Frustration. The Story of a Bodybuilder

That Sunday Manuel was going together his father as so many Sunday mornings on their way by car to pick his teammate up from his house. Another match had to be played today. Javier was waiting leaning against a lamp post.

The match passed off as usual. Manuel did two or three spectacular plays, and, as Javier was, indisputably, the team star, also that day he was the match figure.

But, that morning, a "recruiter"* was watching the match and staring at Javier. That fact would change the things for ever.

Javier joined a football school where "hopes" were coached for to go up to the professional football. Manuel abandoned the team few years after.

Javier's career made progress so quickly as Manuel got depressed. Javier was, each day, nearer of the glory and Manuel was, little by little, more sunk in his frustration.
Manuel blamed his misfortune on his physique and, perhaps, for this reason, he decided cultivate his body.

Nowadays, Javier is a football star in Spain. Exactly, he plays in the Real Madrid. He also is handsome and appears in several TV advertisements and, of course, in the gossip magazines.

I, now, have been almost half a year working hand in hand, the eight hours of each shift with Manuel. He and I, are one of the several teams of work that there are in the factory. Every day someone asks him something about Javier. Will he play this weekend?. Has he been called up for the match this Tuesday against Borusia?... People gives him T-shirts with his number to return signed.

I know him very well. We have worked many hours together and I know he calms each sharp pain in his pride holding firmly each metal piece, depositing abruptly each one in its place, and, day after day, lifting a heavy weight.


                                                     

recruiter* (We have the word "ojeador" to refer us to the person who goes to the matches to find new "hopes" and try to sign him for his team).