Chapter 10

Phew, what is that smell? I’m recording? Well good for the recording, it still stinks in here. OK, you want to hear more. You know, I still have no idea who you are, or why I am even telling you this. But why not.

Yes, I would like some more of that not quite coffee. I don’t know why, but even though it tastes like roasted rat turds, I still like it. How do I know what roasted rat turds taste like? Well, when you go on a two-week patrol when it is 120 degrees outside and you discover one of your tentmates did not put the 2-pound bag of coffee you had sent from the states into a metal container, you have...

OK, fine. I thought you were asking how I knew.

Well, the next morning dad was at work, and Sharon wanted to know how the party was. I asked if she had met any of my old friends before they moved, and she nodded. “Actually, quite a few would come by on occasion. Of course, most trickled away over time. But when you were injured, it did make the paper. And it picked up again after that. But we moved here about two years ago, and other than one or two phone calls that has been it.

She asked me how the party was, and I said it had been fine, meeting some old friends and catching up. “And how is she doing?”

“She? She who?”

“Oh, come on Clint. You barely ate dinner and were off 20 minutes later. I ain’t your mom, but I am a mom and know the signs. And enough of the girls that used to come by, as what your dad told me showed you were a bit of a ladies’ man back in school.

“Well, I would not go that far! I had a few girlfriends, but I was not all that much of a player. But the group I hung out with was about half and half. Does the name Francesca sound familiar?”

“Hmmm, Francesca, Francesca. Kind of slender, about my height? Nice figure, and loose jeans with holes in them? Long jet black hair, with purple streaks?”

“Yea, that was Francesca. At least then, the purple is long gone. And she is not so slender, but not fat either.”

“Yes, I do remember her. She was actually one of those that visited the most after you got hurt. She even called after that shooting you were in. She sounded worried, but I assured her that you were going to be fine. So, she was the one last night?”

I chuckled and nodded. “Anything there?”

“Well, not likely. She has a boyfriend and a life here. Stockton is all she knows, and there is not exactly a huge Latino population in Compass City. In fact, more Puerto Ricans than Mexicans. But yea, I went to the party as her guest. Besides, it is not like anything could really happen anymore.”

“Oh don’t give me that, Clint Lee! Look at you after you got back from Anbar. You said the same thing, and you still had more than a few girlfriends after that. And I am sure there are quite a few women that would not object to your changed appearance.”

I chuckled and got another cup of coffee. “True, but there is more than that. Can you keep a secret?” She nodded, and I sighed. “Let’s just say that in some ways, I have changed more than others.” She made a “Give me more” signal with her hands, and I sighed again.

“Sharon, down there, I changed.”

“Is it still there? Does it still function?” I grinned, seems the first thing gals want to ask is if my cock vanished, or was still functioning.

“No, not like that. No tentacles either, or anything like that. Just, well, look at my size. Then, scale everything up.” She nodded and said she would only imagine that was the case, but women were made to handle things like that. I thought for a minute and decided to hell with it.

“Sharon, I’m too big. I mean, really too big.”

“Clint, we have babies out of the same place. Surely you are not bigger than that!” She grinned, so I knew she was teasing as well as being serious.

“No, not that big. But bigger than all but a few women would want, I am sure. Let’s just say, the size around as the hitting end of a baseball bat, and longer than most babies are when they are born.” Her eyes did get big as I said that. “And a bit more. I am, like half animal now. Oh, I look completely normal down there, but most times like now, half of it is inside my body, like a dog or horse. When I get excited, it grows quite a bit larger. Not exactly something I can bring up on a first date.”

I gulped the coffee and finished the pot. “Hell, Kelly did not even wait to see if I had anything like that! Hell, she freaked out when I just told her about my obvious changes. I have not even talked to her since then. She changed the number and had her brother and brother-in-law empty the house as she stayed there in New Jersey. I thought she loved me, and I was about to propose to her. And she fucking leaves town without even saying goodbye.” And I sobbed into her breast as she stood and held my head tight. “I really loved her, but her sister said that when she saw me on the TV she freaked out.”

“Clint, some people have problems accepting things like that. And face it, this change is so much more than when you just had some scars and used a cane. And yes, I see how what you describe could be a problem. To be honest, if we were married it would be a shock. But speaking for myself, it would not be enough for me to leave you. After all, I stuck with your father at the worst, because I saw what kind of man he could be. And he has not disappointed me since.”

