Irvin RodriguezDedicated to Robin Chan!I became what I am today at the age of 5, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1992. I remember the moment, crouching in the back seat of a broken down Toyota, peeking out to the alley near the strip club in the Eastern Section of the City of Angels. As the images move by, I waved goodbye to the place that was once my home. That was a long time ago, but it’s wrong what they say about the past. I’ve learned about how you can burry it, because the past claws its way out. Looking back now, I realize I have been peeking out to that deserted alley for the past thirteen years.
December 1992
Man: Hey, boy! What are you doing there? Why are you in that alley?! Where are your parents? Why do you dwell here alone?
Irv: Yo… yo no se ingles señor, yo me llamo Irvin.
Man: YOU DAMN MEXICAN!! GO BACK TO MEXICO!
He then threw a rock at me… which explains the following…
Irv: Fuck you señor! Eat shit you fuck face! I DO KNOW ENGLISH!
I then ran up to the man and kicked him in the crotch.
Man: Ahhhh!! My gentiles! I’m going to get you, you damn little twerp!
Days later, the Lost Angeles Riot Started… Luckily, I was able to blame it on the African American community, and the Anglo’s sought revenge from the black communities. War waged in my home, the City of Angels wailed in agony destruction raged on. The LAPD was powerless to put in any effort, for they were held back by the long waiting line at Krispy Kreme Donuts. My mother was horrified by the tragic riot, and thought that the blacks would seek the Hispanic community next. To counter such an event, we fled to a town not too far called El Monte.
January 1993
Robin: Hi there boy with the hair that is the color of my skin, my name is Robin Chang. I am a smart Asian, and when I grow up, I will make a fortune bigger than Bill Gate’s. The name on the papers shall be…. ROBIN CHAN! I can see it now….
Irvin: Hi Robin, my name is Irvin. Although I may look white, I really am of Hispanic bloodlines, but whenever I am ashamed to admit it, I just say I’m white. Very ambitious, I must say my dear friend. How about we go play with those there Kanex! They look oh so fun!
Robin: Sure, let me just move Deanna out of the way…. BOOSTA!
Deanna: Ouch! You didn’t have to push me so hard….
Irvin: My deepest apology, my dear… Deanna, however, the desire to play with these is awfully overwhelming… Hi, my name is Irvin by the way…
I never knew why I did this… every time I would come to meet someone, I would always throw in at the end of the point I tried to convey, Hi, my name is Irvin by the way. Almost as if my identity were second rate, not good enough to open a sentence up, or simply not interesting enough.
Irv: Hey, who’s that kid over there? The one playing with the puzzle…
Deanna: That’s Mathew. He’s very shy. He likes puzzles a lot. He’s been working on that one for about a month.
Irv: But it’s only a twelve piece puzzle…
Robin: Wow! You can count to twelve!! *Thinks to himself “This little bastard might be a threat to me later on… I must assassinate him*
I walk up to Mathew
Irv: Hi there, I am told that you go by the name… Mathew?
Pika: Yes, that’s right! What’s it to ya…
Irv: What is it to me? Why sir… it is a name which identifies you, a branch out of your soul, a name that you have carried with you from the moment of your birth ‘till eternity.
Moment of silence
Irv: Say…that puzzle looks rather entertaining, may I join you?
Pika: Sure… a splendid idea…
Ten minutes later, Pika was in tears…
Irv: Mathew… awww, don’t cry. It’s quite alright, I’m sure that last puzzle piece is in a better place…
Pika: *sob* *sob* But…. *sob* I really… *sob* wanted to… *sob* SEE THE KITTY! *breaks into uncontrollable crying*
1995 SpringI met the child Alexander Voulkofsky Yennon in the third grade. It was a match of handball… and oh boy, did my hands direct something at his balls….
Stacy: LET’S ALL PLAY HANDBALL!
Jose: Ok… everyone line up!
As the game went on, every child was sent out… and an amazing display of handball was shown by Alexander and me… and soon only we remained. The game seemed endless. I endured the longest game I had ever fought, and out of my frustration…
Irvin: FUCK THIS!
I hit a bullet, and it went directly to Al’s crotch.
Oh man… uh… are you alri ght there?
Al: (In agony) Ohhh…… my balls… my wee-wee… ohh! Why oh why you MERCILESS BUDAH! WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO ME?!
Irvin: I am deeply sorry, I… I fear I know not what overcame me…
Al: (Still, in agony) AHHHHH!!! THE PAIN!
