Ben (on the right) eyes John during their sparring session at Loyola Park in the photo above. It was a good night of sparring as the ring canvas stayed occupied. I was too stiff to spar again, even though I would have otherwise.
Back at LaFollette Park, I was highly irritated when once again, Jermaine showed up to ask about signing up for the boxing class. Jermaine was hanging around the gym along with his younger brother and his cousin Marquis when I first started working there. My records in the equipment room don't go much past 2015, but I don't think Jermaine was ever formally signed up for the class. There was a lot of confusion regarding registration back then which I have straightened out. "Is there a boxing tournament?" he asked. "Brooks Park is having a boxing show tomorrow, and that is the last one we're going to this year," I answered. "Aw, man," Jermaine sighed. I don't know why he thought he could participate seeing how he's not in the class nor has he trained for a fight.
Jermaine a couple of boys who were a few years younger than he had trailed behind him into the gym. I had to keep yelling at them to stay off of the equipment. Jermaine asked if he could have a paper form to fill out. The last time we had the same conversation, I told him that the park district stopped doing paper forms two years ago. "My parents don't know how to use computers," he said. "Then they have to come in person to sign you up," I replied. He held up his cell phone for me to see. "I can call them right now and get permission to be in here." "It doesn't work like that. If they don't know how to use a computer, they have to come here in person to sign you up," I said as my irritation kept rising.
"But I was in here two years ago," Jermaine said with a smirk. "That was two years ago," I said with no trace of humor in my voice. The boy ticks me off because he has potential, but he refuses to act on it. Now that I have three kids who have won trophies under me, I don't have patience for kids who want to brag that they take boxing yet don't put the work in. Jermaine obviously thought I was stupid because he kept trying to slick talk his way into the class without following the steps. "I have to have your parents' permission for you to be in here, Jermaine. I'm NOT about to do something that I'm not supposed to do and jeopardize my job. I like to be able to pay my rent. Do you understand?" I snapped. He and his little entourage left after that, but I don't believe Jermaine comprehended the message -- again. Give it another few weeks or months, and he'll be back in the gym with the same con game again. After hearing it so many times, I know Jermaine is not serious about the sport.
Maz, Donovan, nor James will be at Brooks Park tomorrow. Maz's braces are bothering him, and they need to be fixed before he takes on another fight. Donovan claimed he didn't know about the show, but I remember talking to both him and his parents about it some time ago. James just didn't want to go. It's just as well because James still hasn't begun to lose the weight he needs to lose in order to get a fight. That leaves Ariel, who expressed interested in going to that show. But she didn't show up to train today, so I'm not totally sure that she will go to the boxing show. I have a feeling I'll be there alone.
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