Recovering Is Oh, So Hard To Do
"Keep your feet together!" I yelled. Well, I didn't yell… I loudly coached. I always do that… loudly coach. Emily calls it yelling, but I don't.
"I'm trying Coach!" whined Taylor. As Emily's daughter she was much whineier than her mother; perhaps it is a trait she got from Damon.
Speaking of Emily she walked over to her daughter just then. She showed her how to do the move and then helped Taylor do it herself. That was one thing that bothered me still. No matter what I would never be able to show them how to do what I was teaching them. That's why they don't respect you like they should, that old voice in my head says. It sounds like the way I used to, it sounds determined.
"You know they're only kids," Emily says. She's suddenly next to me; I hadn't realized she had come over.
"This is how Sasha would've trained them," I say, stubbornly.
"Is that so, Payson?" a male voice asks. Emily and I freeze and turn around, there is our old coach. Sasha is walking in and Summer is right behind them. They got married about six years ago and she still helps him manage The Rock.
"Well, I assumed," I stammer.
"Never assume anything, Payson," he says, smiling, "Assumptions are often sweeping generalities. Let these little girls have fun. They're young and this is only a summer program."
"Sorry, Sasha," I say.
"Girls!" Sasha yells and everyone stops what they are doing. Even though Emily and I are coaches at The Rock, Sasha is as well. Everyone there knows he is to be listened to and respected.
"It is almost free time," Sasha says, "But before you all go have fun I want to show you all something."
He walks away and rolls over a television. Emily and I both look at it curiously. Sasha was never one for movies or presentations… only speeches and pep talks.
"Sasha, what is that?" Emily asks.
"I made a little video for the girls to watch… I've noticed something recently and I wanted to talk to them about it," says Sasha.
"Ok," Emily says. The girls all sit down and Emily and I stand behind them.
"As you all know you have an Olympic champion as a coach," starts Sasha. Taylor straightens proudly and everyone looks at Emily. "You all seem to respect her and do what she tells you; however it seems to me as though many of you do not respect you other coach."
Everyone looks down, but Sasha and Emily both look at me. I wonder what he is getting at. Is he going to tell them to give me respect? If so than I would rather he didn't… I want them to respect me because they do, not because Sasha says so.
"What do you all know about Payson Keeler?" Sasha asks. Two girls raise their hands. One is Taylor and another is a small, quiet girl who always does what I say and never talks.
"Taylor, what do you know?" asks Sasha.
"She's Mommy's best friend and they trained together at The Rock," Taylor says proudly.
"I'm surprised you haven't told your daughter more about Payson, Emily," says Sasha; then he looks at the other girl, "What do you know about your coach, Payson?"
I stare at her, in shock. I can't believe my ignorance, her name is Payson? How did I not realize that?
"Well my daddy says she was an amazing gymnast before. But then she went to Nationals and had an accident and can't do gymnastics anymore," says Payson. I look at her. She looks like someone I used to know.
"You're dad is very smart, what's his name?" I ask her.
"Ike," she says. Ike… how many people have I known with that name? One… Ike from high school. I haven't stayed in touch with him, just Heather. But wait… didn't they get married?
"What about your Mom?"
"Her name is Heather. She says I'm named after you."
I stare at her; I'll have to watch for them when they come to pick her up. I wonder if they've noticed me here before and why they haven't said anything. I don't remember the last time I actually talked to Heather, we've only emailed back and forth since high school ended.
"Well, I've made a video about your coach, Payson Keeler," says Sasha. I stare at him and frown, what could he have possibly done now? Sasha presses play and I look at Emily, she doesn't know what is going on either.
"Payson Keeler, what's next for you?" a voice asks. There I am on the screen, being talked to by a reporter at the age of about 13. Even then I was competitive and the reporters kept their eyes on me.
"Well…" my younger self says, but I am cut off by sudden music. As we all watch and listen, the clips zoom through my athletic career. As I watch myself get older and better at gymnastics I know what is going to happen. I look at Emily and she is smiling and I remember this is Damon's song "Tightrope".
"Payson Keeler was my most determined gymnast," Sasha's voice comes out over the music. Everyone stares at the television.
"She was determined and I should've known she would push herself too hard. Even though I didn't realize it, it wasn't just my fault…. It wasn't anyone's fault. Payson was just too daring for her own good…" Sasha's voice fades and then there we are at Nationals. The Rock gymnasts are all there and I am as well.
Then I walk up to the bars and start the routine that led to my downfall. All the girls watched in awe as I went through the routine however they never expected what would happen to me. When I fell they all gasped in shock. They watched as my dad jumped over the barrier of the audience and my teammates rushed over to me.
The video ended and I stared at the black screen. The girls looked at me and then back at where Sasha had been. However, he was no longer there. Thanks Sasha, leave me to explain what happened to me.
"Why aren't you still doing gymnastics Coach?" asked one girl.
"Well, my accident on the uneven bars gave me a serious back injury and I was told by so many doctors that I would never be able to do gymnastics again," I tell them.
"Now, girls, you can have your free time… but just remember to be very careful," said Emily, "Do what your comfortable with and if you want to try something new, ask Payson or I to help you." The girls got up and walked back out onto the floor, except Little Payson.
"Yes, Payson?" I asked her.
"I'm scared coach," she said.
"Why is that?"
"My parents say they named me after you… they say I'm as determined as you… but what if I get hurt like you?"
"Just remember to be careful and not push yourself too hard. I'll tell you a secret," I say. I kneel down next to her and look at her.
"I could've returned to gymnastics. There was a surgery I could've taken but I didn't," I tell her.
"Why not?" she asks me.
"Because, Payson, I was scared of getting hurt again… and for me, recovering is oh so hard to do," I tell her.
The end! Oh, wasn't that cute? I bet Payson will get the respect she deserves now. So, what did you all think about Little Payson? I might do a follow up story about her… maybe. So, what did you all think of it? I liked it. Please review. =)