Part 13 brings us to 11th grade where I am just turning 16. Training is going well. I have full routines on all 6 events. The highlight is that I'm the first to take a double back off rings out of the belt. A spotting belt is a system of ropes and pulleys that allow the gymnast to perform dangerous skills and not crash. Due to the varied sizes and weights of each gymnast, it becomes necessary to find a practical way to prevent injury during the learning process. A pulley is a simple machine made with a rope, belt or chain wrapped around a wheel. The pulley is usually used to lift a heavy object (gymnast). A pulley changes the direction of the force, making it easier to lift things (gymnast). Multiple pulleys allow lighter gymnasts the ability to spot heavier ones. The moment of truth is still scary. Especially when you out weigh your spotters by 20libs. I land my first double back on my feet and from here on I am leaving the realm of recreational gymnastics. Take into consideration tis is 1976 and the safety factors were not commensurate with the level of skills being performed. In simpler words you either sank or swam. I won't get into the specifics of each difficult trick we learned. At the same time as this, the fist gymnastics school of its kind opened in walking distance of our school. We would train for 3 hours go home eat and do homework . Then we would go to Gymastics Spectrum and continue to work with other coaches on technical execution and the physics of the sport. Steve Scandale quickly became our training partner and role model. Steve had been privately coached by someone to an amazing level. He could tumble higher and better than anyone around. On Pommel Horse he was years ahead of us. The other events we were fairly well matched. Gymnasts from all over came to train at night. Sometimes we wouldn't leave the gym until 11pm even on school nights. By the time our first competition came we were a different bunch of athletes. Before we get to that let's take a look at the other areas of my life that are developing rather quickly. By now it's obvious I need a math tutor so I find one. His name is Mr. Franciscini and he's in his seventies. My schedule is that 3 nights a week I go visit him before going to Gymnatics Spectrum. I knock on the door and as it opens I see a man bending down as if he dropped something. Instead of standing up he reaches his hand from the floor to shake hands. He say "You're Jody the talented gymnast who is lost in the forest of trigonometry. I reply " That's as good a description as any I suppose." He turn to go still bent over and wave for me to follow. It quickly becomes a scene out of Mel Brooks' "Young Frankenstein" It appears that our new math tutor Mr. Francicini is a real live hunchback. Having had some experiences with people with physical deformities I know this is both a test and a critical time in our relationship. I say "I guess this makes you about the same height as Mr. Dupuis." Mr. Francisinis' laugh is both hearty and contagious. He says " Very good Jody you pass the first test" I always wait and see if the elephant in the room will ever be addressed. So now to your elephant, how might I be so bold as to inquire did you get our Napoleanic friends gander up?" I chuckle already finding myself beginning to like him. I say "Let's just say I find minor league sarcasm a bit tedious in nature, so I unwisely gave him a dose of the real thing." Mr Francicini howls "Hooooo weee that must have been a sight to that little angry French elf turn a delightful shade of mauve." He leans in closer and whispers "Between you and me I think he's a very unhappy frustrated man. Besides what does he have to be frustrated about? It's not like he's a hunchback or anything." At this we both laugh and I now decide I definitely like this man. He then says " Jody how do you take your coffee?" I shake my head and say " No thank you I don't drink coffee." He then says " I didn't ask whether you drank it or not, just how you took it. If you're going to learn anything here you have to pay attention and answer the question asked. Not what you think was meant by it. The two are very different things as you will soon find out." I play along and say " How so?" Mr. Fancescini says "O.k. try this:The Riddle of the Missing Dollar: Three men decided to split the cost of a hotel room. The hotel manager gave them a price of $30.The men split the bill evenly, each paying $10, and went to their room. However, the hotel manager realized that it was a Wednesday night, which meant the hotel had a special: rooms were only $25. He had overcharged them $5! He called the bellboy, gave him five one-dollar bills and told him to return it to the men.When the bellboy explained the situation to the men, they were so pleased at the honesty of the establishment that they promptly tipped the bellboy $2 of the $5 he had returned and each kept $1 for himself.So each of the three men ended up paying $9 (their original $10, minus $1 back) totalling $27, plus $2 for the bellboy makes $29.Where did the extra dollar go? " He then places a white porcelain cup in front of me with milk and sugar on the side. I begin thinking about the riddle as he prepares me my first cup of coffee. Finally i shrug and say " O.k. I give up where did it go?" He answers " It's not gong to be that easy young man. Put a little thinking into it before you quit. There that should be good give it a taste." I try it and am very pleased with it. I say " Wow , I never liked coffee before , but this is different.Thank you." He says "You're welcome Jody. Ready to tackle some trigonometry?" I do math problems for the next 2 hours and actually start to get a handle on the very basic elements. I leave and go to practice to find Ted there. The owner David Veit say " Why didn't you say this guy was