Mixed Feelings

I've been using my wife's PT Cruiser as a small pickup truck for the ongoing basement remodel. It's just big enough, and you can take the back seats completely out. On Thursday my Silat buddy Toby and I had to put the seats back in. Drawer slides had been selling for five cents apiece at the ReBuilding Center, so my car was full of drawer slides, plywood and electrical parts. Class started in about half an hour. We were going to drive up in the Gray Lady. The only thing left in the back was a wooden tamper handle that I use in a different martial arts group. Japanese white oak bokken $70. Hickory stick $7. What it lacks in tradition it more than makes up in price.

We headed back to the house and just about ran into a pre-teen girl. She stopped. She looked at us. She let out a scream, turned around and ran up the sidewalk, across the street and kept on going still screaming.

I don't know why she was so scared. Was it the two guys walking on the sidewalk? Was there some kind of traumatic incident with an pick handle or baseball bat in her past? I'm sorry she was frightened. If it's something we did it would be nice to know so that we don't do it again. But as someone who cares about self defense I have to say she did exactly what she was supposed to. She reacted quickly and effectively. She put as much distance between herself and the large scary strangers as she could and did everything she could to startle us and attract attention.

Someone who cares about her taught her what to do in situations like this. Whoever you are, you should be proud. She took your lessons to heart and used them without hesitating. She didn't need to this time, but someday it might be for real. It's good to know that there is one little girl who will be ready.