I USE THE METAPHOR OF A MOVIE SET: FROM IT'S LEAD ROLES AND SUBORDINATE ONES...TO THE IMPLICIT
UNDERSTANDING OF THE LADDER THAT EXISTS AS ONE RISES TO THE OCCASION AND DABBLES. I DON'T
STATE THIS BUT IT'S EASIER TO HAVE ON HAND IN THE TOILET OF MY MIND
I THINK IT STARTED WITH MY BEING FRUSTRATED WHEN PEOPLE WERE TOO FAR BEHIND, OR INFREQUENT FOR
ATTENDENCE. IT MATTERS WHO'S THERE OF COURSE--BUT IT ALSO MATTERS TO ME, WITH ALL THE SET BACKS
TO SET THE BAR AS HIGH AS THE TOP OF THE CLASS, HIGHER IF I CAN GET AWAY WITH IT.
I'M BLESSED--OR CURSED, TO HAVE THREE UNSTABLE GUYS IN THE CLUB NOW WITH ALOT OF STREET EXPERIENCE.
IF NOTHING ELSE IT HELPS DISPELL A FEEL GOOD ILLUSION ON FIGHTING:
TO GIVE YOU THE MOST RECENT WATER COOLER SIDE SHOWS OF EACH,
-ONE DECIDED THAT ON THE DAY OF HIS MUM'S
DEATH, HE WAS MORE EQUIPED TO DISASSOCIATE AND BEAT UP SOMEONE HE HAD A GRUDGE FOR--WHO LATER, CAME
WITH FRIENDS AND RETURNED THE FAVOR. HE DIDN'T SEEM PLUSSED WITH EITHER HALF OF THE STORY. HE'S BI POLAR
FOR REAL, AND HAS A HOST OF OTHER THINGS THAT KEEP HIM ON THE FRINGE.
-ANOTHER THAT SEEMS TO GET INTO ALOT OF FIGHTS FOR WHAT I THOUGHT WAS REALISTIC, AND WHO HAS A MENTALLY
UNSTABLE BROTHER WHO WAS JUST RELEASED FROM PRISON--AND WILL PROBABLY GO BACK SOON BY THE SOUND OF IT, HAS JUST [I LEARNED] BEEN CHECKED INTO A PSYCH WARD FOR SOME REASON...ANOTHER NUTTER.
-THE LAST [AND THIS HELPS ME UNDERSTAND THE DC CRIMINAL LEANINGS--BEING LARGELY ATTRIBUTED TO ILLNESSES
AND ACCULTERATIONS THAT WOULD RENDER MOST FOLKS JADED] HAS ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE 'BROTHERS' WHO HAS
ALREADY GONE BACK--THIS IS MORE OF A MENTOR AS HE HAS NO REAL BROTHER.
THESE THREE GUYS ARE PROBABLY SOME OF THE BEST STUDENTS I'VE EVER HAD. SO, APART FROM HEAVILY MONITORING
THEIR ACTIONS...WITH SHORT LEASH GUIDELINES...I HAVE BEEN STRUCTURING THE CLASS AROUND THE LEVEL OF ABILITY JUST A WEE BIT BEYOND THEIR COLLECTIVE EXPERIENCES. WHAT RESULTS IS THAT THE WHOLE CLASS DOES
PAD WORK--TO INCLUDE SEVERAL KINDS OF DRIVE BACKS...THEN TOWARD THE MORE REALISTIC TAKE DOWNS AND
MULTIPLE ATTACK DRILLS...WE START GETTING SOME FOLKS THAT JUST DON'T WANT TO RIDE THE HOT SEAT. THEY'LL HOLD PADS, RUN STUFF BACK AND PUT IT AWAY. THEY ARE THE WATER BOYS OF THE CLASS. THE APPRENTICE SAMURAIS
THAT 1000 YEARS AGO MIGHT HAVE HAD TO CLEAN DINGLEBERRIES OUT OF UNMENTIONIBLE AREAS. THE LACKIES THAT
CATOR TO THE WHIMS OF THE PREFICTS. AND THE SOD AWFUL POSITION, THUS FAR, HAS LED ALL TO WANT TO CLIMB
THE LADDER. WHILST WE DON'T HAVE BELTS, THIS IS THE STRIATION AND GRADATION I HAVE ASCRIBED TO.
AFTER ALL, A FIGHT IS A FIGHT...WHAT'S THE GOOD OF GIVING THEM A WALTZ WHEN I MEANT FIGHT. JUMP IN WHEN YOU'RE READY, UNTIL THEN...SCRATCH MY BACK--A LITTLE TO THE LEFT, AHH, JUST RIGHT. TAH.
IN PE, IT'S JUST THE OPPOSITE. THE OBJECTIVE IS DIFFERENT. JUST ACCOMODATING EVERYONE WHERE THEY'RE AT, WHETHER IT MEANS TWO SIMULTANIOUS BASKETBALL GAMES, OR ONE SMALL ONE WITH SOME HELD MORE ACCOUNTIBLE
FOR THE GREATER EXPOSURE TO THE GAME. IT'S SPORT AND FITNESS. IT'S DIFFERENT.
ANYWAY. THERE ARE PLENTY OF BETTER TEACHER THAN I, BUT THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT IT'S REACHING THESE GUYS FAST. AFTER ALL, SINK OR SWIM IS THE MANTRA FOR FIGHTING. TRAINING SHOULD BE ENCOURAGING AND FRIGHTENING. IT SHOULD KEEP ONE AS INJURY FREE AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE, BUT NOT AS SCAR FREE. AND NOT ANY LESS
SORE AND HARD WORKED FOR. I TRY AND HAVE AS MANY AS POSSIBLE LEAVE AMPED, NOT FROM IDEAS, BUT FROM BLOOD AND SWEAT. THERE'S ALOT OF COMORADERIE. I'VE ADOPTED THE DOG BROTHERS EDICT:
TRAIN YOUR TRIBAL MEMBERS FOR BATTLE: THE FINE LINE MEANS DON'T ILL PREPARE THEM, BUT DON'T HURT THEM
EITHER OR THEY'LL BE NO GOOD FOR TOMORROW'S WAR, KINDA-LIKE.
OKAY, GOTTA GO. THE LADIES ARE BACK FROM GETTING TOES PAINTED AND BUFFED--TRYING NOT TO LAUGH BECAUSE
I'LL TAKE ANYTHING THAT BRINGS FOLKS BACK IN BETTER MOODS
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