The Return Of Master Kevin

As soon as they entered the room I knew they were here for me.

I didn’t look over, or stop practicing my forms, when it was time my teacher would call me over.

The two men followed my teacher to the office room and closed the door as the conversation continued.

That doesn’t mean I wasn’t interested in finding out what was going on, as I quietly switched my position in the dojo so I could continue practicing while keeping an eye on the office, watching them through the glass window.

I couldn’t’ figure out what was going on but whatever it was, it was serious.

When my teacher shifted his gaze across the office to the dojo floor, catching the eye of one of the senior students in the dojo, I knew it was time as the senior student called out.

Roppo, the teacher want’s to see you. 

Acknowledging the request I stopped my form, walked across the floor, bowed out at the threshold and stood outside the office waiting to be acknowledged.

When the door opened, I bowed to the other men, and took my place next to my teacher.

I figured I would never see these two again, and definitely not here in the dojo, as it had been a little over a year since our martial arts exchange program which I participated in.

The first man was Master Kevin, and from what I could see he was the same just on how he stood and carried himself.

The other man was Elder Brother Josh, and while I left on fine terms, I could also now see he hadn’t softened up since our last exchange. 

Now with the four of us in the room I found out why they were here.

Master Kevin spoke softly and only to my teacher, as if Elder Brother Josh and myself weren’t even in the room.

Master Kevin had to step away from the school for a few weeks to take care of his parents and Elder Brother Josh was going to be temporarily in-charge of the school and he needed a number two to help him.

Pausing for a moment, my teacher turned to me and asked if I still had my uniform from the school.

This was all the information I was going to get, and asking about the uniform was the yes or no, or rather the illusion of it, as there was no other response than yes.

I replied that yes I do still have my uniform.

To say otherwise would put my teacher in an awkward position in-front of another master and his senior student. If my teacher didn’t want me to say yes, Master Kevin never would have made it to the dojo in the first place.

When I was dismissed I returned to the dojo floor and continued my forms.

A few days later I was in the front seat of a car, Master Kevin in the back, as Josh drove to the airport.

The ride was silent and quiet with no talking, which felt out of place to me. While I understood the teacher-student relationship very well, and that one is never truly *out* of class, there are times when the lines blur a bit.

In our school this is why the pizza shop, tea house, and Japanese restaurant were important, they were places where after some food and drink teacher and student could be a bit more open yet still keep the geometry.

I was beginning to wonder if this was going to be a long four weeks.

Josh pulled up to the departure gate, and got out to carry Master Kevin’s bags and see him through the gate. Instinctively I slid over to the drivers seat and told Josh if I was forced to move, I’d just circle back around.

When the two got out I kept my composure but observed them through the car mirror.

Walking through the gate I saw Master Kevin’s composure change for a moment, a hesitation of a man not wanting to get on that plane. A new composure that in this situation he was not Master Kevin, but rather just Kevin.

I circled around twice before seeing Josh again, picking him up he got in the back seat of the car as we headed to the school.

The school was in a new location, half of a building on the corner of a main street, a mural of Master Kevin on the wall with Chinese characters written above him and on the side.

There was no way to miss it.

Josh wanted to check me in before class the next day, give me a key, show me the alarm codes, and go over anything for the next few weeks.

I was listening to what he was saying, but it was through watching his posture and movements that revealed what was not being said.

He had always been the number one student, the Elder Brother, and that was a nice place to exist. It came with definitive boundaries, respect, and benefits, but now Josh was in an intermediary place.

He wasn’t the Elder Brother, he wasn’t the Master, and now he was in-charge of somehow keeping things going.

The best he could hope for was Master Kevin walking back into the school and everything was normal and status quo.

Anything else would put Josh’s world at risk.

And yet, in his movement as he showed me around the school there was something else.

Something I wasn’t told, something as to the conversation that my teacher and Master Kevin had before I was called into the office, something that Josh knew but was to scared to tell me right now.

When Josh asked me if I remembered any of the forms he was shocked when I dropped into position and performed the first set. I remembered the forms I was shown from the exchange, and while they lacked some depth, they were passable enough.

I asked Josh why he was surprised.

Master Kevin had shown and instructed something important to his school, and in my school that meant one carries the responsibility to practice it and keep it.

When training started apparently the class didn’t know Master Kevin was going to be away for a while.

