As usual, we’re greeted at the door by Joe. We roar again, "Every person in here better be giving it their all!" I then look up to Mike and say, "We do that every day too. Psyches people up for their workout." Armstrong leads into the weight area and I follow after waving to Joe. He stands in the middle of the floor and clears his throat loudly. Everyone stops what they’re doing and looks at the giant. "This here’s Big Mike," he bellows as he points to Mike on his shoulder, "he’s with us. Treat him like the big man he is." Mike turns a slight shade of red as our gym mates stand up and start calling him "Big Mike". I can tell what Mike’s thinking right now and I laugh inside, but we’ve got to build his confidence up a bit too.

We change in the locker and return. Today’s leg day, so we warm up real quick. I do my warm up set while Armstrong explains the physics and such behind the various exercises before he follows suit. Mike’s taking it all in well and we give him some warm up sets to do. As we’re lifting, one of the other guys yells, "Hey Big Mike, can you toss me that 45lb weight near you." Mike beams with pride and lugs the weight over to him. "Help me put this on the bar," he says and Mike does a good job helping out. Armstrong and I smile as we see him stand tall and proud, getting used to being called Big Mike instead of Little Mikey.

We finish our leg workout at around 9 p.m. We’re condensing our workouts so we can get Mike home in time. We shower up and change, Mike getting more and more comfortable around us. Joe has our usually ready for us and we head out. I say to Mike, "Drink half of that shake now, half after you eat tonight." He nods and hops into Armstrong’s truck. "He’s doing real well. He will go far," I think to myself as I watch them drive off.

************************************************** **********************

I’m enjoying my shake as we pull up into my yard. Armstrong punches me on the shoulder and says, "See you tomorrow Big Mike!" I love that name: Big Mike. It sounds so good. I punch him back and say, "Sure thing big guy!" I hop out of his giant truck and head into my house. As I come in, I’m trying to decide what to have for dinner.

"My parents probably have left some leftovers. Maybe I should’ve asked them what I should be eating. Damn, why didn’t I think of this sooner? I probably can’t eat just anything. Crap, what if I screw up something."

I walk into my house and smell the aroma of freshly grilled steak. "Damn it smells good in here," I think "Can I have steak? Damn. If it tastes good, it’s probably not good for me. Maybe I’ll find some celery or something." My dad is at the kitchen table when I turn the corner, sitting with a empty plate in front of him and a full one next to him.

"Evening son, how was the gym?" he asks.

"Real good dad, I’ll tell you about it soon as I find something to eat." I say as I head toward the fridge.

"Why are you looking, your food is right here," he comments.

"I don’t know what I can and can’t eat. I didn’t ask the guys, so I’m going to have some veggies or something"

My dad laughs a bit and stands up. "Don’t worry. Sam told me all about what a big man like you needs to get big. I went out after I dropped you off and went to a wholesale store Sam told me about. I picked up a bunch of stuff he suggested: Steak, brown rice, veggies, a steam cooker, a rice cooker, some boneless skinless chicken, some vitamins and a ton of other stuff." He motions his hand around and I see tons of supplies scattered about. There is stuff all over the place. That wholesale store must specialize in selling in bulk.

"So, don’t worry about what to eat. Sam told me exactly how you should be eating and your mom is helping out by cooking for you and making your lunches each day."

I stand in awe of it all. These guys are truly amazing. I run up to my father and hug him. "Thanks dad!" "We know you’re serious son, so we’re here to help," he whispers to me. My mom walks into the kitchen and I hug her too. "I love both of you so much!" "Go wash up for dinner" my mom orders, and I put my shake down and run up the stairs to clean up for dinner.

The steak was excellent and I’ve never had steamed veggies and rice before. I scarf them down like a ravenous wolf. My dad starts the conversation off, "Slow down boy, I’ve never seen you so hungry!"

"Yeah dad, I don’t know what it is, but I’m almost starving"

"What kinda stuff is going on at the gym?"

"Man dad, it’s awesome. Sam and I waited outside the gym for Armstrong and we talked and talked while looking at the sky. Then Armstrong got there and they punched each other and hugged then Armstrong did the same for me and then Armstrong carried me on his shoulder like you did, and we went in the gym. They roared really loud about everyone working their best and then Armstrong introduced me as Big Mike. Then everyone started calling me Big Mike. It was so cool!"

"Sounds like these two are really nice guys," my mother comments.

"Yeah mom, they’re so cool and big and strong and impressive and nice. They’re easy going but they work hard and they make me work hard too and I feel good when I’m around them and I wanna work hard and be big like them and dad. And I’m gonna do it too! I’m gonna be big and strong and tough just like dad and them and then I’m gonna play defensive lineman and break your record dad and put my new trophy right next to yours in the case downstairs."

"I know you will son," my dad says.

I continue to devour my food and my dad says before I finish, "When you’re done, I have something to show you in the basement." I finish up and polish off my shake. We head down and he turns on the light. I look ahead to the trophy cabinet and I can’t believe my eyes.

Where the cabinet was full with pictures and trophies, it now stands half full. My dad tells me to look closer. I walk up to it and I see on the top shelf screwed in the center is a nameplate that says "Mike Evans". My dad walks up to me and says "I know you’re going to do great things. This is for when you do." I feel tears welling up in my eyes and I run and hug my dad again. "Thanks dad, you’re so awesome."

"Anything for you son. Now let’s watch some T.V."

I sit down with my father, lay my head in his chest and fall asleep watching SportsCenter. •