go on first.

                        FREDDY

It’s not up to us.  We go on when they tell us.

                        MAC

There’s nothin’ to be afraid of, champ.  It’s just television.

INT - TELEVISION STUDIO - NIGHT

                        HURRICANE TONY

So the bartender says, “I don’t know where the midget went, but the rodeo clown’s been in the bathroom for over twenty minutes!”

Hurricane Tony and the crowd LAUGH hysterically. 

INT - BACKSTAGE - NIGHT

                        ERNIE

He’s gonna cancel me again, I know it.

                        FREDDY

No he won’t.  I made him promise.

A PRODUCTION ASSISTANT, in her mid-twenties, carries a large flower arrangement into the room.

                        PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

Mr. Mackouckas?

                        MAC

Yeah?

                        PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

These came for you.

                        MAC

Wow, thank you.

Mac looks at the card.  It says “Good luck, Mac.  Love, Lilly.”  Mac smiles broadly.  Mac pockets the card.

                        FREDDY

Got a sweetheart, huh?                       

                        MAC

Yeah.

                        FREDDY (looking through the curtain)

Listen for your name.

                        MAC (to himself)

Love, Lilly.  Love, Lilly.

                        HURRICANE TONY (o.s.)

Let’s have a real big round of applause for the Tap Dance Kid, Little Ernie Mendlebaum!

The crowd CHEERS.  Ernie panics, turns around and starts to run away. Freddy catches him by the collar.

                        ERNIE

Let me go!  Let me go!

                        FREDDY

Get out there, Ernie.

The crowd is still CHEERING.

                        ERNIE

I don’t wanna go first!

                        FREDDY (sticking a finger in Ernie’s face)

Don’t embarrass me, Ernie.

                        MAC

How ‘bout I got out with ya, Ernie?  Would that be okay?

                        FREDDY

You don’t go out until Tony calls your name.  Those are the rules, Mac.

                        MAC

Well screw him.  Rules are made to be broken, right Ernie?

Ernie nods.

Mac winks at Freddy, then leads Ernie through the curtains as the band strikes up some BIG BAND SWING music. 

                        FREDDY

Mac --

INT - TELEVISION STUDIO - NIGHT

Ernie and Mac walk out to the center of the hardwood floor under the spotlights.

INT - MRS. ROBBINS’ HOUSE - NIGHT

Lilly and Mrs. Robbins are watching the Hurricane Tony Show.

                        LILLY

I don’t believe it.  It’s Mac!

                        MRS. ROBBINS

My goodness, what’s he doing there?
                        LILLY

I think he’s going to dance. He’s a great dancer.

INT - TELEVISION STUDIO - NIGHT

Ernie TAP DANCES. Mac tries to imitate Ernie, but he’s so bad it’s funny and the crowd LAUGHS.

Ernie does some quick steps.  Mac can’t keep up.  He exaggerates his ineptitude, and the crowd LAUGHS.

Ernie and Mac dance like crazy toward the CRESCENDO.  The crowd is really LAUGHING now.

Mac STOMPS both his feet and points his hands at Ernie to give him a solo.  Ernie dances solo for about twenty seconds, and the crowd CHEERS him on.

Ernie STOMPS his feet and points his hands at Mac to give Mac a solo.  Mac gives up trying to tap dance and does some spectacular solo swing dancing. He jumps high, comes down into a split, then pops up and keeps swinging.

Ernie joins Mac and the two of them dance together for the last fifteen seconds of the song. 

INT - MRS. ROBBINS’ HOUSE - NIGHT

Lilly and Mrs. Robbins are enjoying the show.

                        MRS. ROBBINS

Look at them go!

INT - TELEVISION STUDIO - NIGHT

The BAND LEADER swings his arms wide to stop the band at a BREAK in the song.  Ernie fills in the break with about five seconds of inspired TAPPING, then the band hits the final CHORD.  The crowd CHEERS wildly.

Hurricane Tony comes out to greet Mac and Ernie.

                        HURRICANE TONY

How about that, folks?  Wasn’t that incredible?  Little Ernie Mendlebaum and his sidekick, Mac Mackouckas, also knows as Canvas Back Mac!

The crowd CHEERS.

A FEW MINUTES LATER

Hurricane Tony sits behind his desk and Mac sits in a chair next to him. Hurricane Tony holds up the Daily News article with the photo of Mac leaping off the top rope of the ring.

                        HURRICANE TONY

And for any of you who missed it, this is what it looked like when Mac jumped off the top rope.  What was going through your head, Mac?

                        MAC

I was angry ‘cause he quit on me and I never got a chance to fight.  I mean, I won but I was disappointed.

                        HURRICANE TONY

And would you like to fight in Madison Square Garden again, Mac?