Elder Brother Josh had started the first set of forms while Master Kevin’s chair where he sat was empty, which caused some confusion.

It was after the first set that Josh explained things to the class.

Master Kevin would be away for four weeks on personal business and Josh would be instructing the classes according to the outline Master Kevin left.

I was introduced as his second, and while he was not a Master, and I was not an Elder Brother, we would be working together in those roles until the return of Master Kevin.

It was an interesting place to be.

A few of the students remembered me and the new ones wondered who I was and what my relationship to the school must be.

The next few weeks went well.

Quite well.

Quiet and no problems.

I helped with the first form, and other wise served as the person who Josh demonstrated techniques on.

I took my role and expectations seriously.

Keep the school quietly running and make Josh look good.

A little more than halfway through the time, in the middle of week three, I found out what Josh was worried about and what the conversation between Master Kevin and my teacher was.

A martial arts expo.

Once a year there was a martial arts expo in the community, as various schools hosted a table and performances at the park. It was an important day for the school and Master Kevin as they always put on an impressive display.

Master Kevin was not here to lead the day.

Josh was.

After class with the senior students Josh went over the program and the various routines they would be performing as I remained silent and waited for Josh to either assign me a responsibility or ask my opinion, which surprisingly he did.

My input was that I would serve best by manning the school table for the day.

I could hand out fliers, answer any questions, and take care of the administrative stuff by myself.

Josh wouldn’t have to worry about it, and that would free up three other students to add more numbers to the performance. He agreed my suggestion was a good one, and that it would be one less thing for him to track and worry about for the day.

How did Master Kevin mange to do it all?

In the center of the park was a raised platform for the demonstrations throughout the day, and set up around the perimeter were various tables featuring the martial arts schools in the area.

I could see that many of the school were using the day as a recruitment drive, offering free uniforms, free classes, and various discounts.

A few of the schools, Master Kevin’s included were using the day to make a statement.

When we got the schedule of demos for the day, and I saw who we were going on with in the afternoon, I became concerned and immediately wondered if I should say anything.

And if I should, how to say it.

I should say something.

My role demanded I say something.

Giri.

When I found a moment to catch Josh alone I told him that he had to change the routine, form which he looked at me like I was crazy.

With only a few hours to go and two weeks of practice behind it?

What was I talking about.

I pulled out the schedule of events and showed him the martial arts school that would be performing on the stage with us.

And?

I didn’t know about that particular school, but I knew about the style.

The ryu.

A very old and famous Japanese sword school, and one that the our school could not compete with, should not compete with.

For a moment Josh got angry, feeling as if I was saying that art was better than his art, but when I explained it another way he understood.

The crowd that would be watching us, who in that crowd really understood the nuances of the sword, who really knew what they would be looking at?

What was the level of discernment?

It would be about flash, about expectation, and on stage that ryu would have us beat.

To put it even another way: both schools would be doing a sword demo, which one would look more impressive to the masses?

Our school cutting and slashing in the air, or their school cutting bamboo targets, as that is what they would be doing, that is what they do.

They were not here to perform, they were here to demonstrate.

A recommendation?

Switch the routine.

Being out the pole arms, the long axes with all the rings on them, the spears, and exotic long weapons.

The flash of that, the sight, the sounds of the movement, that was the strength in the moment.

The ryu could not compete with that.

There was still time to get the pole arms from the school.

It wasn’t that Josh was afraid of the change, it was because he knew I was right. Josh only had one question, why would I tell him this, why would I go against a school that was in the same tradition as my own?

Was I?

Right now, and for the next week and a half, his school, this school, was my school and my duty and obligations was to it. 

Calling over one of the seniors he made the call and sent them to get the pole arms from the school.

Two weeks later my teacher pulled me aside after class and gave me a red envelope with a letter inside, and when I asked what as inside he replied that he has no idea.

The letter was for me and was given to him by Master Kevin directly.

The instructions were very specific and for me not to open it, as in if I opened it it would no longer carry the weight it did.

Master Kevin remarked to my teacher that he was very appreciative of the assistance I gave to Elder Brother Josh, and that in the future if things should change and I ever found myself looking to train in a Chinese martial arts school, all I had to do was present this letter and everything else would be taken care of. 

First story: How To Be A Guest