A Letter to the Holy Sensei Shin, from Ernest Brothers [LIF2018] WRITER

Most Holy Sensei Shin,

I'd like to firstly declare that I don't intend to come off as passive-aggressive, aloof, or avoidant in writing an e-mail rather than talking in person. I think you will believe me when I say that I do not possess the "gift of gab"...I express myself best through composition.

I had a couple of issues in class.

My hands, wrists, and arms are my livelihood right now: serious as death. I don't have a Plan B and I can't fail. Long story. (Actually, I think it's ludicrous that I am required to learn both hand-to-hand combat AND classical mandolin, but that's clearly not your jurisdiction.)

My point is, I cannot afford to learn to protect myself after the fact. That is a young man's game and in spite of my youthful appearance and good looks, I'm no spring chicken.

Tonight, something wasn't working right with my pad-holding and my wrist started to hurt when my sparring-partner did his left roundhouse. (I emphasize this: Neither his more-powerful right roundhouse, nor his knee thrusts, nor his punches, nor his push kicks, were problematic. The wrist simply wasn't taking the left roundhouse and I am confident my wrap was sufficiently tight.)

My wrist hit a critical point. It is utterly imprudent for me to subject it to unnecessary pain when nothing else seems to be a problem. When I expressed concern about the pain and said I could not take anymore of the kick, I honestly perceive - admittedly, I am occasionally wrong - that I received a little pushback from my sparring partner about it. ("Pfft. Why not?"; perhaps a little attitude.)

I can take a hit as hard as anyone alive as long as I know what I'm doing, but I am not skilled yet in the ways of your dojo: it is patently manifest that I can hardly balance on my own feet. I know it, you know it, and everyone can see it plain as day.

I need to know that I reserve the right to say, at any time, "For now, I need to stop"? Do I?

When it is self-evident to everyone that I am not confident in what I am doing, plus I can observe that I am the object of ridicule when I say "This hurts in a way that doesn't feel right", and then told, "This ain't paddy cake", it makes me suppose perhaps that I really don't fit in with the culture of the gym and that I should move on.

(Purely as an aside: on some level, why shouldn't a beginners class resemble paddy cake? Compared to each other person there, I'm flexible as a crowbar, graceful as a quadriplegic. A true beginner.)

An utter beginner can't hope to do more than one or two basic things, even clumsily: it is not neurologically possible. These sorts of things rely on thoughtful training of dynamic movements. A nexus of subtle reflexes. That's the truth of it, and we can't beat it. I am under the impression that you know this well.

I'm doing the best I can, I want to learn, and I honestly do not think I am being a bitch about this. I would not condescend to dictate how your classes should go. I'll find another way if I have to. What do you think?

In closing, I will reflect upon my difficult interactions with people. It seems like I have to use words as hard as cannonballs to get my point across and then people think I'm a #ing asshole and it's all for naught.

LOL. That's life, I guess.

I'm sorry for the long email. I hate them too.

Fraternally yours,

Ernest Brothers

a reply to: DictionaryOfExcuses

I liked this story. Slightly more than 50 words but I liked it regardless.

S&F

a reply to: DictionaryOfExcuses

Many come to classes but last only one or two - it's not for them . Endure to survive hardships !

You have come to learn to fight , yet , you expect to ask allowances for handicaps ?

if you cannot control and protect yourself from your own weaknesses ,
how will you learn to control and protect from the advances of others ? Your thoughts must inform your actions !

An injury is a great teacher , from it you shall learn and know what matters or not . Its not a cookery class .
You don't want it to worsen . So change your positions accordingly !

Want to learn these skills , or leave as the others do . The untrained often bolster their egos with delusions , puff their muscles with faux hardness , and then find themselves asking for mercy . Get Real !

a reply to: DictionaryOfExcuses

This had me laughing DOE!

friend.

a reply to: DoctorBluechip

I suspect that you are not a real doctor.

a reply to: zosimov

Thanks for reading. I'm working on character development for a story and this is just a bit of loosely related stuff that seemed to want to be written last night.

I've been doing lots of reading and starring and flagging but keeping mum on most commenting. Mostly lurking.

Thanks for the soda pop, I was thirsty.

a reply to: DictionaryOfExcuses



Now that is how to write a story. Absolutely Grand. Thank you.