He lay in bed that night pondering over what he had volunteered to do.

He thought several times about backing out, as Russ was many pounds heavier, several inches taller and about ten years younger. But after all of the work in the gym in the last few months, he thought that with his natural agility and a fierce pride in his ability, he might just be able to overcome an unfit smoker, despite the handicap.

He wondered too, if Russ would stick to the deal, as he didn't trust the American an inch. But then, if he lost would he give up? Probably, yes! But he knew that Lucinda, Adams, Greg and the others would not and would continue the fight in the Courts.

As she lay beside him, his lover remembered Clyde's views and thought he was mad, to risk perhaps permanent injury or even death. If she had been there, when he had made the stupid and reckless challenge, she would have tried to stop him. But now it had been made, she felt the best thing she could do, was to stand behind him and give him all of the help he would certainly need. She started by leaving a message on the ex-boxer's answering machine.

***

Russ had no such qualms.

He added up his advantages, as he sat smiling in bed watching the breakfast television, whilst Suzanne fetched him some eggs, bacon and toast from downstairs. What did Noel Coward say? Mad dogs and Englishman! Here's one mad dog of an Englishman, who was going to meet a sticky end.

'What rules are you fighting to?' Suzanne's question was initially out of curiousity, but she also didn't want her friend to be hurt. Especially by Russ!

'We'd agreed on none!'

'But you have to have some!' She thought for a moment. 'How will you know when someone's won? Do you wear gloves? How do you give in?'

'I won't be giving in, so the last question doesn't apply to me!'

'Would you like me to draw up a set of rules?' Suzanne had taken a pad and was writing a few things down. 'I'm sure I could make them to your advantage. For instance, two minute rounds, with one minute in between would help you!'

'Why? I thought all fights were three minute rounds.' Russ couldn't see why they might be to his advantage.

'You may be heavier, larger and younger than him.' She sat on the bed beside him, pulled down the bed-clothes and looked at his body. 'But I think you'll find he's fitter than you and he's probably got more stamina. According to Pat, the two of them have been working out at the gym every day this year. So we'll have short rounds with lots of breaks. It'll give you time to recover!'

'You're not trying to worry me are you?' He took another puff on a cigar to show his defiance. 'Surely, I can defeat a runt like him?'

'Of course you can.' She leant over and kissed him. 'Especially, if I draw up a favourable set of rules.'

***

'Tell him, he's mad!' The greeting was not what Suzanne had expected, when she joined the others in their bedroom. 'He's forty-nine tomorrow and he wants to get himself hurt, in some silly macho trial of strength, with someone who's bigger than he is.'

'You're mad!' Suzanne gave the Englishman a similar kiss to the one she had given Russ. 'I've come here to work out a set of rules, to your advantage!'

'But they're aren't going to be any rules! And anyway what's wrong with my age. Archie Moore was world champion older than I am now!'

'Men!' Suzanne was getting infuriated. 'They're not very practical. Are they, madam? Russ said exactly the same thing. But even he could see, you need something to determine who's won?'

'Before we start on the rules, you've so cunningly worked out.' He was now sitting up in the bed. 'Who's side are you on, Suzanne?'

'The usual one! Mine!' He smiled back, knowing she was at least consistent. 'If he wins, I'm going to get a lot of hassle from his wife and all the lawyers.'

'Wait a minute, Suzanne.' He was puzzled by her plans. 'I thought you intended to marry Paul!'

'Oh! That's a medium term plan!' She returned to the original thread. 'As I said if he wins, he's going to get hassle, but if he loses, he's going to need to travel the world to keep away from all those lawyers and to invest and spend his money wisely. So we need some rules, that he thinks are to his advantage, but are really to yours.'

'So what have you decided!'

'We'll start with a circular ring, that we can mark with flour or sand on the floor of the ballroom. Anybody, who is knocked out or goes outside the circle for ten seconds, loses. So if you want to give up, you just run away!'

'Are we going to have rounds? Or do we just fight to the end.'

'I thought, we'd make it more civilised and interesting. Say where you'd fight for two minutes and then have a break. That way, if it gets a bit out of hand, there's less chance of you getting hurt.' She wrote something on her pad. 'Oh! You fight as many rounds as you need to get a decision. Remember, as you're a lot fitter than him, the longer it goes the better are your chances.'

'How do you know that?'

'You shouldn't ask a working girl such a question!' She quickly changed the subject. 'We'll make it a large ring too, as I want to give you space to outrun him. Duck and dive! Bob and weave!'

'What are we going to use as a mat?' He felt that he didn't want to fight on the hard wood-block floor of the ball-room.

'We'll find something. Or we can always buy a cheap carpet!'

'Is there anything else we should think of?' He thought for a moment. 'We would need seconds! And what do we wear? I didn't exactly bring any suitable trunks!'

'Pat has already agreed to be your second and I suspect that George is the only one that Russ will trust to be honest enough to be his!' She was smiling at some impish thought.

'What's funny? And you still haven't said what we will wear!'

'You don't! Not even any gloves!'

***

Suzanne had gone back to Russ and when she returned, it was obvious from her smile, that he accepted all or most of her rules. 'He's just a little apprehensive about fighting naked!'

'I can't say I'm that enamoured!' He was now fully dressed and sitting on the bed,

'Ah! But you haven't seen his body!' She sat down beside him and gave him an affectionate hug. 'Your's was better in Orlando and I can now feel all sorts of muscles you never had then! I think fighting naked will be a severe handicap to a homophobe like Russ!'

'I hope you're right!' He didn't think she would be, but every straw was worth a clutch.

'I've also got some other news for you!'

'Good or bad?'

'Oh! Extremely good! Your son Paul has just e-mailed me. He's applied for a job at the Factory!'

Copyright 1999 by Ewart Higgins