                        MAC

You bet I would.

                        HURRICANE TONY

You can talk to our surprise guest about that.  Ladies and gentlemen, the Heavyweight Champion of the World, Mr. Rosco Battaglia!

The CROWD goes crazy.  Rosco Battaglia steps out from behind the curtain and waves.  He is huge, and grinning a gap-toothed smile. 

Rosco shakes hands with Hurricane Tony and Mac.  Rosco stands about six or seven inches taller than Mac.  Rosco puts an arm around Mac.

                        ROSCO

I like this guy.  He got a fighter’s heart!

The crowd APPLAUDS.

                        HURRICANE TONY

Is there something you want to say to him, Rosco?

                        ROSCO

Next week I got a mandatory title defense, and everybody too scared to fight me.  You wanna fight me?

The crowd CHEERS; Mac is shocked.
INT - MRS. ROBBINS’ HOUSE - NIGHT

                        LILLY

No!

INT - BACKSTAGE - NIGHT

                        FREDDY

Yes!

INT - EUGENE’S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Kid and Eugene sit on the couch watching the Hurricane Tony show and drinking beers.

                        MAC (on television)

You bet I do!

Kid and Eugene, caught by surprise, do a simultaneous spit-spray of beer.

INT - TELEVISION STUDIO - NIGHT

Hurricane Tony and the crowd APPLAUD.  Rosco and Mac playfully trade punches.  Rosco pretends to be hurt by one of Mac’s punches, and the crowd LAUGHS.

INT - MRS. ROBBINS’ HOUSE - NIGHT

Lilly stares at the television set.  Mrs. Robbins turns and looks at her.  Lilly gets up and runs up the stairs.

INT - BACKSTAGE - NIGHT

Freddy claps Mac on the back.

                        FREDDY

That was fabulous, Mac, just fabulous.

                        MAC

I need a glass of water.

                        FREDDY

I told you, Mac, just stick with me.

Hurricane Tony comes backstage.

                        HURRICANE TONY

I knew you could fight, but where’d you learn to dance?
                        MAC

If the music’s good I just let my feet go where they wanna go.

                        HURRICANE TONY

You’re a welcome guest anytime, Mac, anytime.

                        MAC

Could I ask you a favor, Tony?

INT - BACKSTAGE - NIGHT

Mac is at the payphone.

                        LILLY (o.s.)

I’m going to be on the Hurricane Tony Show? Really?

                        MAC

Really.  He said so himself.

                        LILLY (o.s.)

Oh, Mac, thank you so much!

Mac looks down at the card that came with the flowers:  “Love, Lilly.”

INT - MAC’S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Mac enters wearing old work-out clothes and a towel around his neck.  His hair is wet with sweat.  He rubs his head with the towel and sits on his bed.

Mac swings his left arm and grimaces as he feels a twinge of pain.  He mops some more sweat from his face then pulls open the drawer of his night table.

Mac withdraws a Bible from the night table.  He opens it and sticks his finger down the hole where the binding goes over the spine of the book.  He pulls out a rolled up wad of dollars bills.

Mac counts his money: he has three hundred twenty-five dollars.  He puts the money back into the Bible, then puts the Bible into the night table and closes the drawer.

Mac lies down on the floor and does some pushups.

On Mac’s wall is a calendar.  Thursday night is circled in red, and a notation reads “Lilly on TV.”  Friday night is circled in red, and a notation reads “Fight Night.”

INT - DOCTOR’S OFFICE - DAY

Mac sits next to Celia in the waiting room, with a few OTHER WOMEN.

                        CELIA

You’ve never been to an obstetrician’s office before, have you?

                        MAC

I thought it was a doctor’s office.

                        CELIA

An obstetrician is a baby doctor.  They probably think you’re the father.

                        MAC

When’s Tom get back from Nantucket?

                        CELIA

Sunday.  He’s finally going to tell his mother I’m pregnant.

                        MAC

She doesn’t know?

                        CELIA

Oh, no. You know she never approved of her dear son marrying a Mexican girl. Having a half-Mexican grandchild might be more than her blue-blooded heart can take.

                        MAC

Think she’ll ever come around?

                        CELIA

Tom thinks so, but I doubt it.  “Daughter of a dishwasher” she called me, to my face.  Probably says even worse things behind my back.

                        MAC

I remember the night he told her you two were getting married.  There wasn’t a cup or dish left in the house.

                        CELIA

I know it wasn’t easy for him.  How do you admit you have a secret love?  It makes me think of poor Mrs. Cicio and Mr. Romano. 

                        MAC

Think he’s really Freddy’s father?
                        CELIA

No question. Mr. Romano kept his love for Ms. Cicio a secret, and they had nothing but problems.  It’s better not to have secrets.           

