Chapter 86

After the best and most intense training session we’ve ever participated in at the Taekwondo Studio, we invited the members of our tournament teams over to our house for another workout.

Besides Ben, Toro and me, we have Doc Roberts and Mickey Bradshaw in our men’s Delegation.

Aroya and Marita have gone to Dallas with their mom to spend two weeks with their grandmother through the Christmas holidays. They have a cousin two years younger, who works for them in their cleaning business. Danna is scheduling the cleaning crews in her cousins’ absence.

Danna and her cousin Marita look enough alike, they could pass as sisters – and until Mickey Bradshaw locked her up, Danna was the hottest young girl in our class who wasn’t dating anyone. The reason being, her mom refused to let her date just anyone.

Danna took Mickey Bradshaw home with her and that was all it took for her mom to agree that it was time for Danna to have a boyfriend. Mickey told us later that Danna’s mom knew all about him, and all about each and every member of our Mavericks Football Team.

When she and Mickey came to our house to train tonight, they brought their swim suits like everyone else does, when they come over. Danna wore a miniskirt over her bikini bottoms, with one of Mickey’s old practice jerseys for a top ... until she pulled it off.

Brandy told him, “Mickey – you have struck gold – Dear Friend. Danna could be a model.”

“I know. I still have to pinch my own ass just to be sure I’m not dreaming. I took Danna’s mom one of my game jerseys today, and I thought we were going to end up in a threesome, before we left for the studio.”

I told him, “Mickey, I’m not trying to get into yours and Danna’s business – BUT – if you and Danna ever need a place to be alone for an hour or two, or even a night, let us know. We have an extra room upstairs that never gets used.”

“DAMN OUTLAW ... we’ve been going crazy trying to figure out how we could be alone. We’ve been dating since school started last fall and we want more ... if you know what I mean.”

“Mickey ... if you want me to, I’ll take Danna up and show her the room ... where the clean sheets, the bathroom, towels and blow-dryers are,” Brandy told him.

“I owe you guys ... here she comes, and just look at that smile. I’ll tell her what you said.”

“Danna – Brandy and Rick were just telling me that I struck gold when I finally got up the nerve to ask you out ... then your mom let you be my girlfriend ... They told me too, that they have an extra room upstairs if we ever want to be alone ... uh ... for a while.”

She grabbed Brandy’s hand, “Brandy, can you show me now? I will help Marita and Aroya clean your house forever – if you’ll let Mickey and me use that room. I have to get my hands on his ass before I have a heart attack ... I want him so bad.”

As Brandy and Danna walked through the door, into the house, I pulled Mickey aside, “Hey Man – you know Gage, his mom and dad have asked us not to put ourselves through any strenuous activities until the matches in Waco are over.”

“Yeah, I know ... I’ll just have to tell her that she can do all the work our first time, and I’ll make it up to her after Tuesday. I think her mom is going to let her go with us to Waco ... at least – she told us she’d think about it...”

“Tell her that the rest of us will chaperon you and Danna while we’re on that trip,” I was making a joke ... like that would convince her mom that Danna would be safer.

“Shit Man, you better watch saying things like that. Her mom would go herself if she thought you’d tap that ass for her ... I’m not lying, Outlaw, she thinks the sun rises and sets on your ass...”

“Get Backkk ... damn, I’ve met her and she looks more like Danna’s sister than her mom.”

“Don’t I know it ... She thinks Brandy is the hottest girl in Masonville too ... so you better watch that real close if you and Brandy are around her very much.”

“I’ll have Brandy call and invite her to come over and swim with us one night. That sounds interesting...”

“I want to see the pics...”

“Get your ass over here – you and I are going to spar – then if there’s enough of your ass left, Danna can have leftovers.”

“Gimme hell, Dalton ... I need all the time on the mats I can get – with you, Gage, Toro, Doc, and Ben. It felt good today, just getting back into our training again.”

“I know what you mean. I was still so keyed up after our win in Houston, I needed that three-round match with Gage, just to settle down.”

