The Yo Yo Competition

Saturday morning arrived and with it came the usual elation an eleven year old boy feels 'No School Today!' This particular Saturday was different however, there was a yo yo contest at the local cinema.

It was my habit to go with a few friends to the Saturday Matinee. The yo yo competition had been running for four weeks now and none of the contestants had so far managed to complete all seven tricks. I had watched these previous contests with nervous excitement. I had practiced all seven tricks over and over again, for hours and hours, and could perform all the tricks well. During the third and fourth weeks, I had nearly gone on the stage to enter, then, at the last minute, my courage left me and I stayed in my seat, watching, knowing I could have been the winner. All week I thought of nothing else. I was determined to enter this week, and I hoped to win. As I lay in bed recalling these events I felt butterflies in my stomach. My pulse raced, I started to sweat. I fought to control my fear, I will enter I told myself, I will enter.

A voice filled with castigation brought me back to my senses with a jolt. My Mother was shouting from the bottom of the stairs "Come on Howard, get up, I need you to run an errand for me.

"Later that day as I walked to the cinema with my friends. I thought to myself, well, this is it. My legs felt like jelly. As usual we stopped at the sweet shop on the way. My palls thought it odd I bought no sweets, but were talking excitedly about the cowboy film that was the main feature. I was afraid to eat any sweets least I was sick, my stomach was churning over and over. The contest was in the interval before the main feature. There was the Newsreel and Cartoons first. I saw neither. I was in a world of my own, fighting to control my nerves, willing myself to enter the contest.

Suddenly I heard someone calling. "Any more contestants for the YO YO Competition?" My eyes focus and started to relay reality to me again. The Cinema Manager was on the stage talking into a microphone, the lights were on and a handful of children were making their way to the stage steps. I stood up.

"I think I will have a go this week," I said.
My friends looked up, jaws dropping open, surprise on their faces, for it was well known I was a shy rather timid lad. Yet as I squeezed past their legs I fancied I saw a look of admiration in their eyes. Then they were shouting encouragement as I walked down the aisle to the stage.
"Yeah! Go on Gib! You can do it!"

No turning back now I told myself. I dare not look back in case the sight of all those rows of children sapped my courage. If I were to turn and flee my friends would mock me for weeks. So I stared straight ahead down the aisle as I walked, not daring to glance left or right. I climbed onto the stage and took my place at the end of the queue. I glanced to where my friends were seated. My heart missed a beat. The sight of all those rows and rows of faces staring at the stage, and me, made my throat feel dry. My stomach seemed to be doing an Irish jig. My legs were shaking so much, I thought they were going to give way beneath me. I knelt down and, very slowly, tied my shoelaces, but this did not help, for they continued to shake violently when I stood up again.

The contest was under way now and the Manager was walking down the line of children, first asking each child their name, then asking them to perform the first trick. There were seven tricks in all and every contestant was allowed three chances at each one before being disqualified. By the time he had reached me four children had been knocked out of the contest. He asked my name then said. "Okay Howard lets see if you can do it?

"The first trick was to throw the YO YO out in front of you and catch it after it wound back up the string. I did not throw it hard enough and had to snatch at it to catch it, as it did not quite wind its way back up the string properly.

The Manager said, "Not too happy with that Howard. Try again."
I quickly flicked the YO YO towards the floor to tighten the string. Then, without hesitation, I performed the trick perfectly. The Manager nodded and walked to the boy at the beginning of the line.

There were seven of us now, two girls and five boys. Suddenly, I noticed my legs were not shaking any more, I was still nervous, but now I was focused, thinking of the next trick. This consisted of flicking the YO YO towards the floor so the YO YO spun at the end of the string. The string had to be slackened to allow the YO YO to spin freely. Then there was a knack of twitching the string so the YO YO wound its way back up the string to your hand. One boy and one girl dropped out at this stage. The next trick, which was called ‘Walking The Dog’, claimed all but the boy at the front of the line. Just him and me now.

We glanced at each other, a cold hard look, like two gladiators weighing each other up before the battle starts. The next trick was 'The Pendulum' and he performed it the first time; so did I.
The Cinema Manager said, "Okay, 'Round The World' now. You first this time Howard."
I did it at the first attempt. So did he.

Next came 'The Cradle' which was considered the most difficult of all the tricks.
"You first John." The Manager said to the other boy.
As John tried to make the cradle he let the string slip off one finger. He prepared for another try and this time the YO YO stopped spinning before he completed the cradle.

I held my breath as I watched, he was obviously very nervous now and it was his last chance, I sensed victory. But it was premature; he made it at the last attempt. I succeeded on my first try.

Only one left now 'Loop The Loop'. This was an easy trick compared to most of the previous ones. I wondered why it was left till last. To 'Loop The Loop' you had to throw the YO YO out in front of you, but as it wound its way back up the string instead of catching it, you flicked it back out again catching it the next time round; or so I thought. The string had to be tightened for this one. As we prepared our YO YOs, we glanced at each other, only this time it was no steely eyed look. This time it was a look of mutual respect, for we each knew how many long hours of practice the other had spent honing his skills.

The Manager looked my way nodded and said, "You first Howard."
I sent the YO YO out, back round again and caught it.
"Is that it Howard?" asked The Manager.
I was confused. What did he mean?
I said, "That was 'Loop The Loop wasn't it?"
"Yes," he replied, "Is that it?"
Confused I said, "Well, yes"
"Okay John, your turn." The Manager said.

John looped the loop, not once but seven times before he lost control of the YO YO. Now I understood! I looked towards the Manager to get his attention, but he had turned to face the audience and was speaking into the microphone.

"Well done John. You may choose any prize you wish from the selection there," said The Manager, pointing to the collection of prizes. I rushed to The Manager shouting to make myself heard above the applause of the audience.

"I didn't realise I had to do it as many times as possible," I said, "Can I have another go."
"It’s too late now Howard," he said. "Never mind come back next week, you’re sure to win because previous winners cannot enter again."

Bitterly disappointed, I returned to my friends and explained what had happened. They repeated what The Manager had said, telling me I was sure to win the following week, the last contest in the competition.

Did I win the following week? No, I did not, on Monday afternoon I had an accident at school, I was hit in the mouth with a cricket bat, and had to be rushed off to hospital. But that's another story.

by Howard Gibbon

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