The Top 40

Somehow everyone just knew where. There were 15 or 20 dogs scattered throughout the crowd held with chains or heavy duty leads. A big crowd would form a ring, which became the boundary of the fight and then there would be a referee. It was always the same guy, this wild extravagant man, who wore capes and had a staff, which he whacked people in the crowd with if they got too close. He was almost like a matador in a bull fight. It was all very theatrical, but for me the dog fight itself was almost like a sideshow to the people watching it. And they were always in spectacular places, like at the base of a mountain or a snow-covered empty lot or something. - Roads & Kingdoms