The Adventures of Stevie #37
These stories were told to me by friends and other people. Some of them
are true. Some of them are only partly true. Some of them should have
been true. LOL
My first post about Stevie ("Call me Stephen!") was when he was 12 and
in summer camp and was told by another camper. This was from a time
before computers would fit on a desk and when people communicated with
friends in other countries by actual letters sent through the postal
service. When children did this those friends were called "penpals".
Carlos is Stevie's penpal in Argentina and knows English. This is a
fictional contrivance to enable Stevie to tell us his stories because
he isn't here in person. I think.
All characters are fictitious, even if some of them might have names
that belong to some actual people, or act like people we know.
Stevie's school is for gifted children who don't fit in regular schools.
The stories may not be posted in chronological order.
Stevie has just turned 12 in this story. It is Spring of year 2 of his
special school.
The Adventures of Stevie #37 "The Big Test"
Dear Carlos,
Some big things happened. I will tell you some of them. Then I will
tell you the rest later in different letters. It's too much for just
one.
Sensei called me to class. The only other person who was there was
Tommy. He was in discipline and didn't look at me except when I bowed
to them. Sensei told me to empty my pockets and take off anything which
could break, and put them in my locker in the locker room. I did that
and came back. Then he said "If you agree to the conditions, you will
be tested. This is necessary if you want to continue as my student.
Your father knows about this and has given his permission. You and
Sensei Tommy will fight, as you are. For real, but with rules which
apply to both of you. You will not strike above the shoulders. You will
not attack joints. You will not grab, grapple, or throw your opponent.
You will not strike with finger tips, or the edge of your hand. You
will NOT use ki. You will not stop, even if you are injured, until I
tell you to stop. Will you do your best to follow these rules, and
accept this test?
I was afraid. I was excited. I was nervous. I was all of those and
more. We practice in regular clothes sometimes, because you can't stop
in the middle of a real fight and go change into fighting clothes. BUT
we were still wearing our regular shoes, and at least I wasn't wearing
a protective cup. I didn't want to get smashed nuts. We never practiced
for real exactly this way before. I could get really hurt. More
important, I could really hurt Tommy. I knew it was his duty to try to
beat me up, and mine to do it to him. I didn't want to, but then I
didn't want to do it to anybody. I didn't think he did either, but we
had to. If I didn't pass this test, I couldn't study fighting any more.
Maybe Tommy and Sensei wouldn't like me anymore. That decided me. I
said "Yes, Sensei". I hoped my voice didn't sound as little boy shaky
to him and Tommy as it did to me.
We fought. It was hard to get traction with hard bottom shoes on the
wooden gym floor. I don't think it did the floor any good either. It
was bad. VERY bad. For me. He was just too big. His reach advantage and
really big feet were to much for me. He would go around my blocks and
hit me really hard in my upper legs and body. I couldn't get near
enough to him to land anything. I tried a foot sweep and he almost
kicked my head off by mistake. I was getting desperate. I didn't know
how much more I could take. He hit really hard, and my arms were
slowing down because they were hit so much trying to block his strikes.
There was one last thing I could try which wasn't against the rules. A
step jump kick. So I tried it. I REALLY shouldn't have!
I stepped back and twisted a little to get ready to step forward and
jump in the air at him to kick him, but I think he knew what I was
going to do and he stepped forward at the same time I stepped back, and
brought up his foot in a front snap kick and smashed it into my nuts.
That little twist I did gave him the opening like a gift-wrapped
present. I saw it coming but not in time to block it or get away. I
tried to jump up with it to take some of it's force away. I don't know
if it helped. It hurt REALLY bad. LIke an explosion of pain so bad I
was paralyzed for a split second. I didn't know if I would ever breathe
again. I collapsed around my nuts and rolled into a ball backwards.
While I was doing that I grabbed the awful pain and pushed it sideways
from my mind. It was still there, but I wouldn't let it rule me. I
stood up fast and tried to hit him when he came after me. I did! He was
almost as surprised as I was. He hit me some more, and then Sensei
yelled "Stop!" We did. I wished we didn't.