At the time, we were not as well informed as a sixth grader was in the sexual organs one had, and we did not yet know why it was so much pain was inflicted upon a human when that specific area was hurt, and up to this very day I question why… Why lord, why do our balls hurt so badly when something with an unbelievable force comes into contact with it? Why is it that the Chinese could get their enemies to say what they wished by simply emitting electrical impulses to send shock to ones genitals? I doubt I will ever know, for the major I seek is no where in the field of science…
September 1999It wasn’t until our sixth grade year, that Robin, Alexander, and I made such a strong bond. This bond was unbreakable. We enjoyed moments of wrestling, writing comic books, and by golly we made the funniest shi’ite around!
Boredom in the Lunch line…Irv: Damni! I declare war on your ass damnit! Robin… your ass is grass me friend!
Robin: I am afraid not, for you see, I take all the Japanese video games ever made, and all of use combined shall take your ass down!
Irv: Oh yea, well, I will take every single video game any OTHER people made and we… shall… kick ass!
Robin: No one is match for my Super Mario Brothers, for, even though they are Italian, they were born in Japan baby… Mario Brothers attack!
Irv: Ahhh! I’ve been hit. We’ll see about that! Go…. Holly shit! Americans never made video games, I’m in deep shit now! Think Irvin…. think… GO SUPERMAN! Kick those damn Italian wimps ass! What’s this? They appear to have switched sides?! Ha! It seems they never gave up that back-stabbing Italian side of theirs…
Robin: Oh no! Errr…. GO SONIC! KICK SOME BUT! USE THOSE… thingies, you know, the ones on your back… TO DEFEAT THEM ONCE AND FOR ALL!
Irv: Go Mario brothers! Use that fireball thing, now! Burn his ass… like um… GRASS!
Robin: Ah…. POKEMON! GO! All 150 of you! Attack!
Irv: Holy gingersnaps! Spiderman, Fantastic Four, Hulk, Superman, Iron Man…. Uh… uhh, holy shit they near us! Um… DIGIMON, go!
Now, I know, Digimon where also Japanese, but no one had to know that… It was a long, imperishable, imaginary battle that seemed to never end, and then…
Al: Ahh… you guys, not again. Stop this, oh screw this, I’ll stop this once and for all. PIKACHU, THUNDERBOLT IRVIN’S ASS! (Pikachu the pokemon, not Mathew Marquez…)
Naturally, them both sharing the Asian heritage, they were going to team up against me, like a pack of wolves who team up against a helpless deer in a winter storm. Then, before the battle could even end, the line kept moving, and we went in to get our lunch. Then Nintendo got the awesome idea to make Super Smash Brothers, shortly after, and I wonder where they got the idea to do so…
Another sport that we followed very passionately was the sport of GERMAN DODGEBALL! Just the word German gives on a sense of fright, the type on might get when they are about to be placed inside of a gas chamber….
Dodgeball 1998This was a year before the whole battle in the 6th grade. Al and I had unmatchable skills in the sport of dodgeball….
It was the fifth graders versus the sixth graders, and us being considerably smaller, we were expected to lose… but ooooohhh did we fight the odds. We went to Mountain of Valhala, plucked an ass-hair off the ass of a dead Viking, ran around the world and clicked our heels three times…
Only Al and I remained….
Irv: Al, we must be strong, and work together, AND WE MIGHT BE THE FIRST CLASS TO BEAT THE SIXTH GRADERS!
Al: Ok… you take care of the throwing, I take care of the catching, we can do this! Oh yea!
Robin: Boosta!!!
Al: Ugh! You’re out Kenny! Whoops! I seemed to have tripped; I sure do hope that Irvin catches the ball… Irvin… IRVIN!!!!! STOP FLIRTING DAMNIT! GET THE BALL!
Irv: Oh snaps! Yoink! Caught ‘cha! AH!
Irv and Al: Yes! PAUL IS OUT!! We almost won this!
Robin: Boosta!!
We ended up beating the sixth graders twice, and twice it went down to Al and me to save the day…
Wrestlemania 2000As we an older age, we noticed our stronger bodies could do much more than they were capable of doing before. We began to wrestle. I was most interested in the Cruiser Weight Championship, Al wanted the Hardcore Championship, and Robin wanted the World Heavyweight Championship. I was lucky enough to have held all three of these, and both the Hardcore and Cruiser Weight Championship simultaneously.
I held the Cruiser Weight Championship title two separate times, for I won it to hold it for the first time, lost it, and won it back.
Announce: Oh, no! What’s this?! Irvin seems to have taken down Mark. All he must do now is pin him. OH NO! HE’S WORKING IN THE WALLS OF JERRICHO!
