I followed him over to his home and was greeted by his wife Dok-mi, and what looked to be all his relatives down to 3rd cousins. They all seemed happy for my promotion, and there was enough food for even "the little one who eats like an ogre." Even though there were many times as many people as could sit at the table all at once, I had a bit of time to speak to most all of them as they rotated through.
<
Late that evening, Master Oh and I had a chance to speak alone. As we were sharing a congenial pot of tea I asked him, "Why do you always call me 'little bear'?"
He chuckled and ran his hand through his hair. "Well, first of all, compared to me you are little."
OK, had to admit it, at 6 feet tall and 200 pounds, he was substantially larger than I am.
"Secondly, I've always seen you as a lot like a bear. They're fierce, and they have prodigious appetites, but they are very good mothers."
"Do you really think so Master?"
"Just to look at you, you certainly don't look 'fierce' yet, like the canaries in the old story about the sage, you're a lot more than you seem on the surface."
<
Yes I knew that you'd like the story. Blood tells.>>
"Well, to be successful at my job, I need to look very ordinary, whoever I am on a given day. I just hope that I never forget who I'm supposed to be on Tuesday and show up as the me from last Wednesday!"
We both laughed. I waited patiently. (I believe I mentioned that I can do that. It's just hard, though not nearly as hard near Master Oh. Like Master Ahn, he radiates calmness somehow.)
Master Oh picked up his teacup and took a small sip. He exhaled slowly and then looked directly at me for the first time since we'd sat down. "I have something to tell you little one. It's going to sound a little...no...very strange, but I need to tell you. I don't know why, but I really need to tell you. It's very important too."
He looked both stern and nervous at the same time. "But I can't tell you why it's important. I don't know that either."
He smiled a little apology at me.
"Don't be concerned Master, things in this world can be more than a little strange at times. There was a scientist who addressed it perfectly. Let me see... Oh yes, I remember. I'm pretty sure that I have the wording correctly.
"'My own suspicion is that the Universe is not only queerer than we suppose, but queerer than we can suppose.'
"Since Jane isn't here, I feel compelled to add what she'd say if she were. Ahem...
"That saying is often mis-attributed to the astronomer Sir Arthur Edgerton when it was, in fact, the English geneticist J.B.S. Haldane who said it, in a paper published in 1927."
We both chuckled and then got back to business.
(Yes Jane, you're EXACTLY like that sometimes. What? You didn't know that I know that you're still reading this diary? You really do have some growing to do.)
Master Oh cleared his throat and began. "It's like this. Each time I see you, you seem different. As if you're bigger somehow. Not taller of course, but, just...bigger. Like there's more of you than I can see clearly. I don't know how to describe it."
"Oh my. That's...ah...very interesting."
" Master. I want to tell you something too. But first, please, you must absolutely, totally, promise me that you'll never repeat it to anyone, please?"
"Of course little one, you have my word."
"Thank you Master. I'm sure you know about transsexual people. The ones who feel like they were born into a body of the wrong sex?"
"Well, I'm like that but different. I'm quite comfortable being female, but my body doesn't feel right. It seems that I should somehow be in a larger body. It's nothing to do with my height insecurity. That problem is totally different and I've felt that way about how tall I am for a very long time."
This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
<
"I'm afraid I can't explain it any more than you can your feeling."
Master Oh took a deep breath and struck a dramatic pose. "When the winds of a typhoon blow, one must bend like the bamboo. If you try to oppose the wind, you will eventually be shattered and will fall."
I thought about it a bit.
"That's very profound Master. Is that some sort of ancient Korean saying?"
He laughed, a full belly laugh. "Nah, I got it from some cheesy '60s Japanese martial arts cartoon I saw when I was a kid, but it does seem to fit, doesn't it?"
We both pondered a while, then he spoke again.
"I have something for you. I found it a while back in....hmmm I don't remember where I found it, but when I saw it I knew that it was meant for you. Here."
He held out his hand and dropped an object into mine. It was only about four cm high but it felt quite heavy for its size. It was an exquisitely carved dragon made of some metallic substance that I didn't recognize.
