A Black Belt in Action

By Lewis Brett Smiler

The tournament was more than a month away, but Mrs. Holland could not help feeling excited. Her grandson Gary would be competing for the first time as a black belt. The fifteen-year-old was determined to win the top prize in sparring, but his opponents would be tougher than before. He would be battling fellow black belts from about a dozen schools, and if he was going to beat them, he had to stay focused at all times. Gary had to analyze their techniques at the matches before he faced them and anticipate their attacks. But he also kept saying that his reflexes needed to improve. In the last tournament, he failed to dodge an unexpected axe kick and lost in the penultimate round. Gary insisted that no surprises were going to rattle him again.

“If I win, my picture will be in the paper,” said Gary. “Maybe they’ll interview me, too. That would be cool! We’ll have to find a good place to hang my photo.”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” responded Mrs. Holland. “You haven’t won yet.”

“Not yet, but we have to be ready. If a reporter interviews me, I’ll need to have good answers. I don’t want to sound like an idiot.”

“If your reflexes are good enough to win first prize, they should be good enough to handle the toughest questions.” Mrs. Holland watched as her grandson practiced a combination of axe and roundhouse kicks.

“Nick can’t win anything,” continued Gary. “He was too chicken to enter the last tournament. But his parents have photos of him all over their diner like he’s the town champion. It’s disgusting.”

“I don’t know what you have against Nick. He’s never done you any harm.”

“You don’t know him, Grandma.”

“But I know you and how jealous you get. Remember, you’re a black belt now, you’re better than this.” Gary did not respond. He continued to practice his sparring, showing himself to be quite the formidable opponent. Even when Gary failed to win the top prizes, nobody doubted his speed and power. The judges were impressed last year with his technique for breaking boards. Was this the little boy who used to come home crying? Mrs. Holland could not believe how much Gary had grown. But he was now afflicted with the jealousy disease, and the symptoms were slowly getting worse.

There was another side to Gary, a very caring side. Whenever a classmate’s mom or dad was in the hospital, he would always call to show support. Gary’s own mom died in the hospital, and he knew how scary it was. This was the Gary whom Mrs. Holland was proud of, the Gary she wanted the public to see. But there was a nasty side that was now emerging, and Mrs. Holland was starting to worry.

***

“Master Gomez did it again,” said Gary. “He took down the sign.”

“What sign?” asked Mrs. Holland.

“The Aware sign . . . it’s one of the only signs in the dojang. Master Gomez takes it down at these random moments to see if anyone notices.”

“Did you notice?” Gary was directing a back kick at some imaginary opponent.

“One of the kids noticed and made a big fuss.”

“But did you notice?” Mrs. Holland asked again.

“The sign is not my opponent. I don’t need to watch for it  . . .” Gary’s sparring continued. “The diner is flooded with photos of Nick, but I bet no one would notice if they were gone.”

“Nick’s dad is very proud of him,” said Mrs. Holland. “I think it’s nice that he displays photos. And your dad is proud of you. I’m sure he has photos of you in his office.” Gary did not respond, but Mrs. Holland could see an angry look on his face. Where was all that hostility coming from? A thought suddenly occurred to her. She went into her grandson’s bedroom and looked on his top shelf. There used to be four photos on display with Paul, Gary’s dad, but they were missing. How long had they been gone? What did Gary do with them?

“I noticed that you took down the photos with your dad,” said Mrs. Holland.

“Yes, I did,” replied Gary. “It’s my room. I have the right to take them down.” Gary was still practicing his back kicks.

“Your dad really cares about you. He would be hurt if he knew…”

“Dad does NOT care,” interrupted Gary.

“Your dad is working very hard to provide for you. He pays for your tae kwon do classes and your sparring gear . . .”

“I haven’t seen him in ages.”

“Didn’t he come for Christmas?”

“Not last Christmas.”

“He’s a busy man,” said Mrs. Holland. “It’s not that easy for him to take time off and come here, but if there was a tournament in Atlanta, your dad would be the first person to buy a ticket.”

