Tender Thursday

I had a bit of a snooze before I went to class. I ate well and everything seemed to be going my way for the evening’s class, but I had a slight uneasiness in the back of my mind. The weather reflected my mood, not sure if it wanted to rain or not. By the time I got to the Dojo I felt better, all my ill feelings took a back seat. I needed to make sure of my techniques. It was to be my second last class before the grading.

All the usual die hards were in class, we did our warm-ups and then a couple hand speed drills after which we broke up into our groups. I partnered up with my friend. Earlier in the evening he showed signs of being in pain and an inability to continue training. He soldiered on through and offered his services as an Uke. I silently vowed to take it slow with him, but soon the Senseis were barking orders at me. I mind shut down ad my body took over, the Bo wisped around like a sceptre, I didn’t even see my partner anymore, it was like time stopped around me and the only thing I could feel was the Bo in my hands and the only thing I could see was where it was moving to next.

I was no longer in control, my body had a mind of its own and I was a spectator to its destructive power. I was rudely awoken when my friend crashed to the ground. For the life of me I can’t to this moment recall how he ended up there but I seem to remember the sequence in which my muscles contracted. Somehow he didn’t get to do a break-fall and he hit his elbow painfully on the floor. The earlier knock I gave him over the bank of his right eye now seemed like a small transgression against what just happened. For a moment I thought he shattered to pieces on the ground and disintegrated to dust like a porcelain doll does when it drops to the tile floor in the kitchen, but he got up.

The Sensei toned it down a bit and we carried on with the syllabus. I felt good with the Bo in my hands. I knew the moves and I knew how to use its length and reach, its close quarters and its leverage. The Sensei seemed somewhat satisfied, but I know I could use a couple of sessions more to perfect my form. As we greeted and I stuffed my drenched shirt in my bag, one of the senior students challenged me to a boxing match. It was out of left field, I declined. I thought to myself that I should rather focus on the upcoming grading than partake in a futile measure of strength and stamina at this point, but I can’t help but feel a little like a coward for not taking a round with him. I will work the bag a bit at home to make sure I am ready for a proper boxing match in the following days.

Embrace the shadows.