The whiskers, claws, and mane were covered with gold.
"Master, this is a wonderful gift. I will treasure it!"
"Treasuring it is not the point. Pay attention!"
"Yes Master!"
"You are to keep it with you at all times from this day forward. You are NOT to EVER be without it. I don't care if you're asleep, in the bath, or at a Hapkido competition. Do you understand?"
"No Master, I don't, but I will do as you say."
"Good." He shrugged and managed to look a bit sheepish. "I don't understand either, but do it anyway."
"Yes Master, I will."
After that, we chatted about this and that. Finally he yawned and said, "I'm getting a bit tired. I think I'll be off."
"Good night Master. I'll see you whenever."
"Yes, good night little bear. Sleep well."
Then he was gone, and I was left alone with my thoughts. I thought of a great many things in the next hour or so, but I didn't find any miraculously revealing answers, so I went to bed.
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Not unsurprisingly I slept like the proverbial rock. Woke up aching everywhere -- same old drill as usual. A hot shower with some stretching afterwards and I was feeling somewhat better. The aspirin helped quite a bit too.
Went downstairs and nodded hello to Mrs. Oh. Master Oh was still sleeping, and I expected him to be until long after I was gone. He keeps very late hours.
<
I blessed Mrs. Oh profusely for making me coffee. Fortunately she's an even earlier riser than I am.
Packed up what little I had with me and drove back to the motel for breakfast. Got some very strange looks from the staff when I came in the front door and headed for the breakfast buffet, but my room key was still valid so they let me gorge myself again.
The dubious looks turned to smiles when they saw the size of the tip I left for them as I went to check out. It's amazing what a few bucks extra will do for the morale of minimum wage employees. Given the crap that most of them have to deal with from abusive customers, they don't get paid nearly enough!
Headed back south toward Salem after I'd sent Jane a text with the single word "coming" in it.
Hell no I don't text and drive! I wouldn't think of looking away from Master Oh during a sparring session, and he's not half as dangerous as the average driver. There's no way in the world that I'm going to look away from all the idiots on the highway. That's just asking for Death to stop by and punch your card for free. There were already too many people out there who wanted me dead.
What a wonderful thought to start the morning with. Unfortunately it was quite true. On the plus side, it didn't seem likely that any of them could possibly have any idea of who I was, or even my age, or sex for that matter. It's likely that what they might be looking for is some group with several smallish, agile agents.
(Yes, I wear shoes that are built up at least 2" at all times when working where I expect someone to see me, but there's only so much you can do, and even 5' 2" is pretty short nowadays. Especially if you're pretending to be a male.)
Hmm, given our (my) size, they're pretty likely to think that we're Asian. It might be possible to misdirect them in that direction with a bit of careful help. That means Jane.
How did they figure out my size (whoever they are)? I'm darned certain that there were no video records anywhere, but some of the places I'd gotten into were far too small for anyone taller than about 5' 6", and that would be a squeeze. Whoever these people are, they aren't idiots.
Need to think more about that when I get home. And before you ask, no I haven't told you about even half of the work I do.
<
Oh. I, ah, didn't tell you before? Oops. Sorry. Getting back to the important part here.>>
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Ah, Home Sweet Home. Good to be back.
Damn but it feels good to say that word: "Home". So simple but something I never had till 4 years ago. And it's only been two weeks now that I wasn't worrying about having it taken away from me.
(Yes Jane, I should have realized it a year ago when you turned 18, but I've been pretty busy.
Figurative tongue sticking out here. Yes I'm being childish, so what? You're supposed to be in touch with your inner child. I'm sure it says so in some pedantic, New Age volume of philosophy somewhere.)
"Jane, I'm home!" As expected no answer. Down to her workroom and, much to my surprise she wasn't there.
Checked the place we hide notes for each other.
<
Found it. "Dear Mama, something came up that requires my personal attention, should be back around 4. With love, J."
<
Hee-hee. Took you long enough to say something about it. I thought I'd have driven you nuts some time back by harping on that over and over. GOTCHA!
Hey, it's one of my little pleasures. Live with it.>>