“William’s brother flew in from Seattle just to see him get his black belt. Dad lives much closer, but he’ll never come here for anything. He didn’t care when I got my black belt.”

“He congratulated you on the phone . . .” Gary was sparring again, fighting off another invisible opponent. Mrs. Holland was not sure what to say next, but she now understood Gary’s jealous behavior. How many years had it been since her son-in-law moved to Atlanta? Was it five years already? Possibly six years?

She remembered when Paul was first planning the move. He had talked about taking Gary with him, but with his long work hours and business trips, it did not seem practical. Paul and Mrs. Holland agreed that Gary should stay with her where he knew the neighborhood and had his friends. It made so much sense at the time, but was it the right decision?

***

Gary remained obsessed with the tournament. He continued to talk about how important it was to understand his opponents and know their methods of attacks. They were going to move fast, but he was going to move faster. Would he finally win the top prize? Mrs. Holland did not care if he won for sparring, breaking boards, or anything else. There were more important matters on her mind. She called Paul on the phone and told him how much Gary missed him. It would mean so much if he came to see Gary compete. This tournament was especially exciting as it was Gary’s first time competing as a black belt. He had not seen Gary in action in a long time, and this would be a great opportunity. Paul told her that he would try to make the trip, but he could not promise anything. His work schedule remained very hectic. Mrs. Holland kept her fingers crossed that he would be able to attend.

When Gary was younger, he and Paul used to have so much fun together. They had gone for ice cream more times than she could possibly count. What about the carnivals or the canoeing or nature hikes? Mrs. Holland thought back to when her daughter died. It was a devastating loss for everyone, but she, Paul, and Gary faced it together. They were a close family, but then Paul had to move to Atlanta and things started to change. She recalled the few times when Gary went to Atlanta to see his dad. What happened to those visits? When did they stop?

Mrs. Holland looked at the calendar. The next time Gary had a school break, she would send him to Atlanta.  She knew how busy Paul was, but even an hour with his son could make an enormous difference. But could she convince her grandson to make the trip? What could she say? Mrs. Holland heard in Paul’s voice how much he cared for Gary. How could she convey that to him? She thought of all the time and energy Gary was giving for the tournament. Wasn’t Paul giving that same time and energy to assist Gary financially? Weren’t he and Gary both showing that same level of dedication? Perhaps if Mrs. Holland explained it in those terms, her grandson might understand.

She noticed that Gary had stepped out of his bedroom and was walking towards the basement. He often practiced his sparring there.

“Gary, can I speak with you for a moment?” Gary looked at her without saying anything. He seemed impatient.

“Is this about my book report? I finished it last night.”

“No, it’s not about that. It’s about your dad.”

“I don’t want to hear it.”

“But this is important . . . he is dedicated just like . . .”

“I don‘t want to hear it!” repeated Gary. Rattled by his tone, Mrs. Holland just watched as Gary disappeared into the basement. How could she get him to listen? How could she say even two sentences about his dad without interruption? She thought of all the boards Gary broke so easily. She wished that she had that same skill and could break through his wall of anger.

Mrs. Holland had never told Paul or Gary, but she had had a serious health scare a few years ago. If something were to happen to her, Paul would be the only close family her grandson had left. Gary might seem very tough with his new black belt, but he was still a kid needing love and support. Mrs. Holland planned to see him graduate high school, but what about college? Would she be around then? There was no question that Gary had needed his dad, but what could she do? It seemed unlikely that Paul would show up for the tournament, but suppose he did come. Would Gary be happy to see him or would he still be angry? Gary’s jealousy towards Nick and the others was getting worse.

***

It was a little over three weeks to the tournament. Mrs. Holland watched out the window as Gary was walking home from the dojang. His pace was slower than usual and he had the most despondent look. He was behaving as if he had lost the most important match of his life. What happened? When Gary entered the house, he was so deep in thought that he barely noticed her. He disappeared into his room and closed the door. Mrs. Holland could hear him talking on the phone.

