Chapter 3

Having advanced a school year in just three months, which was unheard of, so needless to say there were a few problems to overcome. I needed to make up the three months that I was behind in my new class as fast as possible, this would enable me to join the class already in progress with little to no disruption to the students already there.

In order to do this I spent a month attending a special class at the school to catch up to my new classmate while learning. It wasn’t always the same teacher doing the class, but they all did the same common lessons. They tested the textbooks provided up to what the class had already covered. I had been allowed during that month to read up on the chapters the teachers had already taught, but had been told not to go beyond what my new class would have already learned.

I was pleased with what I had been able to accomplish in this short amount of time, I was getting top marks in all the different subjects.

In order to relax at home after my studying, I would go down a couple of doors to the Howards townhouse. Paul Howard had been one of my friends in my first class, his cousin James Howard was going to be in my new class. My parents thought it would be a good idea to have an acquaintance if not a firm friend in my new class before I attended.

The reason I enjoyed going to their house was James was always practicing some funny moves. At first I didn’t understand what he was doing, but after a few questions Paul told me it was a martial art called Ninjutsu. In order to get what he was doing better, I did the same as I did with swimming. I went home, got on the computer and brought up the forms Paul was doing. I preferred learning this way, I could see from an expert how the forms should be done properly.

The second day when I went down to watch, Paul was mimicking the moves James was doing. He told me later that his parents had agreed that he could join the same school that James attended and learn how to protect himself. I was tempted to join them, but I had noticed that James was making a couple of mistakes in the initial forms. Since I hadn’t had any lessons myself, although I believed what I had learned was correct. I didn’t want to point out what I thought were mistakes, just in case their teacher had taught them to do it a different way.

Like swimming, I thought that this was something I would be interested in doing. So when I got home I talked to Mom and Dad and asked if I could join the club at the same time Paul did.

Mom was against it, but Dad was for it, and after telling me they would talk about it, I was told to get to bed. He winked at me as I left, so I guessed he would work on mom to let me try it.

For the next two nights after finishing my lesson review, I looked up more moves and forms on the computer. Before wandering down to watch the Howards practice.

On Friday, Dad told me to get in the car. This was before I had done my homework (review) but since I had all weekend to finish catching up, I guessed it was OK to leave it for just tonight.

I didn’t know where we were going. But I got really excited when we pulled up outside a building, when a number of young boys and girls, in the funny pajama type suits martial artists wear entered the building.

I looked over to dad with a big grin on my face, “Come on Jack, let’s go in and see what it is all about shall we?”

We went into the entrance. There was a lady there who welcomed us, asked us if we were newcomers, which dad confirmed. She suggested we just watch the first lesson to see if either of us was interested, before signing up.

So we entered the ninjutsu studio room, went to the back where there was a bench and sat down to watch the lesson.

Once the lesson started all the students lined up and started stretching and warming muscles exercises. Then they got split up with different instructors and went over the forms for their level. Paul was there in just shorts and a tee-shirt learning the basics moves. I was interested in what he was being taught to see if it was the same as what I had seen on the computer, or what James had been showing him.

I also watched the moves that James was doing in a different group. These students used the more advanced punches, kicks and stances. When not watching either of the cousins, I watched each of the different group levels. I had only looked up on the computer the moves and forms up to James level. But was fascinated by the senior level students, and the quality of moves they were doing in comparison to the beginners.

At the end of the lesson the senior instructor got one of his assistants to finish up the lesson, while he came to talk to the people watching at the back. As well as dad and me, there were two other older kids with parents watching.

“Hello my name is Mr. Shinuto, this is my club. How did you all enjoy watching what we were doing.” he started with the older kids at the other end of the bench to get their opinion.

I wasn’t really paying attention to their responses. As I was building up my confidence to talk to the man when he got round to me and dad.

Before I knew it he was standing directly in front of us, the others having had their conversation, got up and left.

“So young man, are you and your father going to be joining us in learning Ninjutsu?” he asked.

Dad didn’t say anything so I took my chance, “Yes Sir, I am really interested. I know two of your students, though I do have a question for you if it’s allowed.”

“Of course, I will answer any question the best that I can,” he replied.

“It will be easier to demonstrate as much as tell you my question, is that still OK?”

“Sure son, go ahead.” he agreed.

So I got up and went through the first form that I had seen James show Paul. First doing an impression of what James had shown his cousin, then as I had seen it on the computer.

“Well that was impressive. The first time was good, but there were quite a few mistakes in the form. The second time you did it perfectly. I have to wonder, have you had any lessons before?”

“No Sir, I have just watched the forms being done on the computer by a master.”

“Well you have a great learning potential there.” he commented.

“Can I show you something else?” I requested.

“Of course.” he agreed.

Then I went through James form like he had been doing it in practice, repeating it again as I had seen on my computer.

Mr. Shinuto stood there with his mouth open, he gathered himself, “You did it again. The first time had quite a few errors, the second time was perfect. Was this again from watching the computer?” He asked.

“Yes Sir, my neighbor James Howard is one of your students. I have been watching him practice, which is how I gained my interest in coming to see if I liked your lessons. The first form was how he had been practicing it, the second time through was what I had seen on the computer.” I explained.

“Well mister... , sorry I didn’t catch your name.”

“Jack Owens, Sir and this is my Father, Brian Owens.” I provided.

“Well I have to thank you Mister Owens. You have brought to my attention a deficiency of our teaching to some of our students, which I will have to rectify immediately. I would be very interested in teaching you if you wanted to join our classes. I think you have a high potential in this art form if your dad is willing to let you attend from what he has seen.”

“I think that Jack could gain a lot of benefits from doing a Martial Art. I for one see no reason for him not to take his lessons here.” Dad agreed.

Dad stood up and shook Mr. Shinuto’s hand, and then we left.

The next week I joined my new class at school. I got on alright with James, but he already had his own set of friends whom he sat with. So I was assigned one of the remaining spare seats in class, which was right at the front. This didn’t bother me at all, as it allowed me to hear the teacher perfectly. Being that I was up to speed in the class. The teacher Mr. Brown had instructions to make sure I didn’t read ahead in the textbook we were assigned for each subject. So I didn’t get into the same predicament like the first class I had.

On Friday dad took me to the Ninjutsu class for my first lesson, it didn’t go quite the way a normal first lesson went for a student starting off.