I looked into her eyes and she nodded. “Now, as for the other, issue. Let’s just say that we would have to find, alternate means. We are both adults here, so I am sure you know there are other ways to please your lover than just being inside of her, right?”

I smiled and nodded. “Well, there you go then. Now, this is speaking for just myself, but I enjoy the intimacy of being with your father as much as actually making love. And I think most women are like me. Tell me, do you like things like cuddling for hours in front of the TV, just holding each other and talking?”

“Of course I do. Kelly and I did that all the time, as did Bev and I.”

“There you go then. Hell, to me you seem like you would be the most awesome cuddle buddy in the world. Like a big shaggy cuddly dog, I could run my fingers through your coat as we cuddled. And on commercial breaks, it would be even better because you could kiss me. On a cold night, you could wrap your arms around my feet and keep them nice and warm. And I have no doubt if you snuggled up behind me in bed, it would feel amazing.”

She sat back down and handed me a dish towel to dry my face. “Now I will be honest, a lot of women are vain, self-centered cunts. But not all of us, and you will find somebody. Heck, I would not be surprised if someday you find somebody that is not unlike you.”

I chuckled. “Well, there is one gal I know could handle me. But there are other problems.” And yes, she had indeed heard of Queen Cong.

“Oh that poor woman! Yes, I have heard her story. Yes, she is way more extreme than you are. You know, I am pretty sure she is a mother.”

I looked up at her sharply, and she nodded. “Do you know she writes poetry? It is heartbreaking to read, with lots of references to roses, violets, and other flowers. I think, I think they represent her child or children. And I know all about that.”

“Sharon, this was actually one of the few times I have heard you refer to your kids. May I ask what happened?”

“Well, not much to tell. I was married when I was in college, had a son right before I graduated. Then a daughter two years later. We started to have problems, and when I filed for divorce, we settled on shared custody. Well, when my son was 13 and my daughter 11, he took them and moved back home to Uruguay. I still get letters, but that is all. My daughter is talking about coming up to visit, she is over 18 now and can do as she wants. My son, he stopped writing years ago. I think his dad convinced him I was a bad mother. But Melissa and I still write.”

At this, I held her as she cried. “I just want one promise. If she does, I want you here to meet her. I do not talk about them much, it is so painful. But it also helps me see that in Queen Cong. I read her poems, and it makes me think of my kids. Clint, never feel sorry for yourself, you never did after you were hurt. Look at her, and remember that others are worse off than you are.”

I nodded and said she was right. Of course, being with Francesca last night helped a bit also. She helped show me that I was indeed still somebody that at least some women would not be revolted at. A bit later I went ahead and made my next stop. I got on the trike and drove to see Master Hung. He had long ago retired, and I had his address as we still wrote each other.

He now actually lived on an island in the Delta, and it was a nice ride out there. Farms everywhere and the silty marsh air felt good on my face on the ride. I found his house without a problem thanks to the GPS they had added to the trike, and it was just as he had said. With the back facing the delta, and I could see a small fishing dock on the back.

I was just getting off when I saw the door open, and Master Hung stepped out. We walked towards each other, and I know we were both looking closely. He probably at my massive bulk, me at how he had gotten, old.

Master Hung had always seemed eternal to me. Older, distinguished, able to either coax a butterfly to open its wings by whispering to it, or with a voice that could probably shatter planks without even using his hands or feet. Now, he looked every year of his 80 or so years. I stopped four feet in front of him and gave a deep respectful bow, which he returned just as deeply and respectfully.

Then he grinned, and we moved together and met in a huge hug. “Clinton, it is good to see you! You look like a Xiezhi come to life!” I asked him what that was, and he laughed and had me follow him to the back. “I am afraid my house is so small, come. We sit in the back. I want to hear all about this.”

We sat on the little fishing dock he had made, and I told him all that had happened since I was last here. He was amazed at what my school was now, and I handed him the tablet so he could see the pictures. He said it looked well made and loved all the photos of students I had taken. Especially the ones of my special class.

“Ahh, she I know! Yes, I have seen you on the news, Clinton. Many times with her, she is Chinese, right?”

“Yes, and a good friend of mine. And a good student. I can not say much, but I think she would impress you. She did traditional Chinese dances, and she has shown me some. Master Hung, they reminded me of kendo.”