“I want to apologize for my comments last week,” said Gary. “I was a jerk, and I’m really sorry.” What was Gary sorry for? She was not sure if she wanted to know. Was he talking to Nick or someone else?

“Master Gomez pointed to the Aware sign,” Gary continued. “He reminded me to be aware of my feelings and what they were doing. My jealousy was taking over, but I didn’t see it.” Mrs. Holland was certain he was talking to Nick. She tried to hold back her frustration as her worst fears had come true. Gary’s nastiness was showing around his peers, and he was hurting others with his comments. This was certainly not the grandson she was trying to bring up. But Gary was apologizing for his actions, and she could hear the remorse in his voice. He now understood his behavior, and that was a positive sign. Was he starting to show the maturity of a black belt?

As the week went on, Mrs. Holland could not help feeling amazed. For six whole days, Gary had not made a single unkind remark about Nick or anyone else. He was even more respectful towards her. What exactly did Master Gomez say to him? She was happy to see the familiar Gary back. Should she approach Gary again about visiting his dad in Atlanta? Would he be more likely to listen now? It was hard to know. Mrs. Holland was pondering the issue when her phone rang. Dave, Paul’s cousin, was calling. It had been at least two years since they last spoke. Why was he contacting her now?

***

Mrs. Holland purchased two train tickets to Atlanta. She and Gary would be going there to attend Paul’s funeral. It was hard to believe that her son-in-law had passed away. Dave explained that he had died from a heart attack at the airport after flying home from a conference. Master Gomez had often told his students to “expect the unexpected,” but who would have expected this? Gary had now lost both his parents.

Word of Paul’s death quickly spread around the dojang, and people were calling to offer Gary their condolences. Nick and his dad stopped over at the house to drop off meals from the diner. Gary quietly thanked them and shook their hands. He knew that Nick was not his adversary.

Gary had barely spoken since his dad’s death, and Mrs. Holland could only guess what her grandson was thinking. He continued to practice his sparring, but he seemed less energized than before. Whatever hostility he felt towards Paul had been replaced by sadness. Mrs. Holland remembered how tae kwon do had kept Gary focused after his mom’s death and gave him a way to heal. She hoped it would be just as powerful now.

***

When Mrs. Holland and Gary arrived at the funeral home, Paul’s aunts and cousins were there to greet them and offer condolences. It had been a long time since she last saw any of Paul’s family, and she was not sure if Gary remembered who the relatives were. He remained quiet as before and gave little indication he knew anyone. It would have been much better if the funeral were local and Gary had his friends around for support.

There was a digital photo frame set up displaying numerous photos of Paul. She saw a wedding photo with Paul and her daughter, and another photo where he was holding her cute little grandson. How old was Gary in that photo? A few other family photos would soon follow. Mrs. Holland was about to turn around to see if Gary was looking, but something else caught her eye. The frame was now showing photos of Paul with an unfamiliar woman and two young boys. Who were they? In one photo, Paul and the boys were smiling with ice cream cones. In another photo, they were posing on a canoe. Mrs. Holland was shocked at what she saw. It seemed as if Paul had a whole new family she knew nothing about.

Gary had turned his attention to another part of the room. The woman from the photos was there greeting guests, and the two boys were standing close beside her. She introduced herself to someone as Lisa, Paul’s girlfriend, and then introduced her sons Justin and Todd. Justin was twelve years old while Todd was eight. Lisa said that Paul was like a father to the boys. Mrs. Holland struggled to contain her anger. Paul was Gary’s dad, not their dad. She took one look at Gary’s face and knew exactly how he felt. This was a very cruel discovery.

Justin was now telling guests about his day with Paul in Savannah. He went on to talk about the times Paul took him and Todd canoeing. Mrs. Holland had had enough. She was going to tell Gary they were leaving. But before she had a chance to speak, she saw that he was walking over to Lisa and the boys. What was Gary going to say to them? She started to panic.

“I’m Gary Branston, Paul’s son,” he said quietly. “I’m really sorry for your loss.” Lisa responded by offering her condolences. Gary shook hands with both Justin and Todd as the boys introduced themselves.