“I swear – I’ve never seen anything like it! I’m glad they let you and Gage go first. I saw so many things I need to improve on ... I just knew that any minute one of you were going to be flat of your back ... Just help me train to be half as good as you and Gage and I’ll be happy.”

“I’m going to tell you what Garrick told me during the match ... If you can’t discern your friend from your opponent, you’ll never be a contender, you’ll always be a student.”

“That’s something I’ll have to work on. I hope when we get to Waco, I’ll be able to use all I’ve learned to make a good showing at least. The best part is, I won’t know the guy I’ll be facing.”

“We all feel that way about the upcoming event. Now get over here on this practice mat and let’s warm up before we start hammering each other.”

After another great workout here at our house, and the others left, Danna took Mickey’s hand and turned to where Ben and I sat on the couch, “Mickey and I have some unfinished business we need to take care of. Thanks Rick, for letting us use your room. We’ll see all of you in the morning.

When Brandy and Em came back, Em pulled Ben off the couch and told him, “Come on Stud, we’re going to cuddle the next two days, then after we come back from Waco, I’ll give Rudolph a ride on Santa’s Sleigh.”

Sunday morning, we were back at the studio by 10:00 and though there were other members working out this morning, the Delegates for the tournament in Waco had the main workout room occupied.

Today, Garrick had Gage and me come up with him, then he called Brandy and Kalita up with us, before he talked to the others.

“Today we’re going to give each of you guys a chance to spar – one fast, and furious round each, with Gage and Rick. You girls will get a fast, furious round, each with Brandy and Kalita. After these rounds, we will taper off and do our routines. Tomorrow morning, I want all of you here at 9:00. We’ll run through our routines a few times before we load up and head for Waco...

“When we arrive in Waco, we’ll check into our hotel, then we’ll go across the street to the Taekwondo Studio where we’ll sign up and weigh in. On Tuesday, we’ll meet back at the studio at 9:00 for our first match at 10:00. We won’t know who your opponents will be, or how each of the matches are scheduled until we weigh in, with each contender placed into their designated weight class...

“We’ve been assured that the contenders you’ll face Tuesday, have only been training less than four years. I know the Master well, and he’ll have his best students ready, but he’ll not put a ringer in just to win a tournament. Believe me when I tell you, he does not train his students with the intensity you have been trained since you joined us here at O’Brian Studios. We train you here at O’Brian, in the same manner I was trained when I was first introduced to Taekwondo in Seoul ... Before I met Marilinn...

“You are the best of the best in your weight and age class. I’ll stake my Belt and my Honor on that statement. Get this in your head – Garrick O’Brian said YOU are the Best of the Best, in your class...

“Each of you young men are members of the Mavericks D-2 Championship Football team. Show that Maverick Attitude today, and take pride in showing that same Winning Attitude Tuesday at the Tournament...

“You girls – each of you have seen first hand, what your Mavericks accomplished by having a Winning Attitude. Show us here today, and your opponents Tuesday, that you too, have a Winning Attitude...

“Marilinn and I will referee these rounds. She has a schedule for each of you, showing who you will train with first, and down the list until we have given each of you a good workout. There will be a one minute rest between each round, same as in the tournament.

“Any questions?

“If not, let us begin. Give me your best ... Give your opponent the ultimate Taekwondo, that you know deep down in your heart – your minds and bodies are capable of.”

Garrick O’Brian would have made a good coach in any sport, and could possibly qualify as a fine motivational speaker. He used exactly the one thing that would bring out the best in each of us on these two teams. I could tell the difference during the four sparring rounds I had with Ben, Toro, Mickey and Doc.

This was the first time Toro and I had faced off since well before our football playoffs began. It was back to old times again as he and I hammered each other until we heard the buzzer to stop our round. He grinned his crooked, evil grin at me as we slapped gloves, then I grabbed him around his chest in a hug. “Welcome back to Taekwondo, Baby Bull...”

