Night At Hamlin

"That was a close fight at Loyola Park a few weeks ago.  I thought you won that," Shifty the referee told me at Hamlin tonight.  "I thought you punched well," Gus agreed.  We were standing in the gym at Hamlin Park.  Carlos and I were waiting to hear if we were going to have any fights. A line of women walked into the gym, and I thought I might have a chance.  Unfortunately, I had no match.  Carlos didn't get a fight, either. Gus got a fight, but he lost.

There was the possibility that Johnny could get a fight.  He got there about ten minutes to seven. "Man, isn't that just the way?  I'm too tired to take advantage of it!" he said.  The match didn't get made.  Alan introduced him to the opponent, whose name was Steve.  Johnny hoped that Steve would be available for an upcoming boxing show at Sheridan Park.

Deep Voiced Mike, who hadn't been to Loyola Park in awhile, attended the Hamlin fights, and so did Ieisha.  Carlos had given me a ride to Hamlin, but he had to leave early because he had to go to work tonight.  Alan left early, too.  The rest of us stuck around until the end.

Meg, the woman I was supposed to have a match with, ended up fighting with another woman from Hamlin.  Meg's opponent was bigger than she was, but Meg won because she was more aggressive. She also received a special award for being Hamlin's fighter of the year. Bill told me that Meg and I will be matched up at the Brooks Park show, which is a few weeks away.  "I'm looking forward to it!" Meg told me earlier when she saw me. "Damn", I thought, "I really have to train hard." 

There was a bad fight where one guy was fighting like a grade school girl, throwing windmill punches.  When the guy lost, he copped an attitude and remained in his corner as the winner was declared.  Professional boxer David Diaz, who had trained at Hamlin, was called up to hand out the trophies after that fight.  He was given a hometown hero's welcome.  

Ieisha drove me home afterwards.  For a minute, I almost had a ride home with Johnny.  He was on his motor scooter.  I've never been on a scooter before, and I was looking forward to it.  However, I had my gym bag with me, and it would have been hard to hang on with that load hanging off my shoulder.