My problem with stopping the fight was because of my smashed nuts. I
wanted to wait till the pain went away while I was concentrating on the
fight, but then the fight was over, and I didn't have the emergency
control to avoid the pain anymore. I almost wanted to die, but I made
myself stand straight and bow to him and Tommy like I should, sweating
enough to fill a swimming pool. Maybe a small one. Sensei dismissed
Tommy to the locker room and showers. Then he told me to sit. I did. My
knees were so tight together, I didn't think they would ever be
separate again. I wanted to scream and throw up, but didn't. Sensei
knelt in front of me and put his knee on top of my knees and pushed
down between them to open them. Then he grabbed my nuts and squeezed
them medium hard. I was glad he did that because the pain there went
away much faster than if he didn't do it. It's a little trick we know
about in fighting class. I could relax a little then. They still ached,
but not enough to bother me too much. I thanked him.
We stood up. He said "Stephen, you have passed the test." Then he
went to the table and came back to me with a package. He told me to
open it. Inside was a BLACK BELT! I should tell you what that means.
Only real teachers in our class wear black belts. All the other regular
students and teaching assistant students wear white belts on our
fighting clothes. My white belt had some black tape on the end because
I was teaching Chad. I don't think any other student here ever earned a
black belt younger than 16, and I was only 12! I almost couldn't
believe it. Sensei saw that and smiled, and said "Yes, it's true. You
have earned it, with your skills and dedication to learning, your
teaching of Chad, and your test of courage, fortitude, determination,
and character. You followed the rules, and didn't let pain stop you." I
was so proud and happy I was afraid I would burst and cover him all
over with my guts. I told him that, and he laughed. Then he dismissed
me and said I should go clean up, and take all the time I needed. I
went. I was a mess.
I was still thinking about how happy and proud I was, and who to tell
about it, while I was undressing and went to the back to the shower
room. That's why I didn't hear him until I was in the shower. It was
Tommy. He was naked on the floor in the corner, and crying like he felt
REALLY bad. I never saw an adult cry that hard before. I dropped my
towel and ran over to him and said "Are you hurt?" He said "Yes, but
not in the way you mean. The important thing is are YOU hurt?" I said
"I ache all over, but not anything bad right now. Sensei helped." He
said "I'm clad. Very glad you are alright. I thought I hurt you really
badly. I wanted to die it hurt me so much." I didn't understand. I told
him that.
"It hurt me so much to have to hurt you, I couldn't stand it. I don't
know how I made myself do it, but I had to. I wouldn't let anybody test
you after Sensei asked me if I would do it. You needed somebody you
could trust, so I forced myself to hurt you and I feel SO bad about it.
I have never hurt this bad. I wish you had killed me." I was shocked,
but I still didn't understand. He could see that. He said "Let me
explain in a different way. Would you do what I did to you, to Chad?" I
was more shocked. I said "NEVER!" He said "Not even if hurting him
would make him better, and he knew it?" Then I understood it, and more.
I finally understood what father meant when he said it hurt him more
than it hurt me when he spanked me with his belt. I thought he was
crazy to say that, and didn't believe him. I do NOW. Emotional hurt is
worse than injury hurt, and to somebody you love, it's maybe the worst
kind of pain. Then I knew what Tommy was feeling. I dropped down to him
and cried with him, until we had no tears left.
We got up off the floor. Tommy had to help me up. I was stiff. No,
not my monster! Not then, anyway, even though we were still naked. He
said I should have a massage, or I would be too stiff to move tomorrow.
He sat me down on a bench and put a towel around himself, and went to
ask Sensei for privacy for us for his massage. He came back and had me
lie down on my stomach. I did. He was very good. I told him he was so
good he could make money doing it. He laughed and said he did. He told
me to turn over, and I did. He worked on my front. Then my monster woke
up. His towel moved too, but I didn't have one on. His fell off. He
wasn't embarrassed. I wasn't either. We said hello and shook each
other. Not had to hand, but hand to monster. We were very formal. It
was funny. We laughed. That made our monsters wiggle. We laughed some
more. He finished massaging me. My monster liked it a whole lot,
because that's what he massaged last, while I was holding onto HIS
monster, which he liked a lot too. We couldn't keep doing that forever,
so we got dressed. I was feeling VERY good and happy.
I was just going past the sinks on my way out of the locker room,
when I stepped on something which rolled under my foot. I was falling.
I was going to hit the corner of the sink with my head. I twisted as
much as I could to avoid it, and the whole world went dark and silent.
Your friend,
Stephen
--
Grant
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