A Cool, Quiet Night

Fall seems to be starting early, as temperatures in the day aren't as hot, and the nights qualify as jacket weather.  I wore my Ringside sweatjacket to the gym last night, but I probably could have worn an even heavier jacket.  At least the gym was not the sweatbox it usually is this time of year.  I didn't even have to put the fan on.

Alan was not in the gym last night because of Rosh Hashanah.  Ralphie was surprised to learn that Alan is Jewish.  "Oh, I knew that Josh was, but I never knew that about Alan," he said.  Josh, a rabbi, was also out that evening.

Carlos was outside with his cousin Erica and her friend Adam as I walked up to the field house.  He's was out of the gym all summer due to his work schedule.  "I'm gonna be back in next week," he told me.  It was good to see him, and to hear that news.

Anthony and Eric made up the rest of the participants in the gym last night.  No sparring took place because Alan was out.  The radio was on, tuned to WGCI-FM, as usual.  Anthony shook his head.  "Is this what they call music nowadays?" he said.  I had to agree with him.  As I've mentioned here before, the only time I hear that particular radio station is when I'm at Loyola Park.  I don't put it on at home or at work.  I echo the thought of a button I see from time to time: "It's not that I'm so old, but today's music really sucks." 

Even with the radio on, there was a quietness in the gym.  The rest of the field house was as quiet as a tomb.  Basketball season is over, so no kids or teens were filling the halls.  Mary and most of her staff were in a meeting that ended awhile before the gym closed. 

My workout was deliberately slow and measured, as I focused on really throwing punches correctly, in particular, uppercuts and hooks.