your coach?" We all look at each other and say " Because you didn't ask?" He and Ted laugh saying "Ask a stupid question..." I then see Ted jump up on rings and perform a routine that is of Olympic caliber. John, Steve and I say " How come you never told us you could do that ?" Dave smiles and walks away. Ted just looks at us and says in an imitation of our voices " Ahh because you never asked. We laugh and say " Ask a stupid question..." Ted walks over and says " Well don't just stand around like you need me to tell you what to do. You found this place, get to what you usually do. We go over to the tumbling line and Dave takes turns spotting us on what ever we ask him to. Then we go to trampoline and practice flipping and twisting in the belt spotting one another. After that we have a standing back flip contest where we all stand in a circle and do standing back flips to a stuck landing. If we move our feet on landing you're out and go to press handstands and stretching. It's usually between Steve Scandale and Dave the owner. Steve wins on occasion. Then we do a press to handstand contest that I usually win except for tonight when Ted kicks my ass thoroughly. Stretching is the most painful for me. It seems everyone else is just enjoying it. How is that possible? The weeks go by and things are on a role. Our training is getting more and more precise. It's no longer a matter of if we hit our routines it's just how well we do. My birthday arrives and all I want is to go to the motor vehicle bureau to take my learners permit. I do and pass. I can't believe that I can legally drive after all this time . Albeit with a parent in the car, but nevertheless, wow I can drive. Our first meet is tomorrow and we take a light day to just keep in touch. I carry my suit to school, because my first class is ceramics and I don't want it get it dirty. My mind is already preparing for the bantering rounds of insults Loredana and I fling at one another. I walk in and she mockingly smiles at me saying "Good morning Loser." Ignoring her, I nonchalantly stroll by to sit at my station next to her. She repeats it and I say "This is your last chance before the gloves come off, so you decide." She grins and says motioning to come to her with her hands. " Bring it on 2nd string, never gonna amount to nothing faggoty ass gymnast. Let's see what you got." I whip a look on her and say "You want it her it is. I'm thinking of a word . I'll give you its definition and let's see if you can keep up with the conversation. Because up to now I've been nice and taken the high road. I'll understand if you want to apologize and return out relationship to a more civil nature." She snorts while laughing and says "Oh you poor, pathetic misguided wisp of a boy, whatever you have to say will carry the same weight as your insignificant underdeveloped cerebellum." Taunting her I reply " You know on second thought..." She inteupts and says "And where was was the first thought? Spare me the theatrics loser, before I lose my temper and really hurt your feelings." I clear my throat and say "Our first word is defined as: having no definite form, being without definite character or nature : unclassifiable. I've been carefully observing the irrefutable fact that your fat body is an amorphous segment of society. More of an lump of annoyingly unattractive, quasi human tissue. And I mean that in the nicest possible way Lump. Which by the way is your new official name as far as I'm concerned." She picks up a hand full of wet clay and throws it as hard as she can at me and then runs out of the classroom crying. I think to my self good she deserved it after all the shit she's put me through. She doesn't come back though and I begin to worry. Did I go too far? I excuse myself for the bathroom, but really I'm gong looking for Loredana. I know she smokes. So I run over to the smoking area to find her. I see her by herself facing the red brick wall. Her shoulders are heaving up and down. I go over and ask "Hey can I bum one off of you?" She turns to see me and presses her lips together as she's sucking them in. We look at each other for what feels like an eternity. I break the silence saying " Listen Loredana, first I'm sorry how it came out . I know it was vicious and nasty. I just snapped when you said those things about failing. I have my first meet of the year today and I'm scared shit of failing and being the loser you keep calling me." She keeps staring at me , but says nothing. I feel like going to her and giving her a hug, but I'm scared I'll be rejected and make things worse. She finally relaxes her mouth and says "Malicious and spiteful"
I say " What?" She adds " You, you're malicious and spiteful, not vicious and nasty." Seeing an opening I say "Are you questioning my usage?" She nods and smiles. I say " Well I guess I can live with that. You know I think you're hot and sexy, not fat and lumpy." She walks by me dropping her cigarette on the ground and says "Dream on loser. You want to make it up to me? Invite me to one of your meets. You might not look so hideous in your uniform." I say "Done, 6pm tonight the middle school gym." as we get back to class she say " Go ahead so the teacher doesn't catch on to what we did. Besides, this lump that you think is so cute want to clean her face before she goes in so everybody doesn't know I've been blubbering... Get it blubbering." She rubs her belly as she says this. I say "I hope to see you tonight." As I enter Miss Fleming say "You could have at least wiped off some of the clay Jody." The entire class laughs and I walk quickly to my seat. That's all for tonight, thanks. I'm taking a writing course this week so I may or may not be able to keep up with the posts every day. I'll do the best as I can. Jody
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