It is really strange that all of my old friends seem to be popping up outta the woodwork recently. Just when I think that I have heard it all, someone from the past just calls out of the blue. Well, today was no different because I got a call from my martial arts instructor, Sensei.
The day started off very quiet. Tita and Ski went to a birthday party while Jonas and I stayed at home to catch up on the classics. You see when we were in the car the other day I saw a poster for the new Indiana Jones movie and realized that Jonas had never seen the original Raiders of the Lost Ark. I felt horrible. Especially with the new Indiana Jones flick scheduled to come out this summer. How could I call myself a good father when I had allowed such a major oversight to occur? To correct my paternal negligence, I grabbed some popcorn from Blockbuster and sat down to experience on of the greatest action/adventure movies of all time with my son. And then……. the phone rang.
I hadn’t heard from Sensei in awhile. It has probably a year or two since we spoke on the phone and about five years or more since we stood face to face. In fact I don’t think we have physically been in the same room since his son, Jay, had gotten married a few years back. Sensei sounded exactly the same way he always did, upbeat and happy. There is always a comical tone in his voice which I have always found ironic since he is probably one of the most physically imposing people that I know. The only way to describe Sensei is to picture someone with the body of a young Jim Brown, the martials arts skill of Bruce Lee and the sense of humor of one of the “Three Stooges”. I have seen him bench press over 300 lbs with ease, break concrete cinder blocks with his open hands, and then giggle like a little boy over something as silly as watching someone trip and fall down. He is a unique individual to say the least. But until I heard his voice I hadn’t realized how much I had missed just talking to him.
Unfortunately, like many of my closest friends, Sensei had moved way a number of years ago. I remember it vividly because it was right that time that I stopped working out. With him gone, most of the brothers at the dojo just drifted off. I can’t speak for the others but practicing martial arts wasn’t the same without Sensei around.
It was great to catch up with him and hear about how all of the guys from the old dojo were doing. Sensei saw one of my earlier posts and wondered if I had continued my workout regiment since I had gotten back from Norway. When I told him that I had, he seemed pleased. We spoke of one of our other dojo brothers, Fame, and that he was still somewhere in Europe performing and recording music. Sensei’s son Jay had become a father for the second time and was still doing security work. We didn’t get around to discussing Sensei’s two brothers, D and Mental (don’t ask), because my son made me cut the conversation short. You see Jonas wanted to watch Raiders. And to tell the truth, I wanted to watch it with him as well. Sensei understood. He is a father too. But before I hung up I made a point to tell Sensei that I would contact him before the week was out for the full scoop on everything.