BILLY HILL Chapter Nine

Sparing in the ring
courtesy photobucket.com

Billy and Linda ate the food she had prepared, and while they were not alone they at least were able to talk to each other without someone else listening.

He finally got up the nerve to tell her he would like to see her as often as possible and while she didn't say anything he felt she would be willing if he pursued the matter.  

Billy told her he would be gone for the next two weeks on business, but would like to see her when he got back to which she answered, “Maybe, we'll see.”

While Billy was with Logan he insisted that he learn to defend himself for in their business it might be necessary in case something went wrong.

Wherever there was a gym with a boxing ring and training facilities available Logan took Billy there to receive some boxing lessons. He was also able to spar with the professionals which took delight in putting a whip on him.  

 

Most of the time after punching him silly they would take him aside and give him pointers on how to defend himself against the beating they just gave him.  He listened and learned for they gave him good reasons for listening.

This went on during the three years he was with Logan.  For some reason Logan never felt the need to get in shape, and Billy began to feel like he was Logan’s bodyguard.  Billy never reached the level of the top professionals, but he did learn to defend himself, and how to put all his weight behind his punches.

After being on the farm for a year he had softened up.  While he worked the farm it wasn't the same as being trained to fight and this was the reason he went back to the gym.  

Although the bully wasn't a trained fighter he still could beat you to a pulp and Billy knew it.  After experiencing four days in the ring, the stiffness and the pain began to go away and Billy began to feel a lot more secure about his condition.  

During the second week some of his boxing skills came back to him, and the sparing matches were less painful. The last two days his sparing partners taught him some new dirty tricks just in case he needed them.

Billy arrived home on the Friday night before he had to face the bully if he still wanted to fight him.  His brothers came over and told him the bully was talking about how he was going to kill Billy with his fists. The brothers tried to talk him out of mixing it up with him for the bully was a brutal fighter.

Billy told his brothers not to worry for he had been beaten up before. This gave them very little comfort for they were going to have to sit and watch him get the beating of his life.

The next morning Billy ate a light breakfast and went downtown to see Linda.  She wanted to talk to him about not fighting, and he wanted to talk about them going out together. About this time she began to doubt his sanity for she was sure what was going to happen and it wasn't going to be pretty.

There was a crowd gathering around the store when they found out Billy was inside and when it was time to go, the crowd following him to the town square.

Billy was stretching his muscles when the bully appeared, and he was looking mean.  It was obvious he had a few drinks which meant he wouldn't be feeling pain as much if he had not been drinking, but it was what it was.

Billy said hello and he hoped this could be resolved with an apology.  

After a moment it was clear the bully had come to fight. There wasn't a referee so the sheriff said when one of you wanted to quit, the other would be declared the winner and the fighting should stop.

The sheriff called them together and asked if they were ready and both said “Ready.”

To be Continued