A Bout With A Cold

Yesterday, I suffered through work.  I got sick the day before, and I had planned to stay at home.  But I had promised the kids -- namely, Cordell and his brother Devon -- that they would be able to spar the following week.  Cordell and his brother had to go home early, and they missed out on participating in the open sparring session.  I don't like making promises to kids then backing out of them.

I trudged into work despite feeling like I had been body slammed.  Earl started in with his usual, "I don't have my mouthpiece. . . .oh, it's in my coat pocket," routine.  After admonishing Earl for that, I had to ask him several times did he want to spar.  Justen, TJ and Jermaine were already suited up.  Earl kept mumbling and not really giving and answer.  It annoys the hell out of me when kids do that.  Mighty funny they can scream and yell about everything else, but can't seem to answer a direct question.  "Fine," I grumbled, giving up when I still didn't get a concrete decision.

Jermaine took a beating from Justen because Jermaine kept ignoring instructions from his mother and I to stop turning his back and giving up whenever he was backed into the ropes.

TJ hit Justen in the same spot -- in the ribs -- that Eddie did during the open sparring session.  Justen laid on the canvas for awhile, then decided he couldn't go on.

Neither Devon nor Cordell showed up.  I had dragged myself down to the job mainly for them only to have the brothers disappoint me.  Ben was the only one who showed up for the teen class.  Turns out his family will not be moving out to the 'burbs after all.  Once again, none of the adults showed up.

I talked to the boss about Brenan, who was registered for the class by another staff person, even though the kids' class is full.  The boss said one or two registered beyond the max is not a big deal.  Perhaps not.  But I'm worried about a staff member adding more, and that will be a problem to me.

I signed up a new kid named Ezequel for the teen class.  Too bad I didn't go to work today due to ongoing illness.  I met his mother and sister, but Ezequel wasn't present when his mom signed him up.  Hopefully, I'll get to meet him tomorrow, and set him up to get some work in with Ben and Xavier.