New Days and New Coach

Ahh. . .finally the gym has re-opened! The new coach is Allen, and he has been coaching for 30 years. I'm guessing he's about five to ten years older than I. He told me that he won a Golden Gloves belt in the middleweight category back in 1975. Allen gives a lot of tips. He gave me some on how to throw a better jab and uppercut. It was very helpful. I told him that in another month or so, I'd like to spar again.

Old Jim was back in the gym as well last night. He told me that while waiting for Loyola Park's gym to re-open, he had been going to a gym out by Naperville. "I felt like I was really a student there," he said. I took that as a dig against Steve, whom he always complained about.

There were two new guys in the place: Johnny, who looked to be in his mid-twenties, and Paul, an older guy. Johnny sparred with Old Jim. Paul told me that some women were attending the gym, but none of them were there yesterday.

The gym is now open a half-hour later and on Mondays and Wednesdays, instead of Wednesdays and Fridays. Due to my usher job in the evenings, there are some days that I will miss. I did promise Allen that I would be in the gym when I did not have to work.