Butch leans forward. Esmarelda, keeping her eyes on the road,
passes a cigarette back to him. He takes it. Then, still not
looking behind her, she brings up her hand, a lit match in it.
Butch lights his smoke, then blows out the match.
BUTCH
'Cause I'm a boxer. And after
you've said that, you've said
pretty much all there is to say
about me. Now maybe that son-of-a-
bitch tonight was once at one time
a boxer. If he was, then he was
dead before his ass ever stepped in
the ring. I just put the poor
bastard outta his misery. And if
he never was a boxer --
(Butch takes a drag)
That's what he gets for fuckin' up
my sport.
BUTCH
(into phone)
What's I tell ya, soon as the word
got out a fix was in, the odds
would be outta control.
Hey, if he was a better fighter
he's be alive. If he never laced
up his gloves in the first place,
which he never shoulda done, he'd
be alive. Enough about the poor
unfortunate Mr. Floyd, let's talk
about the rich and prosperous Mr.
Butch. How many bookies you spread
it around with?
(pause)
Eight? How long to collect?
(pause)
So by tomorrow evening, you'll have
it all?
(pause)
Good news Scotty, real good news --
I understand a few stragglers
aside. Me an' Fabian're gonna
leave in the morning. It should
take us a couple days to get into
Knoxville. Next time we see each
other, it'll be on Tennessee time.
Butch hangs up the phone. He looks at the cab waiting to take
him wherever he wants to go.
Esmarelda's tax pulled into the motel parking lot. The rain
has stopped, but the night is still soaked. Butch gets out,
now fully dressed in tee-shirt, jeans and high school athletic
jacket. He leans in the driver's side window.
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