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Of course； there was always the chance that Omar and I wouldn't win the tourney。 With ten entries scheduled； a lot of things could happen； but the main idea of the letter was to ensure Mary Elizabeth's physical presence at the pit。 Once she saw for herself how well organized the tourney was； and how fair the pit decisions were； I was positive she would like the sport。 A lot of ministers follow cockfighting zealously without conflict with their religious beliefs。 After all； the cock that crowed after Peter denied Jesus Christ thrice was a gamecock！ That was right in the Bible and a damned good point。
I considered rewriting the letter and mentioning this fact to Mary Elizabeth； but it was too late。 I had already sealed the envelope。 A better idea； perhaps； would be to introduce her to a couple of the ministers who attended the Mifiedgeville Tourney every year and let them talk to her。 I knew little about the Bible and hadn't read any scripture in fifteen years； maybe more。
Suppose she didn't show up？ My stomach tightened at the thought。 I had to risk it。 If she couldn't see my side of things after reading a letter like that； there was no hope left for the two of us anyway。 Feeling better about our relationship than I had in months； I picked up the guitar again and strummed it gently； enjoying the amplified sounds。
The tablet was still on the table； and I decided to write Bernice Hungerford a letter。 She was entitled to a thankyou note after giving me such an expensive gift。 A letter was the least I could do。 Perhaps Bernice would like to see the tournament？ She thought I was some kind of modernday minstrel。 What a terrific surprise it would be for her to learn that I was a professional cockfighter！
Dear Bernice：
What a wonderful surprise； what a wonderful guitar！ There is only ONE way you could have pleased me more； and I intend to get into that later。 This may e as a shock to you； but I'm a professional cockfighter； not a musician。 For the next few months I'll be out on the circuit and won't be able to see you； but two seats will be reserved for you at the Milled geville； Georgia； S。C。 T； March l5…16。 Please e。 Bring your nephew； Tommy； along to keep you pany； because I'll be too busy during the meet to sit with you。 I know it's a long time off and I don't know how I'll be able to wait that long without seeing you again； but I must。
I have reason to hope that my voice will e back within the next few months。 A letter is not the best way to tell you how I feel about you…I would prefer to tell you in person； whispering into your pretty ear！ Perhaps I've written too much already； but you should have a FAIR idea of how I feel about you。 All my love…till March 15。
Frank
P。S。 The Milled geville pit is north of town。 Check at any gas station in town for directions。
After sealing and addressing the envelope to Bernice； it occurred to me that she might not know anything about cockfighting or what the initials S。C。T。 stood for…most of the people in the U。S。 thought that because cockfighting was illegal it had been abolished。 I should have spelled it out in detail； I supposed。 But if she made any inquiries at all； she could find out about it easily enough。 Her nephew could do the investigating for her； and my name was certainly well known in cockfighting circles。 The letter was better this way。 If she attended the Milledgeville meet； I'd be able to determine if she was as interested in me as she appeared to be。
I walked down the gravel road to the highway and put the two letters and some change for stamps into my R。ED。 mailbox。 The night was warm and soft for late September； and a gentle breeze blew steadily across the fields。 There was a steady hum from a million insects municating with each other in their own little ways。
When I switched on the overhead lights in the cockhouse to check the chickens； the Mellhorn Blacks jumped up and down nervously in their coops； clucking and crowing almost in unison。 They were all hungry； and I intended to keep them that way。 I filled the water dips with water and returned to my shack。 Without turning on the lights again； I sat in the dark strumming away on my new guitar until way past midnight。
This was one of the most pleasant evenings I have ever spent by myself。 Although I was tired after three hectic days on the road with Omar； I was much too happy to sleep。
12
We were unable to make the first Southern Conference meet； October 15； at Greenville； Mississippi； but there was ample time to prepare our gamecocks for the sixcock； November 10 derby in Tifton； Georgia。
During the interim； Omar wrote to Pete Chocolate at Pahokee and arranged a hack match at the Ocala cockpit to be held on a Sunday afternoon in two weeks。 Pete Chocolate was a worthy opponent； although he was eccentric in many ways。 He was a top cockfighter and a longtime Southern Conference regular and usually fought Spanish game fowl and Spanish crosses。 He also had the distinction of being the first Seminole Indian to graduate from the University of Florida with a master's degree in Asian Studies。 I don't know why he wanted a degree in Asian Studies； but I know how he got it。 A rich Chinese pawnbroker who had made all his money in Miami left an annual scholarship to the university in Asian Studies for any Seminole who wanted to take it。 The Chinaman had been dead for more than fifteen years； and Pete Chocolate had been the first and only Seminole to take advantage of the free degree。
Another peculiarity about Pete was his habit of wearing a black tuxedo suit at all times； even when he handled in the pit。 He didn't always wear a white shirt and black tie with the tuxedo。 Sometimes he did； but he occasionally wore a sport shirt； a blue work shirt； or； as often as not； no shirt at all。
His master's degree and tuxedo had nothing to do with his ability as a cockfighter。 He was a top handler and feeder； and a tough opponent to face in the pit。
The check weights for the hacks were 4：02； 5：00； 5：06 and 5：10。 This early in the season； Pete only wanted to fight these weights； and we had to meet them in order to get the match。 Each hack was to be a separate pit battle； and we were to put up fifty dollars a fight。 With the wide selection of cocks we had； it was easy to meet the weights。 I selected two of Omar's Roundheads； one Ace Mellhorn Black； and my 5：00 Middleton Gray。 Although Icky's weight was only 4：02； I put him on the conditioning program too； in case I could get an extra hack for him。 Before I could enter Icky in the Milledgeville Tourney against my old rival Jack Burke； he had to win at least four fights。 In my opinion； Icky was the cock to beat Burke's Little David。 With this eventual goal in mind； I intended to select Icky's four preliminary matches with care。
For the first few days of our partnership； Omar was often sullen； but he gradually came around to my way of conditioning。 To prepare a gamecock for the pit is tough enough if he is in good feather already； but if the conditioner has to work off excess fat at the same time； his task is doubly difficult。 When I worked out a r