Just On The Other Side Of The Border

[dagosd2000]

"Well they finally found some one who could beat him," I said.
"Did you see the fight?
"I went down to the Sport's Book and saw it on their feed."
Jorge ,the custodian,was happy . Finally,a Mexican fighter had beaten Manny Pacquiao. Jorge wanted practically a blow by blow description.
"I thought Morales was the stronger man."
"Did he work his jab?"
"Yeah,and his right was there too."
Mexican fans respected Pacquiao because he was a puncher and he didn't run his mouth off,but still it was hard for them to swallow a Philipino fighter beating a Mexican fighter. Besides Morales lived in Tijuana and all the Mexicans in the area felt a closeness to him. He out slugged the slugger. That's how they wanted it.
"I'll tell you what",I said,"I'll be crossing the border this week. I'll stop by his gym and see if he'll sign an autograph."

The Morales Gym is just on the other side of the border. It's in the Zona Norte a few blocks going west on Coahuila Street. When people say Tijuana,the first thing that pops into their minds is the Red Light District. Tijuana will aways be associated with that,especially on the U.S. side. All Americans think about is sex,yet I don't think they've dealt with it correctly. They associate it with love. Where as Mexicans look at it as a normal biological function. They're not anxious about it that much.

The gym is on a corner in a two story building. The family owns the building. The gym is upstairs and below it is a typical small neighborhood store Mexicans call an"Aborrotes." The store sells the usual:candy,sodas,milk,cigarettes,and beer. If you don't know where the gym is,you'll miss it. There's no sign on the place. There's a lot of room in front of the building so I park there Inside the store is a video game where you sit down and shoot at people on the screen.There's a boy sitting down playing the machine and there's another boy watching him play. I peeked to see what they were shooting at. Policemen.

The place was quiet. In fact everything was quiet. It was sunny.A couple of old women walking with canes came into the store and bought a roll of toilet paper. The kid behind the counter took their pesos and put them in a cigar box. I asked the kid behind the counter if there was anyone in the gym. He shrugged his shoulders and said he didn't know.
"Sube arriba(go upstairs)",he told me.
I walked around the corner and started up a narrow flight of stairs. The first step had broken and they had replaced it with a brick. The door was open,but the gym was empty. It was very still and quiet inside. There was a boxing ring with several towels neatly folded over the top rope. The heavy bag hung motionless. The speed bag was in a corner and next to it was a rack that had a few dumbells on it. A wooden stool was in one of the corners of the ring. The sun was beginning to set and peering through the rays coming inside the gym, I could see a little dust moving slowly.

I walked downstairs to the store and asked the kid behind the counter what time the fighters would arrive.
"Tres en la tarde"(3 in the afternoon),he said. The two boys were still playing the video game. I looked at my watch. It was 2 o'clock.
"Vuelvo en una hora"(I return in an hour)
I saw a bench across the street under a tree. I'd wait there. Before walking across the street,I bought a strawberry soda. I sat on the bench and started thinking about the Morales fight. After it was over,he said he dedicated it to the people of the Zona Norte. The poor people who struggled to survive. The ones who weren't as fortunate as he had been. Morales wanted to be champion for the people of the neighborhood.

There were a couple of birds sitting on a small branch above me chirping. The branch was wavering slightly as they chirped. It was sunny and the birds were chirping. No one walked by me as I sat there looking across the street at the the little store. I must have dozed off. I dreamt what it would be like to be the champion of the world. A man walking his dog came by me and the dog nervously sniffed around my feet. It startled me. I looked at my watch . It was 3 thirty.I shook my head a little and walked across the street to the store. The two boys had left. I asked the kid at the counter if anyone was upstairs.
"No Se"(I don't know)
I walked up the stairs again. The gym appeared just how I'd last seen it last.Empty. As I was walking down the stairs my foot stumbled on the brick at the bottom, and I sprained my ankle. I grimaced and limped back to the store.
"Nadie"(no one),I said to the kid. He looked by me.
"Dime,amigo. 'Terrible'(Morales's nickname) esta aqui?"(is Morales here)
"Si,senor. Pero ahorrita no."(Yes but not right now)
I limped back to the car. My ankle was hurting more. I started the engine and looked back inside the store. The kid was not behind the counter. I rolled down my window. Just then a beggar came up to my driver's side.
"Un peso por un taco por favor?",(a peso for a taco) he asked.
I reached in my pocket and gave him a dollar. He bowed several times and was smiling. His teeth were gone.
"Muchas gracias,Vaya con Dios"(thank you.go with God)
As he walked away,I noticed he had a huge foot. It didn't have shoe or a sock on it. It was too big. It was rubbery looking and a dark red.He had difficulty walking. He was walking slowly in the middle of the street. I couldn't figure where he was going. I felt a twinge in my ankle.I figured I had to rush home fast and get ice on it to keep the swelling down.

[Goodnight, Irene]

What are your impressions of Pacquiao personally, Dagosd?

[BoxBuzz]

nice read!

[dagosd2000]

What are your impressions of Pacquiao personally, Dagosd?

I think he's as decent as they get. From what I hear from my Phillipino friends,he's got enemies over there. I don't know if its political or some sort of ransom thing. He handles himself well in public. He's always smiling. I think he felt a little betrayed when Roach was working with Oscar instead of with him. Now Oscar dumps Raoach. However Manny didn't air any dirty laundry. That's what kind of guy I think he is.

As a fighter,he's terrific. As long as they put a Mexican challenger in front of him,he'll make a lot of money. He comes to fight and gives people their monies worth. I thought he slipped a little against Barrera. He's moving up in weight. When that time comes and he shows his wear,he'll go out giving his all.