                        MAC

You have nothing to be ashamed of.

                        CELIA

She has to accept me as I am, and she’ll have to accept my Rosalinda as she is.

                        MAC

Oh, so now it’s Rosalinda, not little Tommy?

                        CELIA

I hope so.  I want to name her after my grandmother.  And Rosalinda is a good Mexican name.  It’ll infuriate my mother-in-law.

                        MAC

That’s good.

                        NURSE (o.s.)

Mrs. Evans?

Celia smiles and stands up.

EXT - STOOP OUTSIDE MRS. ROBBINS’ HOUSE - DAY

Mac RINGS the bell.  No answer.  He KNOCKS.  No answer.  He walks around the house to the backyard.

EXT - MRS. ROBBINS’ BACKYARD - DAY

Night and Day are in the backyard.  They hear Mac and start BARKING.  Mac stands outside the backyard fence.

                        MAC

Hiya, fellas.  Chow time.

Mac unfolds the brown paper and takes out a steak.  The dogs stop barking and stare at the steak with unblinking eyes.

                        MAC (cont.)

Now I want you to do right by Lilly. No jokes, no mistakes.  Can you do that for me?

Mac lifts the steak up and down.  The dogs follow; their heads seem to be nodding “yes.”

                        MAC (cont.)

Because it means a lot to her, and you don’t want to disappoint her, do you?

Mac shakes the steaks from side to side, and the dogs’ heads seem to shake “no.”

                        MAC (cont.)

Okay.  We have an understanding.

Mac tosses the steak into the backyard.  Night and Day play tug of war with it, GROWLING.

EXT - MAC’S APARTMENT BUILDING - DUSK

Mac walks out of the front door of his apartment building and starts walking down the street.

Across the street Kid runs out of the Silver Cup Bar.  He yells across the street to Mac.

                        KID

Hey, Mac. C’mere!

                        MAC

I can’t.  I’m going down to watch Lilly on the Hurricane Tony Show.

                        KID

No, wait!  You gotta hear this, Mac.

Mac looks at his watch, then crosses the street.  He follows Kid into the bar.

INT - SILVER CUP BAR - DAY

Kid and Eugene are in the back of the bar with ACE, a sleazy-looking bookie about forty-five years old.  His face is covered with stubble, his clothes are old and wrinkled, yet he wears an immaculate white fedora with a black band and a bright yellow feather in it.

                        KID

You know Ace the Bookie.

                        MAC

Sure I do.  Hiya, Ace.

                        EUGENE

Tell him what you told us.

Ace regards Mac coolly.

                        ACE

You ever take a dive, Mac?

Mac’s face goes red with anger and he takes a step toward Ace.

                        MAC

Why, you -

Kid and Eugene grab Mac.

                        EUGENE

Shut up and listen.  This is for your own good.

                        ACE

I saw your first fight and I says to myself, this kid’s a natural.  That big guy you knocked out, Mouse, he was a real contender.  And you whipped him like a schoolboy.

                        MAC

So?

                        ACE

So I says to myself, how can this kid with the fancy dance steps and a jackhammer for a right hand get K.O.’d eight times in a row, nine if you count the last time you knocked yourself out?  Why’s he still fighting?  Is he crazy?  Or is he maybe crazy like a fox?

                        MAC

What’s your point?

                        ACE

The point is I heard that Fabulous Freddy been betting against you every fight.

                        MAC (stunned)

Freddy?

                        ACE

Every fight.  And he was making out pretty good for a while, ‘cept you kept losing.  The odds kept getting worse and worse, on account of the word got around.  How’s it look when you’re own manager’s betting against you?  So tell me straight, kid.  You been taking dives?
                        MAC

You take that back!

                        ACE

I didn’t say anything to take back. I asked you a question.  And it ain’t just me.  Everybody been saying the same thing about you.

                        MAC

I don’t believe you.

                        ACE

This morning Freddy told me he had ten G’s to put on you to lose.  I wouldn’t take it.  Not because I think you have a prayer of winning, but because I don’t deal with numbers that big. So Freddy goes down to Flatbush and places the bet with Nunzio.  Now if Rosco wins, Freddy only clears maybe a hundred bucks, because the odds are not exactly in your favor.  But if by some crazy fluke you win, then I’d say Fabulous Freddy made a fabulous fuck up.  So it’s reasonable to conclude that Freddy has advised you not to put up too much of a fight.

                        MAC (almost screaming)

I never took no dives!  I got beat the honorable way every time, with a stiff shot to the head and an honest to God knockout!  I been concussed more times than I can remember, and I ain’t about to stop now!