Robert M comes running down towards the match…Announcer: What’s this? Ahh! Irvin has just been kicked off of Mark… Oh no! Robert is going to “Rock Bottom” Irvin. OH! Irvin punches him in the spleen, and he works in a DDT! IRVIN NOW HAS PUT THE WALLS OF JERRICHO ON ROBERT! OH DEAR THIS IS MAYHAM! Lady’s and gentlemen, this is one spectacular match… incredible… Oh…Mark has gotten up, he’s still half dazed. Irvin picks him up, OH, HE’S SETTING UP FOR A SPINEBUSTER! OH GOD HE’S ON A RAMPAGE! Oh Lord. Look at this, HE’S CLIMBING THE CHAIN FOR A SENTON BOMB! Oh! He landed it! He goes down for the pin. One… two… three!! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE HAVE A NEW CHAMPION!!!!
That was one hell of a moment, and I thought I was unstoppable. Then came along Robert Villa, who took away the title with the help of Mr. Mark Cruz. However, to win it back, I had to face them both in a deadly Triple Threat Match.
Announce #1: Hello, and welcome ladies and gentlemen, to Summer Slam of 2000! I tell you, we feared the bug Y2K, but now we fear the Walls of Y2J!!!
Announcer #2: This is going to be a phenomenal match up, I believe it it’s the first Triple Threat Match here at Cherrylee…
Announcer #2: That is right… and entering the arena now is Mark Cruz!!!
Announcer #1: I say… many favor him to win this title today! He was the reason that Villa has the title today… he should be grateful!
Announcer #2: I agree… oh, and entering now is Irvin Rodriguez!
Announcer #1: Oh… he is a spectacular wrestler, too bad that he is not like by many… It was an incredible show he gave when he wont the title, although sometimes one might challenge his choices in the ring to be rather… stupid?
Announcer #2: I call it… daring! And entering now is… ROBERT VILLA! THE CRUISER WEIGHT CHAMPION!
Announcer #1: Not the best wrestler in the group, but certainly the favorite of all… He is like for his looks, rather than his skill.
Announcer #2: He’s going to need more than looks to win this match…
Bell RingsAnnouncer #1: And the match has started!
We beat each other senseless… every ounce of strength in our body in order to win that title. Since Villa and Mark were friends, they decided tot team up on me, but when the time to pin me came, neither one would let the other do so, and ultimately ended up fighting amongst themselves. When I finaly regained my strength back, I allowed the two combatants to battle it out for a great while… then I interfered…
Announcer #2: Oh, what’s this? Irvin has gone up to the rope! He’s going to go for a Senton Bomb! Oh! He has landed on both of the fighters! Oh… and he kicks Villa on the side!
Announcer #1: That must have hurt!
Announcer #2: Oh… and he is going to win this by a tap out?! He PUT IN THE WALLS OF JERRICHO ON VILLA! Villa is about to tap out!!!
Announcer #1: Oh!! And Mark delivers a Clothesline from Hell! Mr. Villa seems to be out!!! Oh, now Mark gets Irvin, it looks like he is going to spine buster him… Irvin is up in the air….
Announcer #2: Oh lord! This might be over… OHH! IRVIN REVERSED IT!! DDT! DDT! OMG! WE MIGHT HAVE A NEW CHAMPION! WE MIGHT HAVE A NEW CHAMPION! He gets the PIN! One… two…
Announcer #1: Oh no… Villa is up… and Villa goes to break the count…
Announcer #2: THREE! WE HAVE A NEW CHAMPION! WE HAVE A NEW CHAMPION! THE MATCH HAS ENDED.
Announcer #1: And Villa delivers a blow to the groin to Irvin! CAPITALIZATION!! And now he begins to beat what is left of Mark…
After the match, I snuck away… and happy that I won the title. My companion Al Beat Arturo Chavira, and won the Hardcore Title, and Robin beat Mathew Sandeval for the World Heavyweight Championship. We later went on to for the APA… Acolyte Protection Agency, and provided “assistance” to those in help in return for milk cartons and lunch. We even got Robert Villa to give us his lunch for a week in assistance in his restroom match. He was battling a Fierce Four-Way Match for the World Championship Title. This was after Robin had lost it, and refused to attempt to win it back. We were eating lunch, when we walked by the restroom, and found that Robert Villa had lost the title. He was screaming “Beka has big boobies” at the top of his lungs, yet to no avail… Our battle cry we had agreed on did not reach our ears, and he lost his title.
Summer 2000It was the summer of 2000, the end of our Cherrylee years, that Robin, Al, and I had to finally part. Al and I would always remain friends, however, Robin had to part us and seek a higher education than us. Destiny called, a force much greater than we would ever be able to understand. And as we shared a final moment of grief, tears, and memories of the fond past we shared, we had one last group huddle, one last group BOOSTA, and one last hand shake and goodbye. We never saw Robin after that….
Many would say that was the end of a great friendship, but really, that was the start of something great, a force mightier than the sword… The Assmen….