He joined the group of men at the fence. Finally, the foreman
Jake appeared and began pointing to men.
"Six, seven, eight. . ." Jake's eyes passed Jim, then returned to
him. The foreman said Jim's name and everybody turned to look.
"Nine."
Jim closed his eyes in relief. As he passed through the gate, Jake
said to him, "I listened to the fight last night." He took out his
newspaper. Jim's eyes ran over the words:
BRADDOCK KNOCKOUT OVER GRIFFIN IN 3
Jim shook his head, not believing it. A few men crowded round
to hear what he had to say. They seemed surprised that he had
come to work today.
"It was one night only," explained Jim. "My share was a
hundred and twenty five dollars. We had bills of one hundred
and twenty to pay. That left me with five dollars."
Jake laughed. "That makes you a rich man." Then he said
seriously, "Good fight."
Jim could see that these men around him, with their old clothes
and tired faces, had found hope watching him fight. He had
fought something real, something he could see—they all wished
for that chance.
He joined his partner, Mike. Words weren't necessary. The two
picked up their hooks and began to work, moving the heavy sacks.
"Why didn't you tell me you were going to win again?" said
Mike. "I didn't put any money on you."
Mike smiled, but it wasn't the smile Jim remembered. It was
tired. Less happy.
"Come on," Mike said. "Talk me through that last round."
Jim started describing the events of the last round again. Since
the cast had come off his arm, he worked with both hands.
Without thinking, he moved the hook to his left hand and
continued working with smooth, strong movements.
38
•
A week later, Mae was walking back from the stores with Rosy
when she saw a shiny new car drive away from their apartment
house. Joe Gould's car.
She found Jim standing in the yard behind the building. He
looked so happy, so handsome and confident in the sun, with his
square chin and his bright eyes up to the blue sky. Then he turned
and Mae felt her heart stop. She saw it in his eyes—the old
excitement.
"Joe was here," said Jim. "He thinks they'll let me box again."
It was hard for Mae to speak. "You said it was one fight."
"It's my chance, Mae, to make you and the kids proud."
Mae fought to control her fear and anger. "I am proud . . .
and grateful. But what would we do if something bad happened
to you? Something worse than a broken hand, so you couldn't
work?"
She couldn't even tell her worst fear: What will happen if you're
killed?
"What would happen to us?" demanded Mae. "To the children?
We're hardly managing now."
Jim shook his head sadly. He waved a hand at the broken
building, the empty yard. Couldn't she see? He was already killing
himself-—and for what? A few coins at the end of a long day's
work? "I have to do better than I'm doing," he replied.
Mae stepped closer. "Things are better now. Please, Jim . . ."
He wanted to take her in his arms, but he stopped himself. He
had to think about the family's future. The strength was clear in his
voice. "I can still take a few punches. At least in the ring you know
who's hitting you."
Mae felt helpless as she watched him walk to the building's dark
back door. This isn't over, James Braddock, she promised.
•
39
He joined the group of men at the fence. Finally, the foremanJake appeared and began pointing to men."Six, seven, eight. . ." Jake's eyes passed Jim, then returned tohim. The foreman said Jim's name and everybody turned to look."Nine."Jim closed his eyes in relief. As he passed through the gate, Jakesaid to him, "I listened to the fight last night." He took out hisnewspaper. Jim's eyes ran over the words:BRADDOCK KNOCKOUT OVER GRIFFIN IN 3Jim shook his head, not believing it. A few men crowded roundto hear what he had to say. They seemed surprised that he hadcome to work today."It was one night only," explained Jim. "My share was ahundred and twenty five dollars. We had bills of one hundredand twenty to pay. That left me with five dollars."Jake laughed. "That makes you a rich man." Then he saidseriously, "Good fight."Jim could see that these men around him, with their old clothesand tired faces, had found hope watching him fight. He hadfought something real, something he could see—they all wishedfor that chance.He joined his partner, Mike. Words weren't necessary. The twopicked up their hooks and began to work, moving the heavy sacks."Why didn't you tell me you were going to win again?" saidMike. "I didn't put any money on you."Mike smiled, but it wasn't the smile Jim remembered. It wastired. Less happy."Come on," Mike said. "Talk me through that last round."Jim started describing the events of the last round again. Sincethe cast had come off his arm, he worked with both hands.Without thinking, he moved the hook to his left hand andcontinued working with smooth, strong movements.38•A week later, Mae was walking back from the stores with Rosywhen she saw a shiny new car drive away from their apartmenthouse. Joe Gould's car.She found Jim standing in the yard behind the building. Helooked so happy, so handsome and confident in the sun, with hissquare chin and his bright eyes up to the blue sky. Then he turnedand Mae felt her heart stop. She saw it in his eyes—the oldexcitement."Joe was here," said Jim. "He thinks they'll let me box again."It was hard for Mae to speak. "You said it was one fight.""It's my chance, Mae, to make you and the kids proud."Mae fought to control her fear and anger. "I am proud . . .and grateful. But what would we do if something bad happenedto you? Something worse than a broken hand, so you couldn'twork?"She couldn't even tell her worst fear: What will happen if you'rekilled?"What would happen to us?" demanded Mae. "To the children?We're hardly managing now."Jim shook his head sadly. He waved a hand at the brokenbuilding, the empty yard. Couldn't she see? He was already killinghimself-—and for what? A few coins at the end of a long day'swork? "I have to do better than I'm doing," he replied.Mae stepped closer. "Things are better now. Please, Jim . . ."He wanted to take her in his arms, but he stopped himself. Hehad to think about the family's future. The strength was clear in hisvoice. "I can still take a few punches. At least in the ring you knowwho's hitting you."Mae felt helpless as she watched him walk to the building's darkback door. This isn't over, James Braddock, she promised.•39
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