Chapter 88

On January 4, 2016 we returned to school after Christmas Break, with everyone talking about our big win in Houston for the Texas State Division - 2 Football Championship. The first ever for our new school.

On Friday the 8^th, we had our official celebration ceremony in the boys’ gym. Classes for grades 1 through 12, were dismissed at noon, for the occasion.

Not only did we have the local radio station broadcasting live, we had the local newspaper reporters covering the event. We had sports writers from Houston, Waco, Dallas, and Fort Worth here. We also had television crews from Waco and Dallas, televising the celebration and awards presentations.

It was 4:00 before we left school. Those of us on the two Taekwondo Tournament Delegations were hurrying to the studio so we could get in one last training session before our tournament matches tomorrow.

After warming up, they only allowed us to workout for an hour, before we had a team meeting with Gage, Marilinn, and Garrick - each telling us about the two teams we’ll be facing.

After the meeting, Garrick and Gage pulled me aside, and Garrick told me, “Rick, I’ve invited a friend of ours to come watch both tournaments this weekend. Though I’ve asked him to come watch our Delegates compete, but his main reason for being here - will be to watch your matches - and grade you.”

“Really? I know there has to be more to this, than a friend of yours coming here to grade me.“

“You’re right, and that’s the reason we wanted to tell you ahead of time ... If you perform in these two tournaments, as well as you have in your first two tournaments, you could be Brown by Sunday afternoon.”

“Are you serious? I mean – wow! I don’t know what to say. I know I’ve improved - but - BROWN?”

Gage told me, “Let us explain it this way. We’re already counting on you winning both matches in the double elimination, first tournament. Then there is no reason for you not win your next - single elimination competition on Sunday. What Dad wants to know - are you as ready for Black - as we think you are?”

Before I could answer, Garrick told me, “You may or may not, have previously heard of Tony Blakely - but he’s up for the Southwest U.S. Taekwondo Title later this month. His father was my senior officer when I was stationed in Seoul. Tony is now twenty-five, and he’s been training for twelve years. He started his training under me, and he’s about to have a break-out match when he competes for the title. The reason I’m telling you this - we sent Tony, and his current trainer - each - videos of your first three competitions, and they want to come watch you. They not only want to watch your matches - they want to meet you in person.”

“He and his trainer want to meet me? There still has to be more to this! You and Gage are holding something back, I can tell.”

“Just based on the three videos we sent them, they have each - in private - without knowing your current grade - graded you at 2^nd dan Black.”

“REALLY? But, that takes years of training, if I remember right.”

“Three -to- four years minimum - unless you are Rick Dalton - The Outlaw. You, dear friend, train to win - like you play football. You have only one thing on your mind, and that’s performing better than the last time - each time you put on your uniform. You’re a natural athlete, Rick. You have the metabolism, the mental capacity, and the deep-down desire to excel at whatever you do.

“Barring injury, you have the opportunity to rewrite the record books - in all of football ... From Texas high school - all the way through the end of your career in the NFL.

“The records will also fall in the world of Taekwondo, if you continue training with the same mental attitude and the same intensity you show now. The difference in you and many of our students is, you don’t just study - to learn the sport of martial arts, you take a winner’s attitude into your training sessions and your tournaments.

“By doing so, you have forced your friends to defend themselves against your attacks, and counter your moves - or go down. They – each of your closest friends – have excelled in Taekwondo over the past year and a half, because of your technique as a fighter, and not just settling for being a student – practicing the sport of Taekwondo.”

“WOW – WOW! You have me even more pumped now, than when we started competing three weeks ago. Put me in Coach. I’m your man and I’m ready to play.”

Gage told me, “You’ll start training for track by the end of February. By that time, you’ll be in better physical condition, than at any time in your life. I know this, because not only do I help train you in Taekwondo, I live with you – I watch all your football practices – I have seen all your games, since the very first one where you ran wild over the Junior High. Then, you ran over the Varsity and kept running - all the way, to take your team to the Texas State Championship Game last month - and win the State Title.“

Then he told me, “Tomorrow, you’ll warm up with Dad. Next week, he and I will alternate, each time we come to the studio. For as long as you have your heart set on Taekwondo – and training to be the best fighter there is - we will continue pushing you... Your best, is lurking like a shadow inside you. All you have to do, is open up your repertoire and let the real Outlaw come out into the light. You have yet to use all you’ve learned. You’ve become content, using what you feel safe with. Open up - use what you have been taught - compete with the intensity that you and your team run through your repetitions before each game. Compete like you train. No one can out-punch you – No one can out-kick you – just as no one can counter-punch the way you can. You do it so easily – so automatically – there is no defense.

“The Outlaw is ready to run wild - and just like on the football field - his best game has yet to be played on the mats.”

Since we were set for a tournament on Saturday, we didn’t have any Taekwondo workouts at home. What we did do, was swim.