“Yes, all of our arts are connected. Okinawa comes from China, Korea comes from China. Japan comes from Korea, which came from China. I know you never study wudang or kumdo, or kendo. But in reality, is almost all the same. Changes made for different swords or fighting style, but more similar than different. You see my wife at festivals, she wears then a hanbok. But if you look closely, is like a cross between a qipao and kimono. Which come first? Who copy the other? To me, it does not matter. Much like xeizhi.”

“You called me that, Master Hung. What is that?”

“Oh, ancient Korean legend. But also, legend in China as the Zhi. In Japan, the kaichi. Okinawa it is the shisa. But all the same, but different. In basics, large lion, fearsome beast that will rip apart anything it wants to destroy. But no, it is also a guardian. Good, the xeizhi is a good beast, a good monster. It only kills and destroys evil, it protects the people, does not harm them. That is why on Okinawa, they still put statues of two of them in front of their houses. They keep the evil things from entering, evil spirits are so afraid of their shisa.”

“Wow, if I had known that, I might have taken that as a name!”

He laughed, then teased me that I had adopted a Japanese name for myself. “Well, to be honest, I did not pick that name. Some of my students watched that Karate Kid movie too many times, and just started calling me Sensei. And when I registered as a Paladin, I was asked for a code name. And that just came to me, from nowhere. And Master Hung, I have talked to a lot of Paladins in the last year. For each and every one of us, the name just came to us. No thought, no planning, it was like it was put into our heads and felt right.”

“Yes, I understand that, I only tease. So, you are no longer a soldier, but a teacher?”

“Well, yes and no. But mostly I am a teacher. I still teach kids as you taught me, that there are things other than gangs to do with their life. But I also teach other mutants. And I have helped many of them. Many have powers that are almost emotional. And learning to master their emotions helps them to control their powers. One of my students changed colors. I saw him the next day, it was like one of those old oil shows from the hippie days. Always changing, depending on his emotions. In two days, he largely had that under control. Today, it is almost amazing. He has total control, and can even almost will himself invisible. I saw him show me once, he stripped to his underwear and stood against a blue wall inside my studio. And turned the exact same shade of blue. I could only see his outline because I knew he was there, and his underwear. Not invisibility, but close.”

“And you teach him that. Yes, your name is a good one. We are too vain, we demand to be called ‘Master’, in this the Japanese way is better. ‘Teacher’, you picked the right name, Clinton.”

We talked most of the afternoon, and he admitted he was enjoying being retired. Most of his days were spent fishing or wandering the island. But he still trained, if only the forms now. He was even a frequent guest at tournaments all around the area.

His wife came out and joined us for a bit, then reminded him it was time for him to take some medication. He told me to go in the front, he would meet me again there. As Mrs. Hung walked me around, she assured me it was nothing bad. “He is just old, it is so he can keep his blood pressure under control.”

“He has high blood pressure?”

“Oh no, low. It is not dangerous, but worries the doctor enough he takes medication for it. Same with his cholesterol. The doctor tells him to eat more meat and less fish, he has so many good ones and so few bad ones. Doctors say that is not good either, he must eat more bad things.”

I laughed, as that did indeed sound like Master Hung. He was almost too healthy.

He met us in the front and after another bow, we hugged again. “Clinton, I am glad you come. You need to keep teaching, you have a lot to show the world. And like a xeizhi, you are also a protector. Never doubt that.”

After dinner with my dad and Sharon, we talked a bit more, then I headed to the trailer. It was hooked up to power and water, so I put on my shorts and took a shower outside, then pulled out the large folding chair I kept strapped to the back.

It was huge, heavy, and made just for me and my weight. I was drinking a beer and looking into the night when I saw a car pull up and stop behind my trike. I sat up and looked, and when the driver walked around the car I smiled and stood up. “Francesca, over here,” I softly said.

“Wow, how could you tell it was me?” she asked, and I said good night vision. When it was in reality a combination of that and her amazing figure. She was in shorts tonight and a tight tank top. She came over and we had another hug, and then a kiss. She giggled after and asked if I had another beer. I said there were some in the fridge inside the trailer, and to help herself.

When she came out I said there were other chairs on the back of the trailer, but she just smiled and sat in my lap. “So Francesca, should I ask how you found me here?” Turns out it was not hard, my dad was in the phone book, after all. She rested against me and smiled.