Modern Tales
Professional Athlete
The Prologue
Their was a
Professional Athlete, a most talented man,
Who from the day on which she first began
To practice had a goal to professionally play
Dribbling, running, and working out everyday.
He had succeed, being nationally televised
Even in commercials his talent was emphasized.
This man could be considered the best of the best
When he set out the goal, he conquered his quest.
From his achievements he gained wealth
And secured his fortune and his health.
More in a season that most see in a lifetime
If anyone in his family needed money he would give them every dime.
His money went to everything he could possible desire
Even the outrageous, he was an absurd buyer.
Yes it known that he was a very diligent
Watching him perform was truly brilliant.
Every single day you can find in the gym
To keep his body fit and trim.
If I must say he was a good man
Things just happened more than he could stand.Story
Once Jackson left for college he kept in contact with his family. He loved them so dearly and wanted to be successful for them because even since he was little they were poor. He knew he was the only hope for his family to improve their lives. He played college basketball and was granted the M.V.P. multiple times because of his accomplishments. Jackson practiced everyday and improved as one should. The more famous he became the less he would lose contact with people from his home town, mostly his friends. When they reached out to him he always had excuses like “I’m too busy practicing.” Soon his friends gave up trying. When he came home to visit his family, his ex-friends and him were strangers.
Once Jackson became drafted into the professional league he became even more distant and begin to see his family less and less. He would send money to support them but he would hardly visit. He had finally made to the professional league and he had money, fame and thousands of fans. But being so distant from his family he became more and more lonely. So he decided to become friends with his teammates. His teammates told stories about their lives, some have not seen their parents in years. Others have multiple children and have no respect towards women. Their influences began to change Jackson as he developed into a new person. Instead of practicing as much as he use to he began partying and became more promiscuous. Soon he became someone he could not even recognize. He had hurt multiple people and truly felt bad, and his family desperately wanted to see him as his father began to get sick.
But he was too occupied with the glamour of his new life. Soon he meet a man named Owen who was drafted from across the country. He was famous for years and enjoyed the perks of being famous and being able to get away with things a normal citizen could not. Owen and Jackson began to become closer. Owen was able to convince Jackson that his way of living came with sacrificing like not visiting your family was naturally going to happen. The longer they associated Owen was able to convince Jackson that his family was using him for money. Jackson did not visit his family because of this and father grew sicker. Soon his father died, and for the first time in nearly three years Jackson seen his family at his father’s funeral. His mother was disappointed and expressed that she missed her old son that died when basketball season started.
Jackson felt guilty after the funeral, but he still had a job to do. He continued to play, and he also continued to speak to Owen. Owen influenced him to continuing partying, and Jackson hardly exercised any more. He began to become out of shape. After the basketball season was over no team wanted to draft him so he was left jobless, and the women he gained from his fame left him. Even his “friend” Owen stop talking to him. Jackson decided to go home and continue his life.Analysis
Jackson
Jackson is a good person but he was easy influenced. And he mostly lived his life trying to please other people. For example, he wanted to help his family from playing basketball. He did that to please them and help them improve their life. Anyway his family was not a bad influence they were still an influence. The other influence that affect Jackson greatly was Owen who encouraged him to do bad things and made him think that these things were okay. But Jackson did have good intentions but he was someone who was easily influenced and he got caught up in the glamour of this new reality, he forgot what was really important.
Owen
Owen was obvious was the bad character in this story. He was able to convince Jackson that the abusing people was okay because of the fact that they were rich. He was somebody that believed their wealth could get them out of any situation. Owen wanted someone who could live that way with him so he could not be alone, because of the fact that his family abandon him. Owen was a character that did bad but never suffered the consequences from his actions, so his actions continued to worsen. Only until he gets older does karma get him back.
Mother
Jackson’s mother is the only voice of reason in this story. She is a wise woman that only wants the best for her son and she knows that his wealthier lifestyle is not the best for him, because of him abandoning his family to meet new people who are worsening his life. Sadly her evidence is ignored until Owen has no job and is forced out of his dream job.