“I heard that you went canoeing with my dad,” Gary continued. “He took me canoeing years ago. It was fun but also a little scary. We got caught in the river currents and couldn’t get back to the dock. Three different people in motorboats offered to tow us before Dad finally said yes.” Mrs. Holland watched as Gary continued to discuss canoeing with the boys. She could not recall the last time he shared any anecdotes about his dad.

Gary went on to talk about him and Paul being stranded at the barbershop. A stranger accidentally took Paul’s jacket, and his car keys were in the jacket pocket. Gary said that while waiting for a neighbor to bring backup keys, his dad took him to the bakery next door and introduced him to cheesecake. Mrs. Holland tried to remember the incident. It sounded familiar, but it was such a long time ago. Yet, Justin was quick to say that Paul would often mention Gary’s love of cheesecake and how it started. Paul had brought the story up whenever Lisa accidentally put car keys in her coat pocket.

Gary was soon telling Justin and Todd about his tae kwon do and the tournament coming up. Mrs. Holland watched her grandson carefully as he spoke. He remained warm and friendly towards Lisa’s sons though there was obvious hurt in his voice. Their conversation was soon interrupted by the funeral director as it was time for the service to start.

***

The tournament was only a week away. Gary continued to practice sparring, but Mrs. Holland could not tell if he was preparing for the contest or letting out his anger. He had so much to be angry about. Gary was insisting before that his dad had abandoned him, and it seemed as if he was right. Mrs. Holland thought about her phone conversations with Paul. He always seemed to show so much love and concern for Gary. Was it real or did she imagine it? Paul had always been generous about paying Gary’s expenses, and she was very grateful for that. But Gary needed much more than money from his dad. Why did Paul push him aside for another family?

There were moments when Mrs. Holland would direct her own anger towards Lisa. Did this new girlfriend snatch Paul away from his son? If Mrs. Holland saw Lisa again, she would have harsh words for her. But when Lisa surprised her with a phone call, she decided not to say anything. Mrs. Holland might not have been a black belt, but she should still behave like one.

When Gary arrived home from the dojang, she had something important to tell him. She was not sure how he would react.

“Lisa, Dad’s girlfriend, just called,” said Mrs. Holland. “She and her sons are coming to watch you compete. They want to see the black belt in action.”

“They’re coming all the way from Atlanta?” Gary seemed surprised.

“You left quite an impression,” Mrs. Holland continued. “Lisa’s sons adore you.” Gary smiled and nodded his head as he went into his room. This might have been his first smile since Paul died, but Mrs. Holland could not help feeling anxious. Would Lisa and the boys keep their word and show up this weekend? Gary had already been hurt enough, and he did not need to be let down anymore.

The day of the tournament soon came, and Mrs. Holland met Lisa and the boys outside the gym. Justin and Todd were both very excited. Mrs. Holland continued to push away any negative thoughts she had about Lisa. The family was there to root for Gary, and that was definitely a good thing.

As they were settling into the bleachers, the boys were asking numerous questions about Gary and the tournament. How many different kicks does Gary know? Can he break concrete blocks? What were his chances of winning the sparring matches? It was hard for Mrs. Holland to answer the last question. Gary had come close to winning first prize in the previous tournament, but each tournament was different. Some of the participating schools were different, and Gary was now competing with students of a higher belt rank. They were going to be more challenging opponents, and her grandson needed to focus hard on their techniques.

But Mrs. Holland knew without a doubt that Gary had excellent reflexes, and he could certainly handle a variety of attacks. He had proven this at his dad’s funeral, reacting quickly and decisively to a brutal surprise. Mrs. Holland looked at the smiling faces of Justin and Todd, Gary’s newest fans. The black belt had already won his toughest match, and Mrs. Holland could not have been prouder.

Lewis Brett Smiler lives in West Orange, NJ, and enjoys creative writing and historical research. His stories have been published in Scarlet Leaf Review, Scare Street, Academy of the Heart and Mind, and Anotherealm.