Old Home Week Again

JJ pointed out that the boxers greet each other as if we hadn't seen each other for years, even though we saw each other a couple of days before. I don't know why that is, but I guess it's just the comaraderie everyone has. Sadiq stopped in on Friday, and he was treated like a superstar. He's still working nights, and trying to save money, but he's planning to return to the gym.

Craig had headgear with had a face guard on it. I've seen those advertised in Ringside and Title's catalogs, and wondered how good they were. Craig said the guard didn't restrict his vision at all while he was doing some sparring drills with Steve. "The bars sort of gray out, and you don't notice them," he explained. Such headgear may be worth investing in down the line.

Steve is going out of town after this upcoming Wednesday. I told him that I would open the gym, but that he should check with Mary. The last time Steve was out for several days, Mary decided against the gym being open. Too many folks were roaming in and getting free workouts was the reason. Mary did say it was okay for the gym to be open, but if she hadn't it wouldn't have bothered me. The main problem I have whenever Steve is gone is stray kids and teens thinking the gym is either a playground or hangout spot or both.

I must be getting soft, because I don't snap as much at the tresspassing little kids like I used to do. I've found that the best tactic is to show them around and talk to them a little about boxing. That does cut down on some of the more offensive behavior. Because of their short attention spans, the little kids will eventually find something else to do other than hang in the gym, anyway. Unfortunately, that doesn't always work with the teens who want to give people word-for-word when given orders. With the teens at the fieldhouse, I always have to act hard to get them to back off and back out.

I was laughing with JJ, Jermaine and Danny about something -- I think JJ was imitating the other boxers again -- when a loud scream was heard in the hallway. Several of us ran out to see what happened. There is a stairway outside of the gym that leads to the second floor. A couple of guys appeared in that doorway, looking a bit annoyed, and Mary questioned them. They said some kids were running up and down the hall, disturbing their meeting. I overheard Mary telling Steve that the back emergency door at the bottom of that stairwell needs to be locked at all times. "I try to keep an eye on it," Steve told her. During warm weather, too many of the kids attempt to use that door as an exit or entry point. I wish there was an alarm on it.

Nate Sr. was there, and he loves to get sparring in with JJ. I thought JJ was a little rough on Nate, however. He caught the older man in a corner at one point, and let loose a flurry of punches. I had just taken a refresher CPR/first aid course at work the day before. I thought, "JJ, please don't hurt Nate so badly that I have to use what I learned." Nate always has praise for JJ afterwards. "He really got me good there," Nate commented.