He rolled onto his back staring up at the towering cumulus clouds above us holding his shoulder. "Your pain threshold is off the chart."
He managed a weak smile. "That's because of Jamie."
"Jamie?"
"He's my older brother. I was his guinea pig." He looked at Kenny, "We could use some more waters."
Kenny glared at me before jogging the several hundred yards to the truck for the third time.
PJ was studying me. "Is something wrong?"
He smiled. No, When I asked you to wrestle I thought you'd be a fun way to make $40. But I got a bonus. You're turning out to be a challenge. I like that."
"Is your shoulder OK?"
He tried rotating it. "It's seen better days.
"I won't target it on purpose. Tell me when it's 100%. I don't want to win the third fall by night."
He caught my reference. "It's your 40 dollars, Alexander. But thanks, I've got another week at the tent."
Our eyes locked. "How about changing the rules for the last fall. Most taps in a half hour not counting breaks. What do you say?"
I shook my head yes. "Sounds cool. It looks like the rest of my afternoon is going to be interesting."
We were just finishing our waters when an old 250 with monster tires pulled up behind PJ's pickup. Two boys jumped out. One was Donny.
"That's my other brother and his friend, Eric."
"Donny saw PJ grimace as he massaged his shoulder. "What happened? Are you OK bro?"
Kenny explained my finishing hold. "Ds that mean it's over?"
PJ ignored the question. "Why aren't you at work?"
"Kenny called and said you two were going to fight. We took off so we could watch. "You're not finished are you?"
"It's halftime." PJ looked at Kenny, "You little sneak. I'll bet that's why you took your time building your pyramid." You wanted to give these guys more time to get here, didn't you."
Kenny wasn't humbled, "Come on PJ, you know Donny wouldn't want to miss this."
Donny asked again, "So, is it over?"
"Open your ears, I already said it's halftime. The score is tied. How about you go catch some fish for us. And take the little sneak with you."
As they walked toward the river we heard Kenny say, "It's epic guys, fucking epic!"
"Hey!" PJ shouted. Watch your mouth, Kenny."
"Sorry, PJ"
We watched the boys fish as they listened to Kenny. I asked, "Ds he ever stop talking?"
"Not according to his teachers. It's because they let him get away with it. He's too damn cute for his own good. And I've gotta admit he's fun listening to.
Half an hour passed. The boys put down their rods and came trotting over to us.
"We're going swimming. Wanna come?"
"How's the shoulder?" I asked.
"It's about 75% now. Swimming sounds good."
In a few minutes the five of us were horsing around in chest high clear water; diving off shoulders, dunking, piggyback wrestling, and tossing a screaming Kenny around like a sack of potats.
PJ and I took a break laying on the bank watching the others. After a while I said, "How do you do it?"
"How do I do what?"
"How do you control your brothers? I mean, they do whatever you say without a hint of complaint."
"They're used to it. I've been raising them for the last two years. It's a long story. I'm lucky, they're really good kids. Let's go toss Kenny around some more."
Ten minutes later PJ slapped a loosely held full nelson on me. "I'm ready. Say your prayers."
The five of us headed to the hill as PJ explained the new "half hour' rules.
The boys settled on the perimeter as we limbered up. Kenny was going to keep time while Eric and Donny were going to take turns videoing.
We tapped hands and backed off. PJ surprised me stretching out his hands challenging me to a mercy contest. We used to do this at wrestling practice when the coach wasn't around. You lost if your knee touched the ground, or you had to uncle. Donny and Eric started chanting my name as we laced our fingers. We slammed our chests together and the struggle began. Both of us were good at this. It could have gone either way, but in the end I got him in an under grip forcing him to give. We did it several more times with me winning I most. After a short break we agreed to a fifteen minute period of nonstop submissions. I was exhausted, sweating like a pig when Kenny called time. We headed to the river with PJ several taps ahead of me. "I'm wearing you down."
"You think so?" I bluffed, "How about making this forty-five minutes instead of a half hour?"
" Big mistake, Mike. Big mistake."
Tired as I was, I didn't want this to end any time soon.
Back on the hill the next tap lasted a long time, and ended with me submitting in a leg guillotine. PJ was right, I was running out of steam. A couple more taps and I laid there, panting for breath. PJ noticed. He looked at the two teenagers. "We want a video of you two rumbling."
Eric glanced at Donny who gave a quick thumbs up. "Submission or folk style?"
PJ said, "It's up to you."
"Submission!" they said at the same time.
PJ said, "Whver wins the most taps in fifteen gets the video and twenty bucks. Get some briefs from the truck. Mike, this is for not going after my shoulder."
Their match was a classic in asymmetric submission fighting: a weasel fighting a raccoon; Donny's speed and skill against Eric's twenty pound muscle advantage. I vided while PJ refereed. The taps came so fast it was hard to keep score, I marveled at the variety of holds they knew. PJ put the video on YouTube two weeks later.. At last count it chalked up over 9,000 views, which is considered semi-viral. Type, 'Teens wrestling submission.' It's 15 minutes of nonstop action. Make some popcorn.
With their match over, Donny said, "Mike, You and PJ went to states a total of five times. We want to see you free style."
PJ, jumped at the idea. "I'm in. Mike, you?"
After ten minutes, I was two taps ahead. I really was better at free style than him.
We went back to submission. And PJ went back to chalking up taps.
"Kenny, How much time do we have left?"
"Kenny caught himself starting to say "shit'. "Crap! You're four minutes over! Sorry about that."
"PJ, you win," Eric said. "You're ahead by one."
"Were we even at the end of 45 minutes?" Eric nodded. PJ looked at me and slowly cracked a smile. "Well, I guess it's my turn to say, I'm not going to steal a victory by night. What do you say Mike, one more for all the marbles?" I nodded and we squared off.
I got him on the ground immediately. There was a brief scramble before I was trying to escape a painful half nelson, only to find myself trying to prevent a headlock scissor combination. I broke out and got to the standing position. We stared at each other for a while before I charged. I caught him in a side headlock and forced him to the ground where I applied all the pressure I could, but the strength wasn't there. I went for a camel clutch. That was the mistake that led to my downfall. We regained our feet. He tripped me to the ground, and jumped on my back securing a full nelson. Then he traded the full nelson for a sleeper. And locked his legs around my waist.
God! Not again, I thought. This is how my day began. "Tap!" he said. I shook my head and didn't answer, still trying to pry myself loose. PJ shouted at Donny, "Get over here! Tell me when he gs out"
PJ increased the pressure.
It was over. The last thing I remember was hearing was someone saying softly in my ear, "Good nite."
When I woke, Four faces came into focus. I heard someone say in a hushed tone, "Wow!."
I peered up at PJ. "Did I tap?"
"No."
I stared at him and slapped the moss three times.
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