Being an It to a Contender

The Child Called It, David Pelzer
The Contender, Alfred Brooks
Brooklyn, Donatelli's Gym, Madison Square Garden


Twenty years have gone by now since Alfred Brook’s boxing career ended. During this time, Donatelli has passed away and Alfred has taken over the gym in Brooklyn, turning average men into contenders. Alfred has since kept the name Donatelli’s Gym in memory of him.
One night, Alfred was training a few men and he looked out the window. He saw a young kid, maybe 25. He watched the scrawny kid pacing back and forth staring at the sign that read Donatelli’s Gym. The kid continued to pace for a couple of minutes looking up into the windows of the gym and eventually, he opened the door. Alfred heard the footsteps of the young man jogging up the stairs and once he saw him, it brought back a flashback of Alfred when he first walked into Donatelli’s. Alfred noticed the kid was very skinny and had what looked like a couple scars on his face.
Alfred immediately said to the kid, “What’s your name and why do you come to Donatelli’s gym?”
The kid replied, “My name is David Pelzer and I come to be a boxer.”
Alfred then replied, “You have come to the right place David. Take off your shirt to get your height and weight recorded. About 130 pounds, five feet nine inches. David, why do you want to become a boxer?” Alfred once again noticed a couple scars on David’s body.
David replied, “Mr. Brooks, I want to become a champion.”
Alfred then chuckled and said, “You were exactly like me when I was your age. You have to want to become a contender first, but with that takes a lot of hard work and dedication. I want you to get up every morning at 5 o’clock sharp no later and go for a two-mile jog for conditioning. Then, I want you to do 100 pushups and 100 sit-ups and then finish with a couple of eggs for protein. Then later in the evening I want you in my gym at 6 o’clock for a couple hours.”

David then nervously replied, “Yes sir,” and thought to himself what has he gotten himself into. David got up and followed the schedule everyday. Once he got to the gym, Alfred would work with him one on one because he liked David because he was like himself. After about David’s fourth time to the gym, Alfred noticed he had very good fist speed but he still had improvement for strength, but he was very tough. He thought David was the toughest in the gym even though he had never seen him against a real opponent yet. Alfred then asked David, “Why do you have so many scars over your body?”
David replied, “My mom used to beat me when I was younger.” He continued to tell Alfred all of the stories and games his mom used to “play” with him. Alfred learned where he had gotten his toughness. Alfred felt bad for the kid and later invited him over for dinner.
After about six weeks of training and only hitting a bag, David began to get frustrated and nearly quit. Later that evening of the sixth week, David almost quit until Alfred told him he was ready and he had scheduled a fight for him at Madison Square Garden the following Sunday.
On the Sunday of the match, David became very nervous but excited. He met Alfred at six o’clock to bring him to his match. Once they arrived in the locker room, Alfred had a talk with young David.
About five minutes later David Stepped into the ring with Alfred at ringside and his opponent at the other end. Alfred then said, “Congratulations kid, you have just completed your first step to become a champion. You are now a contender.” Immediately after Alfred said this, the bell rang to begin the match.

(660 words)