Monday 12 September 2011

Paint the Fence


I have been upgraded! I used to be a no-belt in the corner, dressed in gray and blue sweats while everyone else looked swanky in their white gi. But no longer! I too have joined the ranks of the few, the proud, the worthy. During our exercises, my gi started to come undone, and a kind orange-belt helped me to tie it back on. I learned that orange is the belt right above my own, and I feel a kinship to her just because we are both on the same side of the scale. At the end, a blue-belt clapped me on the shoulder and gave me one of those you-did-good-kid smiles because yeah, I did good.

 Pain does not exist in this dojo.

I punched so hard my knuckles are swollen, though most of the damage is on my right. The swelling is making my fingers stiff, and I expect a beautiful bruise come tomorrow. My father, appalled that his daughter was coming home with tissue damage, said he would buy me sparring gear.

I had just settled down in front of the television with a bag of frozen broccoli over my hands when the doorbell rang, and (of course) no one could get the door but me. I went to open it, still in my gi, broccoli bag in hand--it's our neighbor Joakim who wants a bicycle pump. I fished one out of the umbrella stand and handed it to him; he glanced at my bag of broccoli, decided against asking, and disappeared out into the darkness.

2 comments:

hope said...

YAY! I'm so proud of you working all the way up to white belt. One day soon you'll be able to help fellow fighters keep their gi together and give them you-done-good smiles. :)

Unknown said...

Actually, a white belt is the beginning. All I really did was buy the gi, but that's still an improvement.