“Thanks for giving me that workout, Outlaw. You make me better each time we spar. I know if I don’t stay alert and give my all, I’ll be flat of my ass in a heartbeat.”

When we watched the girls spar with Brandy and Kalita, I was amazed at the difference in intensity each of them showed. Brandy and Maelee are actually the smallest of all the girls in our womens Delegation. Yet, they are the most fierce competitors of all the girls and women at O’Brian Taekwondo Studio.

Gage nudged me with his elbow, as we sat on the floor around the mats with our legs crossed, watching the girls spar. He leaned over to tell me, “We’re going to sweep this tournament, just like you and your guys swept the State Football Playoffs.”

“That’s a very stout statement, coming from you before the tournament. You’re like Coach Miller used to be ... You never give praise unless you’ve seen the ultimate.”

“That’s exactly what we O’Brian’s have witnessed this weekend, in preparation for our very first tournament ... The Ultimate – in humility, sacrifice, attitude and pride.”

We boarded the leased mini-bus at 11:00 for the hundred and seventy-five mile trip to Waco. We stopped in Round Rock at a Chick-Fil-A, for lunch and arrived at our hotel a few minutes after 3:00.

When we checked in at the hotel, we learned that we didn’t have designated rooms. The six of us boys were in adjoining double rooms on the fifth floor, and the six girls were in adjoining double rooms on the same floor. Garrick and Marilinn were across the hall from those rooms. They informed us that we were expected to act responsibly during our stay here.

Yes there are six girls, Danna’s mom met with Garrick and Marilinn about Danna attending the tournament with us. She even offered to pay Danna’s expenses, but the O’Brians told her that one more would not create any more expense.

Elisa Reyes was so impressed by Garrick and Marilinn, she signed Danna and herself up for classes at the Taekwondo Studio. Danna and Mickey told us later that Danna played a big role in getting her to join ... when she told her mom they trained at The Outlaw’s pool-house in bikinis, as much as they did at the studio.

I asked Gage what – acting responsibly – meant to his mom and dad.

“I was told to inform all of you ... just be yourselves – NO SEX – before the tournament... and don’t trash the damn place...”

At 4:00 we gathered in the lobby and headed across the street to Texas’ Top – Taekwondo School. Their studio is about the size of O’Brian’s Studio in Masonville was originally, before they annexed the building next door and doubled their floorspace.

This was all new to us. We have never weighed in for a tournament, or been assigned to different weight classes.

Toro is the only Heavyweight on our team, at 220 lbs.

Ben, Doc, Mickey and I are all Middleweights at 180 – 190 lbs.

Bonnie, Kalita, and Em are in the Lightweight division at 125.8 to 136.7 lbs,

Brandy and Maelee are in the Featherweight division at 125 lbs.

I was told that my hair was too long, and I turned to look at Gage, then Garrick. Each of them nodded. Back in our rooms, I wet my hair in the bathroom, then wearing my Dobok, I sat in a chair as Gage and Brandy combed my hair straight down ... to cut more than three inches off ... until it was even with the top of the collar on my Dobok.

I looked into the mirror, turning my head both ways, “I look naked!”

Brandy told me, “You just concentrate on winning that match tomorrow, Samson, and I’ll restore your strength when this is over.”

“Delilah, you win your match and I’ll help you.”

At 9:00 the next morning we were back at the studio after eating a light breakfast of fruit and juices, at 7:00.

Each of us had a copy of the schedule, and Toro was up first in the only heavyweight match of the tournament. At 9:30 he was suited-up and Gage was too. Gage was going to warm-up each guy before our matches, and Marilinn was going to warm-up each girl before their matches.

Toro waded into Gage as if he were already in a competition match. That’s Toro ... he doesn’t know any speed except wide-open, no matter if it’s football, Taekwondo or swimming. Gage gave him a bellyful and Toro answered each kick and each strike as if the points were being tallied. Gage finally grabbed him, with both arms around him, laughing as he held him.