Mary and Janet come on stage grab both of us, Off we go,.. We have

10minutes to prepare for the walk. Both the 4th and 5th challenge were going

to b the same e onday. Everybody has poured into the parking lot.. the line is

marked & Me and Jimbob flip a coin to see who chooses 1st or last… He

wins the coin toss.. He says fugliness before beauty..I say I guess your going

1st .. we both start laughing…….. The crowd is silent.. nobody has ever made

it to the walk.. there is no music no noise.. I’m going first.. Jimbob shakes my

hand.. and gives me a hug… “Stand tall, be proud do it the ranger way” see

ya at the other side… The camera stops…….. Mary who came into the room

while I was recording this tape. comes up to me.. It’s time to make you look

respectable… she says.. She goes get’s some warm water. spreads a

blanket on the floor. she starts with my beard.. cutting as much as she can

with a scissors.. then spreading shaving cream all over my face.. sitting on my

lap, soft music is playing.. this may be our last time together… as she shaves

me.. she speaks softly to me.. “Mr. Ahbleza.. it has been a wild ride knowing

you…I love your twin boys.. I have something to tell you .. Your going to be a

father again it’s going to be a girl …” NO Mary. I say .. what if I don’t make it

back.. ‘’ You’ll make it back. If you don’t give me a name for this BABY.. “how

can I name the baby..” JBLAZE.. after their brothers names… John Joe and

Enrique Blaze.. Jblaze… it is she says.. as she’s done shaving me and now

she starts cutting my hair… I guess I looked like a Taliban… ..There is a

moment of silence as she cuts my hair…. I get up and start a slow dance with

her as tears come down my cheeks.. Nobody has ever loved me as much as

Mary….. .. The camera starts rolling.. “Listen boys.. You’re going to have a

sister. her name is “Jblaze.. Michael I guess you have a little more

responsibility.. ..back to the walk… I’m standing ready to walk the line.. I tried

to prepare for this.. but how can you…. The crowd is quiet.. I look at the     

EX-Seals they all acknowledge me by a a clinched fist.. and a slight tilt of the

head.. Then I look at the EX-Rangers and the same clinch fist and tilt.. Mary is

at the other end.. Looking at me.. there are 6 marks on the blacktop.. Seal are

you ready announces Buddha.. Then do the WALK he says.. I take a deep

breath.. 1 2 3 4 stop.. A double WHAM.. I get hit pain races through my body..

I start wobbling… I’m fading.. I can hear JIMBOB.. “Ranger Stand TALL. BE

Proud” I gather myself.. slowly 1 2 3 stop.. this time I get hit at 1 2 the pain

shoots from head to toe…. I close my eyes and remember.. the beatings I

used to get from the other kids because I was different… I had to stand there

and take it.. Jimbob yells. 4 more.. the crowd starts chanting 4 more.. 1 2 3 4

stop.. another double hit in the same spot as the 1st hit… I remember these

words. Sweat and pain is the NAVY Seal way.. I fall to one knee.. Mary

screaming at me GET Up..Get up.. 3 more the crowd yells.. I slowly get

up……close my eyes. all I can feel is the throbbing of my body.. take 4 steps

Seal….. I hear Buddha yell.. 1 2 3 4 bam.. I scream.. I’m in a daze now..

everything is fuzzy 2 more yells the crowd.. nobody has ever done the walk..

I’m the 1st ….. Jimbob and BUDDHA are the only one’s I can hear.. NAVY

SEAL SWEAT AND PAIN Is the NAZY SEAL WAY.. take 4 steps forward

NOW!!!! 1 2 3 4.. My body is weak now. I don’t even feel the next hits….. I

cringe…1 more 1 more 1 more the crowd is yelling…. I open my eyes I see

Mary .. I can hear her say.. “Robert come to me.. come to my arms.. Come on

baby.. one more” I stumble forward. there is the mark.. I stop….. bam.. bam.. a

double hit.. I have to make it to the line 4 steps away.. Mary Mary.. I’m coming

baby I say.. go go NAVY SEAL.. I reach the line and collapse in Mary’s arms..

The Crowd is cheering and yelling they had never seen anybody do the

walk….. I sit in a chair .. Now it’s Jimbob’s turn.. the crowd gets quiet… I try to

yell to Jimbob.. He looks at me and yells if you can do it Beaner so can I .. I

scream “Go white BOY GO, Stand Tall be Proud” I stand up and give him a

NAVY SALUTE.. He salutes back.. BUDDHA yells to JIMBOB.. “Ranger are

your ready.. ask BUDDHA.. Then do the WALK 1 2 3 4 I hear a wham..

and then a SCREAM… He falls to one knee.. I scream get up ranger.. Get

up……. You’re an American Stand tall be proud.. he gathers himself.. close

his eyes and take 1 2 3 4 more steps.. bam bam.. His body twitches his eyes

roll back.. he’s not going to make it….. I get up get next to him… “I knew

rangers were pussies I yell at him.. He grunts and says “piss off seal” takes 4

more steps.. Smack… smack he falls again. .. 3 more yells the crowd.

BUDDHA and ME start 1 2 3 4 you’re a ranger 1 2 3 4 go ranger go… he

pulls himself up.. the crowd is getting louder.. I see Janet at the other end..

Come on BABY 12 more steps she screams. left right left right we scream at

JIMBOB.. 1 2 3 4 he hits the next mark He screams again.. he stops.. mid

scream.. His face changes from a look of pain to calmness. he’s

remembering something… 2 more 2 more..Jimbob seems to be in a trance…

slowly he takes 4 more steps.. bam he gets hit again.. this time his body

barely moves.. 1 more 1 more the crowd is yelling.. again, he slowly takes 4

steps.. gets smacked again .. no noise from Jimbob.. slowly he moves 4

more steps Janet catches him in her arms.. the CROWD goes into a Frenzy..

They just saw 2 men.. do the WALK.. I go up to Jimbob.. I say “Brother we did

it” and we hug .. This is what it is to be an American Stand Tall be Proud we

scream… .. We all go back into Grotto’s the hard rock is playing, dancing and

singing the Cadence songs.. .. I say to JIMBOB.. Be ready White Boy

because I'm going to kick your Butt in Three days, He looks at me and says

Your going to bring your brothers an cousins.. aye Beaner I say No Jimbob

just this Mexican.. we both start laughing

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