Live a good life, live it quick, die young. I use to believe that. I was 22 when I decided to dive down on a monster that had been eating people in the neighborhood. I am no Walter Weight, I am just one hundred and eighty pounds, five foot 10 and scrappy. This thing that I was talking about had decided that it was going to play monster under the bed. Ok now that I know, I probably would have decided to bring in an expert now, but hey I was only 22. You can't know everything like I did unless you are 22, and so here it goes.
I would teach martial arts at a local gym. No I wasn't "They call me Bruce" or anything close to that. When you get your black belt you basically are saying that you are ready to learn. I just need the money it gave me to buy books for school. School wasn't going so well at the time, since I had to do this gig and another job and that didn't cover my living expenses. One night I was closing the gym and one of the kids Joey Morgan was sitting on the end of the benches we have in the dojo dress to go home holding himself and rocking. He was a pretty new kid, 9-years-old. His mom wanted him to learn some 'discipline' and he needed a place to hang out a few nights a week while his mom worked as a waitress. So he is sitting there with his back pack and a hoody and some new school jeans. He is rocking himself, it's nine o'clock at night his mom hasn't picked him up yet. So I go ask him "What's up Joey?" he doesn't look up at me. He keeps staring down at the ground. "Nothing" Joey says to me. Now nothing can be nothing. But I see a lot of kids walk through this place. Most don't last more then a few months or so before they have to move. This dojo isn't in the best of neighborhoods. So nothing always means something. So I sit down on the floor on the lower bench then he is with my back to him, I say to him "I saw you today in class your going to go green here in a bit, you are really trying out there. I noticed. Your going to win state if you keep this up." I didn't hear much from him. Except he started to cry a bit. I got up and walked over to our coke machine and hit the sweet spot and out rolled a brand new coke. I don't ever give kids soda normally but coke always seems to make me feel better. I opened the can, offered it to, him he refused. "Suit yourself, when is your mom comming to get you?"
"Sir," he said "Can you walk me home tonight?"
"I don't know Joey, I would have to call your mom." I said.
"Um, Please..." he said. He pulled out a suran wrap plastic bag with all kinds of change and a couple dollars in it. "I can give you this" he offered the bag to me. I don't take money from kids or women and especially my students no matter how old they are. I then noticed a red mark on his neck. I didn't notice it in class, he wore a t-shirt under he gee. My old instructor never allowed kids to wear t-shirts or anything else under the gee. He also didn't allow girls in his class. He was a very old Korean man, he fought in two wars. When you entered his place you left where you were you were now in Korea. You answered in Korean, his son would sometimes speak in english for more complicated things. Not to say he didn't speak English or wasn't a Ph.d
in philosophy, he was, but when your foot crossed his door you were in his world not in yours. I had know him since I was five years old. I secretly believed he had a painting of himself stashed somewhere that aged because he didn't seem to. He also floated when he kicked. I mean like three to five second suspend animation almost floated. I didn't agree with the things he did all the time, but now I understood a bit better.
When I saw that mark under his shirt, I wanted to have a talk with mom's new boyfriend. You know the same kind of talk one man gives another man who likes to beat on a nine year old child.
"Um, we have to call your mom, first but sure I'll go with you how far do you live?" I asked.
"Um just around the block in the Peter-man's Apartments." he replied. I opened the coke and left it on the bench with him. "Let me go into the office and call your mom ok?" I said.
"Ok," he said. I left him there, for a minute and went into the office shut the door. Called his mom.
"Mrs. Morgan this is Sydney Collarman, I have your son here at the Dojo with me..." then I was interrupted.
"I am so, so sorry, dear. I have been working late tonight, would you be a dear and drive him home for me? I'll pick up a few things on the way home, and we can all eat, and I will give you twenty dollars, for all your help." she was fast and good. I would have done it no matter what, but free real food and $20! I was in.
"Sure thing ma'am.See you in a bit." I got the instructions to find the place, It was just really around the corner so me and Joey went for a little walk. --end episode 1 Wanted for the Haunted. Michael tanner
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