Killer's Kiss

The silver arrow to Pittsburgh and Chicago

is leaving at 1:00.

Track two.

Passengers for Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh,

And Chicago...

It's crazy

how you can get yourself in a mess sometimes

and not even be able to think about it with any sense,

and yet not be able to think about anything else.

You get so you're no good for anything or anybody.

- - Maybe it begins by

taking life too serious.

Anyway, I think that's the way it began for me,

just before my fight with Rodriguez three days ago.

- - Hello?

- Hello, Davey. - What's keeping you?

- You're a half an hour late already. - How are ya?

Okay, but it's gettin'late. Ihate to wait around like this.

It makes me nervous.

You better hop a cab. I had some trouble with the car.

It's still tied up at the shop.

I'll meet ya over at the arena.

- Okay. See you. - Right. Bye.

- You doing all right for yourself. - What do you mean?

- 0h, he just lives in the building. - 0h.

- He used to be a pretty good fighter. - A fighter?

Sure. He's fighting tonight, as a matter of fact.

We can watch him on the TV.

Dear Davey.

We still haven't heard from you yet this month

and we wondered whether everything was still all right with ya.

Out here everything's about the same.

I still get into Seattle every week and the ranch is prospering nicely.

Last week, I finally bought Mr. Henderson's Chestnut arabian stallion.

Your aunt grace's arthritis is much better.

She can even take short rides on jumper now and then.

Well, I guess that's all now except that we miss ya a lot, Davey.

Write soon. Love, uncle George and aunt grace.

Tonight's main bout brings together two very game boys:

The youngster, undefeated in 22 professional encounters, kid Rodriguez,

and the veteran, Davey Gordon, who's emerged victorious in 88 fights,

while losing nine and drawing two.

Gordon's long career, he is now 29,

has been one long promise without fulfillment, at least thus far.

As hard a puncher as they come, a clever boxer,

he's been plagued by a weak chin,

and the unlucky knack of being at his worst for the big ones.

And tonight is a big one indeed,

with a title bout in the offing for the winner.

And now, let's take time out for a friendly word from our sponsor.

How many times have you come home in the evening and wanted to feel the...

One, two, three,

four, five, six,

seven, eight!

One, two, three, four, five,

six... eight.

Go on home, gordy! You're a bum!

Go on home, Gordon!

Why don't you get lost? You're all through!

Tonight we may very well have seen ring history in the making

in the form of the sensational young welterweight Rodriguez

and his impressive ko over the experienced campaigner, Gordon.

But for Gordon, tonight must come as a bitter pill indeed.

This was the fight for him to prove his glass chin

had been remade into sterner stuff.

But unfortunately for him, tonight again it was as fragile as ever.

It's a well-known ring adage that too much education spoils a fighter.

Hello?

Mr. Davey Gordon, please. Seattle's calling.

- That's me. - Just a moment.

Your party's on the line.

Hi, Davey. This is uncle George.

- Hey, uncle George. - How are ya?

- Fine. How are you? - We're all fine too.

Say, how would you like to take a vacation out here,

come spend a little time with us?

Country's mighty nice this time of the year.

Oh, it's really nice of ya to ask me out, but, uh...

Look, Dave. We saw the fight on TV tonight.

- So? - Well, nothin'. We just saw it.

- It must a looked great. - Well, these things happen.

I don't know what happened, George. I had him goin'.

Forget it. You need a vacation.

We haven't seen ya for two years.

Why don't you make a reservation and come on out?

Well, look. Uh, I don't know. Uh...

Say, look. I feel a little dopey right now, George,

but, uh, let me think about it.

I'll, uh, I'll call you.

Well, you're not hurt, are ya, Dave?

No, no. I'm just tired. That's all.

Good. Then you'll let us know as soon as you can?

Sure.

Oh, your aunt grace sends her love.

Oh, tell her the same from here.

Okay. As it stands now, you let us know when to expect you.

I certainly will, uncle George. Thanks for calling.

- It was nice hearing from you. - Take care of yourself.

And you too. Good night.

Good night, Davey.

Go on home, Gordon! You're a bum!

Go on home, bum!

- Why don't you get lost? -

You're all through!

Hey! What's goin' on in there?

- -

There ya go. That's better.

Look, if you don't mind me, uh...

If you don't mind me asking you, what happened?

Well, about an hour ago...

Well? What do you want?

I'm sorry.

I really am sorry.

It really doesn't matter now, does it?

- I said I'm sorry. Can't you forgive me? - No.

Please. Gloria, please.

Go away. Get out.

Ah, it figures to be.

All my life I've always spoiled the things that meant the most to me...

All my life.

I really don't care. I just want you to get out of here.

Gloria, please, can't you understand?

If only you could know how low and worthless I feel.

I didn't even know you had any feelings.

Oh, you foolish girl. I'm... I'm mad about you.

I want to get you outta here. I'll set you up right.

I'll be your slave for the rest of my life.

- You couldn't do anything for me. - All right, don't forgive me.

Just tolerate me and let me suffer knowing how you feel.

Can't you get it, Vinnie?

To me, you're just an old man and you smell bad.

I'm mad about you.

I can't stand when I see those guys dancing with you.

Every time I see it, my insides burn.

Well, you won't have to see it anymore.

Please. Please, just another chance.

No. No chance, no nothing.

- Please? - Let go of me, or I'll scream!

Don't think about it anymore.

Oh, he won't come back. Don't worry.

- I'm so tired now. - Just close your eyes.

Don't worry about anything.

I'll sit here with ya for a while.

I locked her door and went home.

But first thing in the morning, I went back across to see how she was.

My knocking woke her up, but she was all smiles and yawns,

and invited me in for breakfast.

Later, over coffee, she told me she had seen the fight

and I suppose that got me started talking about myself,

about what a wash up I was and how I was going back to Seattle

and work on my uncle's horse ranch.

But when I think back about it now,

[realize that all the time I was talking,

the thing that was really in my mind was to remember not to ask what it was

her boss, rappalo, was so sorry for.

Anyway, let's talk about you, like...

Who are those people in that picture over there...

And how'd you ever get messed up with that dance hall guy?

- What's the matter? - Nothing.

Just that, it's so funny that you should ask those questions that way,

together that way.

Why?

Well, they have both so much to do with each other.

- How do you mean? - It's a sort of involved story.

- Do you really wanna hear it? - If you don't mind telling me.

- I would very much. - I don't mind.

For some reason, I feel like telling you.

I've never told anybody before.

This is my father and this is my sister, Iris.

But I suppose it's really Iris' story.

- - She was a ballet dancer.

And everyone said she was very good.

She adored daddy and, of course, she was his favorite.

But let me start from the beginning. Iris was eight years old.

Father was a writer with a growing reputation

and mother was very beautiful and very intelligent.

They loved each other very much and they were very happy.

Then I was born and my mother died on the same day.

They say father went on a two-week drunk to celebrate the double event,

and after that, I don't think he ever thought of another woman.

Time passed and Iris grew more beautiful each day.

She was the image of her mother. Everyone said so.

Iris was daddy's favorite and I was very jealous...

And maybe I began to hate her.

Daddy was good to me and maybe he loved me a little too.