Stickgrappler's note: Manong Saturno posted this to his Facebook 10/29/13.
This morning I really wanted a hot cup of Java and a bit of pastry. I turned off on Country Club Blvd. off of I=5, because I had a few moments to spare and wanted to stop and get another cup of brew. The place that I stopped in at had a bunch of the fancy Java brews and so I decided just to leave. I already had some coffee in a Starbuck's stainless steel container that I had hoped to save for later: It was a multiple cup morning, it was just one of those days and as I was walking back to my car a hooded man was standing near my car in the sahdowy corner of the complex. It was still a little dark and I didn't see him. I've been fighting the flu and have been feeling like sh!t and really didn't appreciate possibly having to deal with any dumb sh!t. So I pre-positioned some change in my front pocket and approached the car from behind so that the car would be between us. It was still somewhat dark and I was uncomfortable. Sure enough, the person started to walk quickly around my car towards me as I just as quickly circled my car on his opposite side of my car. He didn't appear very happy about it. I could just barely see his face now in the early morning light, He was young, Black and had the snarly look that a lot of young thugs wear as a mark of pride. So being the assh0le that I am I started yelling, "Car Fire!" The coffee shop soon emptied with people wondering if it was their car that was on fire. The young Black male smiled at me and skirted off around the corner of the complex. I never saw a gun and the guy never said a word to me. The whole thing was really just a blip on the screen of life, but things could have turned out much differently.
I really did wonder about the whole event and if I handled the event correctly. Was it the flu that helped me miss the man in the shadows, Am I just getting old and slow? Am I now a beat off from the man that I was many years ago? As an Escrimador it just reinforced my belief that attacks usually come unexpectedly. Many of the people that I talk to harbor a fantasy of being in a challenge. The odds of this really are very slim. The chances of some c0cksucker coming at you quickly and unexpectedly are much, much greater. All in all I probably handled the situation at about a 70% level. I made a few mistakes. I parked away from the lighted area parking, because it was convenient to park near the street in the dark. I wasn't searching with my eyes. I didn't have my flashlight in my hand. I had also left my door unlocked, because I intended to be just right in and right out. Anyway, Christmas is coming and the thugs start to feed on civilians. Please be aware of the harsh economic conditions and the effects this has on the down trodden. Please be aware. Don't lolligag like I did this morning. It could have ended a lot worse than it did.
Other articles by Master Saturno:
- Basic Movement Theory
- Basics in Defense
- Basics of Serrada
- Freight Training! (Body Alignment & Power Transfer)
- The Secret to Surviving Fights
- "Your fight is with time"
- Vidclips of Serrada Basics and Angles of Attack
- Audio Interview (97 mins!)
- The Very Heart and Soul of the Filipino Martial Arts
- "A reason to live is the greatest gift that a teacher of FMA can ever give."
- "You have to teach everything you know, because this forces you to learn more."
- Espada y Daga
- More about Espada y daga
- Espada y daga, part 3
- "Espada y daga properly performed violates common sense."
- Comparison of Short stick vs Long stick
- "Every hit 'must' have the potential of ending the fight, period."
- The firstest with the mostest is the bestest.
- Setting the groundwork for the use of short weapons
- Hitting with Elbows and Knees
- More on Hitting with the Elbows
- I am speaking to the children of other Filipino Fathers who practice and love Escrima
Notes
My deepest gratitude to Master Ron Saturno for his kind permission in allowing me to repost his articles to my site.
You can contact Master Ron Saturno via:
Email: 5masterserrada@gmailNOSPAM.com (take out the "NOSPAM")
Phone: 209-513-8027
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ron.saturno
No comments:
Post a Comment