The sun set, but still he slept. Then several more hours of darkness passed, and he was still asleep. But …suddenly he jumped out of bed as a memory struck. His mouth was forming his thoughts as his eyes opened. It came with ‘a blurt’ as consciousness was restored, “The other night I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.” He finally said.
Well, I think you should take a look for yourself. He did indeed have a tough night, huh (photo above)? He obviously took a hard punch to the abdominal region. Can you see the effect? He’s going to have to live with his guts in his spine, “For at least a little while,” the doctor said. Because … They were going at it, the screams echoed across all our provinces’. But later he told me, “As you see, come on, look at me, do you see me smiling, well, I believe I’m taking it well.”
Nonetheless, in fragments he told me about the earlier nights happenings, “Then the set up with the jab,” he said in a crouch, and, “only to follow with the over-hand right. Just look at my eye, would you? Okay …My head snapped, it jerked from the punch. I took several steps back. I’ve gone 50 and 18 without ever laying down on the boxing canvas for anybody. Did you hear me? Never!” He stopped right there. He stopped at, “Never.” Can you believe it? What was I to do? But to stare in fascination at him ---was all I could do.
As he struggled with his pain, my eyes followed his every move. He put his robe on, and pulled out a smoke. He turned, but grabbed his gut. “Hey buddy, can you grab that whiskey from under the bed. I’ve thrown my other pain medications away.” He caught the whiskey bottle under his chin, and poured himself some whiskey in a shot glass, without spilling a drop. And, he did this in a beveled glass for cat paws to grab and hold. In fascination I watched him do this three times, without a word being spoken between the two of us. I waited. Then, longer …
“On days like this … (the interruption) …
“Did you get knocked out?” I couldn’t help myself, I said it. I had to know. He ignored the question, he continued, “On days like this, no, it’ll be alright. No, on days like this I like to share a story with my friends.”
“Please,” I said. I think I said, “Please,” a little nervously. Anyway:
“It happened that one day as I was training. I ran further than I had ever before. It was in the middle of the day, but I saw all these colors. It was amazing. The tree leaves on my path were beyond green ---suddenly. But then the wind came from the west and all the trees on my path began to dance.
In the distance I heard; “Aqui, Aqui, si, si.” I increased my pace to see what the excitement was about. I saw two Spaniard boys half-naked kicking a soccer ball against a concrete wall. I stopped running. I felt forced to stop. And for a moment, visibly hidden, I watched the boys play with the soccer ball. Sometimes the soccer ball would get past their legs and roll out into the street. Undaunted they’d run out into traffic to retrieve the ball and cars would miss them by inches, as if rehearsed, as if a choreographer was standing by. It was very exciting.
Then: “Bueno, bueno.” Soon they were kicking the ball without letting the ball touching the ground. Back and forth the ball went. Faster and faster their legs kicked the soccer ball. It didn’t touch the ground. What I meant to say, what I mean to say, they wouldn’t let the ball touch the ground: No way!
But it was much more, more variables, for instance, how about the soccer ball? Of course the soccer ball wanted to move in a different direction ...all its own. And it did. The beautiful dance would be moved someplace else. The ball hit a concrete block not quite aligned correctly, and the ball took a right, slowly at first, then it gained momentum!”
“What did you do?”
“I ran after the ball.”
“You ran after the ball?”
“Yes, of course. Why, wouldn’t you? No, forget that:
So the soccer ball seemed to be taunting us. It moved faster and faster, it wanted to play too. Snap your fingers, that quick, a step now; and side by side we ran together, me and the two boys. Right then …rhymed, it was perfect. We were chasing after the soccer ball as it rolled.
But, big swerving momentum shifts occurred. Then it was dangerous, I think it’s difficult to run and laugh at the same time? I don’t know, but the running was half-hazard. Yes, we had to hold our stomach from the pleasure of it all.
Since that day running with the young boys, I’ve tried to keep that look the boys had. Their eyes were complete fascination. They were that! The boy’s didn’t even have to try. That look is now inside me forever. Even if a person does or doesn’t get knocked out, how can you get that look out?
The End
