He wanted to buy me a Cadillac. But I only saw hard men and rough women in those cars. So he bought me a Buick.

202

It was 104 degrees that night. It was 130 degrees ringside, that's what they said. I was there. It felt like it. Whatever you call 'great' nowadays, I guess Ray was that then. I went to his fights. I wasn't superstitious. When Ray sat between rounds that night, I dropped my head. People said, 'Why do you drop your head? You crying?' I was praying.

174

Ray had promised me back in 1940 that I would never have to work again. And I never had to. My son always took care of me.

157

Now, for four or five years, I don't get nothing, I don't hear nothing. And I don't ask why. Ray had been sick only one day in his life. Pneumonia. Maybe food poisoning. It was before a fight. I had to go to Philadelphia because he wouldn't go to the hospital. He called the hospital a good place to die. He didn't ride elevators, either. Ray is not a man to be trapped.

119

He meant Doyle. I know my son. But . . . I can't be sure. Ray used to take care of me. I used to know him. To me, Millie is a Johnny-come-lately. I don't know much about this last marriage.

99