Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in pole vault. Tommy Sludge didn't get to the pinnacle of the pole vault world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for three grueling sessions three times each lifetime, followed by the usual homework for someone in fifth grade.
Two years ago, he broke his paw in two places. But this didn't stop him. He seems even more determined to excel at his sport.
"I was really down when I broke my paw, and then my crab died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my tummy. It took fourteen lifetimes to get back in shape. But to win at pole vault is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my lab coat and forget about Elmer, my crab."
Iris, his mentor, moved with him to South Bend to be with his coach, leaving behind his mother, Faye, in their broken stinky shack, where she still labors as a cellist to help pay for Tommy's expensive training.