Gage and I walked straight through the house, out into the pool-house where we stripped down to our underwear and dived into the pool. Ben, Em, Mickey, Danna, Toro, Kalita, Doc and Maelee, were here with us, and soon after Gage and I started swimming laps, Brandy, Bonnie, and all the girls stripped to their panties and joined us. The other guys stripped and we swam six abreast in two waves, for twenty laps before we stopped.

Doc was the first to speak afterwards, as we sat along the poolside with our feet in the water, catching our breath.

“I love this. I have never been in better physical condition than I am right now, at the end of football season. But, it didn’t happen until I started training with all of you.”

Maelee told him, “I can see the difference in you, and all of us. We’re not only in better physical condition, our whole attitude about training has changed. I for one, will be so glad to get back into the routine of strength-training at the gym - and training at the Taekwondo Studio on a regular basis.”

Em told her, “You are so right, Maelee. From now until track season starts, Ben and I are going to concentrate on Taekwondo and the gym. I’m not sure about the rest of you, but even our lovemaking has reached a new high since the football season ended in Houston, and we started training even harder for Taekwondo.”

Brandy added, “You’ve both hit the nail on the head. Training with Rick, whether we’re running, swimming, working-out at the gym, or training at the Studio, has changed me from a girl into a young woman. I can feel the difference in my body, and everything Rick and I do together. And I can’t get enough of that feeling. Training and competing in Taekwondo back in December, made me realize how much I have matured, not just physically, but mentally ... And Em - you are so right about the sex part too. It’s like Rick and I are still in competition, when we go at each other. I started to say – in bed – but shit, we stop and get it on, no matter where we are – as long as we can keep from being arrested.”

I told her, “I can see the changes in you - and the rest of us, too. I know I have changed also, in more ways than physically. It’s like I’m more alert, and my reflexes are so much more fine tuned. I’m excited about what’s coming up, but I feel prepared and relaxed at the same time ... Now, about the sex, I suppose all of you know, we need to abstain until Sunday night. But, just so everyone will know, our house will be open after the matches on Sunday - to all of you who wish to stay over, and take it out on each other.”

Kalita spoke up, “Put Jason and me down for a bed. I love these competitions, but I love the night after, even better.”

Danna added, “I’m not even close to being in great physical condition like all of you, but I love training with you and I love all of you for accepting me into your crowd ... and Rick, thank you especially, for giving Mickey and me a place to crash and workout under the sheets, in the floor, in the shower, and even on the toilet - twice last week.”

Mickey hugged her and said, “If you guys have never tried it on the toilet seat, you owe it to yourselves to get it on – on the toilet one time. Damn - talking about everything fitting together perfectly, just sitting there...”

Gage told us, “Since we have to check in early at the studio tomorrow morning, we need to get up early and eat a light breakfast. Now, unless any of you have become bashful in the past ten minutes, you’re all invited to a community shower with Bonnie and me - over there in the showers.”

The girls kicked their panties off and the twelve of us showered, splashed, and laughed together before drying off and heading inside to eat a light, bedtime snack.

Saturday morning, I was up early.

If at all possible, I’m probably more hyper than anyone here. Probably more hyper this morning than any morning I can remember in a long, long time.

I went to sleep between Brandy, and Aroya, with Marita’s hand across Aroya body, touching my hip.

Brandy asked me once, what we were going to do, when we go to college and they stay here to run their cleaning business.

“They’ll have to travel a lot, is all I can come up with right now.”

I was eating a bowl of Wheaties when Ben and Gage came in to sit at the table. I had bowls, spoons, a gallon of milk, a fresh box of Cheerios, and a box of Wheaties on the table.

Toro came in and poured a bowl of Wheaties. As he sat down to eat, he said, “Wheaties - Breakfast of Champions.”

“Let’s hope we’re all Champions this weekend,” Gage told him.

We were wearing our Doboks when we arrived at the studio. We were early, but I couldn’t wait any longer and pushed the others to get ready.

I walked in beside Gage, and as soon as we were inside, he slapped my arm and pointed across the studio to where Garrick was standing next to two young men. One is Oriental, and behind them, are two young, Oriental women.

“Dad’s waving for us,” he told me and I turned to hug Brandy. “I’ll be back before we start the tournament... Be Bad for me.”

“You be Bad for me, Outlaw.”

“Gage, have you ever met them?”

“Yes, but it’s been years since I’ve seen Tony - or Tommy Chang - who is now Tony’s current trainer. Those two hot Korean sisters are their women. They too train with Tommy.”

We were still a few feet from them, when Garrick stepped out to put his hand on my shoulder. “Rick, I want you to meet Tony Blakely, and his trainer, Tommy Chang. They arrived late yesterday and we spent hours watching clips of your football games, then videos of your earlier tournaments. You, my young friend, have a quite fan club.”

As he made the introductions, Tony greeted me first. “Rick Dalton, I am honored to meet you. We have followed your rise to fame and we were at all your playoff games, and the championship game in Houston.”