Birthday Boxing

Yesterday was my birthday.  Sahia, Noel, Mikaela, and Shay held a nice party for me in the gym.  I was extremely appreciative.  I knew they were going to get me a gift (actually, I received several from them), but I was truly surprised by the gathering.  

That was only the second birthday party I've had in my entire life.  No joke.  The first one happened on my 27th birthday.  I won a free party at Coconuts, a dance club that no longer exists.  Twenty-nine years is a long time between parties, but that's okay.  Some of the leftover food came home with me, while the rest I left at the gym.  Coach James told others in the field house there was food available, so several of the kids he coaches came in to get some.

I snapped this photo today of James.  James is not sure if his dad will sign him up for the winter boxing session.  Tony plans to return, and so does Sahia and her children.  Malik told me his grandfather was going to register him for the class again.  I'm assuming that Iz and Abraham will sign up again, too.  I need to get a flier out for the next session and an upcoming fundraiser as well, but the staff computer at LaFollette has been down for days.  Both of the computers in the supervisor's office are working, but Steve's been on vacation. Unless Tina is on the premises -- she appears to be the only staff person who has a key to Steve's office -- and I come in a little early, I'm not able to use those computers.  Having worked for years as an office support staff person, I find it frustrating now not to be able to have my own computer at work so I can get my work done.   Today is the last day the gym is going to be open for the year.  I need to spend a lot of the break time doing administrative tasks but that requires being able to use a computer.  I wish the park district would invest in having more computers available at all of the field houses.  

Birthday Boxing

It's funny how some of the guys in the gym always have stories about fights and near-fights they've been in.  The latest involved Reygie. He was dancing in a club with a woman, and the woman's boyfriend took offense.  "I didn't know she was with someone!  As she and the guy were leaving, the guy shoved me.  I thought, 'Okay, let's do this!'  The girl pushed the guy on out, and as soon as he walked away, she gave me her phone number," Reygie laughed.

Alan tried to convince Paul to spar with Reygie.  "Hell, no!  My nose needs to heal," Paul said, referring to when Andre hit him on Monday.  "Aw, come on, Paul. . .stop being soft," Alan teased him.  I couldn't blame Paul for wanting to be careful.  Paul told me his nose had never been bloodied up like that before.  There had been blood all over his shirt, and he wore it home that night.  His future mother-in-law (Paul is getting married next spring) saw the shirt and was shocked.

Reygie and Andre sparred, and he got several direct hits in to Andre's head.  Andre covers up very well, but Reygie gauged the distance correctly and got his punches in. 

 

Andre and I sparred, and an overhand right I executed got an "Ooh!" from Reygie and Paul.  "Knock him out!" Reygie added.  Alan had been talking to the other guys in the gym, so his attention was elsewhere.  "What happened?" I heard him asking.  "Aw, you missed it!" Reygie told him.  I like sparring with Andre because he gives me opportunities to work on my offense. 

 

 



 

During the last fifteen minutes or so of the evening, suddenly a mix of the field house staff and the other people in the gym came in singing, "Happy Birthday".  Alan had a Boston creme cake in his hand that had candles on it.  I wondered whose birthday it was.  Renata pointed at me, then the light bulb went off.  My birthday is this Saturday.  "We're not going to ask how old you are," Renata said when everyone finished singing.  "I don't care.  I'll be fifty-one," I said.   I heard twenty-year-old Andre say,  "Wow.  She just whipped me up tonight!"

 

 

I thought that was sweet of Alan to remember my birthday.   The cake was really good. 

 

 

Most everybody got a slice of the cake.  There was one piece left, and Alan gave me that to take home.  Today would have been my mother's 80th birthday; I told Alan she wanted me to be born on her day, but I guess I wasn't ready to come out of the oven yet. 

 

"So what will you do on your birthday?" Marcus asked.  "I might go up to Hamlin Park and get some sparring in.  Bill keeps asking about when I'll come in," I answered.  "Now that's a way to spend your birthday - getting hit in the face.  Some people go to the spa on their day, and you'll go to spar," Marcus grinned.