4M #8 Ryan Fights Andy

In the early hours before school started in December of 1985 my mother took Dan, Kelly and I out to eat. We ate at Ma’s Place just down 112th where we grew up. This was a rare occasion and one that was a real treat. I ordered hotcakes with berries, whipped cream, and syrup. I love me some hotcakes.

When I was a kid when we showed up early we would play football. Woodland Elementary in Puyallup, Washington is a wet, damp, dank place. I didn’t care at all at twelve.

We stood in lines while Ryan and Andy picked who’s team we were on. I was always a middle pick for teams. I was good at most sports I played. I put everything into it. I was small, fast, could juke really well and was a good receiver. My size was what hurt me in being a top pick.

I was on Andy’s team this morning, Ryan played Quarter Back. This particular play no one was open so Ryan ran for it. Andy caught up with him and pushed him hard to the ground. Ryan was pretty concerned with how he looked and his clothes. Something that took me years to care about. Ryan called foul and Andy taunted back saying that it wasn’t.

Ryan got up and got in Andy’s face. Ryan and Andy had been good friends and were the two toughest kids in school. We circled around and watched the fight. Andy pushed Ryan back, Ryan threw a wild punch at Andy’s head and Andy socked Ryan really good. Andy grabbed onto Ryan and tossed him around. Blow after blow these two fought. It was a close fight, but if I must say Andy was winning. I was really good friends with Ryan and was hoping he’d rally. Both wrestled around some before one of the teachers started yelling at all of us.

Ryan Fights Andy Journal entry.

Ryan Fights Andy

85-12-9 Ryan Fights Andy while playing football before school.

The fight was over before we knew it. Ryan and Andy were marched off to the office. We had just witnessed what was in our eyes at the time a pretty significant fight.

I had a crush on Sarah Wells when I was a kid and me noticing how pretty not (pritty) her sister was, was a big deal. I’m one hundred percent sure it was not Renaa. Yikes I sucked at spelling. For me to point this out was really saying something. As a typical kid of twelve it was really common to have a boring evening. I need to show this to my eleven year old Ava. Even I had boring evenings when I was her age and I didn’t have some fancy device to play on.