Round Two For Alan and I

Earlier in the day, I saw Ralphie on Lawrence Avenue.  I couldn't call to him because I was on the bus.  A few stops later, Boban got on and recognized me.  "I heard you have a fight coming up," I told him.  "Yeah, this Friday.  I'm going up to the gym right now," he said.  I wish I could see his fight, but money is tight right now.

The heat must be off at the field house.  It was cold in the gym to me until I started moving around.  I was the first one in, followed by Alan.  Alan complained that his right shoulder didn't feel right.  Colonel, who arrived next, had told him on Monday that the rotator cuff might be torn.  Tonight, he suggested that Alan get an MRI done.  Alan's not sure how he might have been injured.

It didn't stop him from sparring, however.  First, he was in the ring with Jacob, who's been improving each time he comes into the gym.  They did a couple of rounds, and then I got in with him.  I threw a left jab, and Alan caught it between his gloves, then fired back with a right.  That was a new move on me.  When I was close enough, I got body shots and some hooks in.  For the most part, I was on the receiving end -- once again -- of some full shots to the face and head.  I asked Alan about the sneaky catch of my jab after we were done, and he showed it to me again. I'll have to remember it.  "Should I bother to bob and weave at all when I'm fighting someone taller?" I asked.  "You have to fight on the inside because you can't fight someone with a reach on the outside.  You have to be always on the attack, so yes, bobbing and weaving is very beneficial," Alan told me.

I practiced bobbing and weaving as much as I could before my knees started protesting.  It was amazing that I was able to function at all, considering that I only had one hour of sleep.  Yesterday afternoon, I fell asleep around 4:00 PM, intending to get up after an hour or so.  The clock read 11:40 PM when I finally woke up.  At first, I was mad because I thought I missed the latest episode of "Lights Out", but fortunately, it was airing again at midnight.  Couldn't go to sleep after that, so I was up until 6:00 AM.  The scenario reminded me of my paternal grandmother, who napped a lot during the day.  I would be at her house and find her up, looking out of the window at two or three in the morning.  "Are you okay?" I'd ask, thinking she was ill.  "Nope, I just couldn't sleep," she'd answer.  My late dad once commented that she was always up at odd hours of the night.  It was probably due to taking siestas earlier in the day.  I now seem to be doing the same thing she was.

Leon, shown in the above picture in the dark shirt, came in with a female neighbor of his.  Leon sparred for a couple of rounds with Jacob.  His neighbor occupied herself by punching and kicking the heavy bags.

Jacob re-hydrates himself in this picture, after his sparring session with Leon.

In this picture, Colonel (on the left) and Ray have a conversation.  Ray asked me if I would help him with technique on the speed bag the next he came in.  He was good on it at one time, but has fallen out of practice.  I'll be happy to help him out.

"I'll go to bed as soon as I get home," I thought to myself.  Yeah, right.  I forgot that I had to eat something, and of course, watch some late night TV.  But I must get at least six hours of sleep tonight or I'll really be dragging tomorrow.