Fed Up

Sensei is fed up with Blake.

It all started when we were talking about cancelling Monday's black belt class. It would just be sensei and me there, because Joshua and Barrett are both going to be on vacation.

We've talked about this before, sensei and I. About how it would be the better part of prudence if we weren't alone in the dojo together. Not that I don't trust him, or that he doesn't trust me, but why give the wagging tongues fodder for their gossip?

During the course of the conversation, sensei mused, "I wonder what happened to those two black belts from Michigan who were supposed to move down here?" A couple of months ago, Blake had supposedly run across a couple from Michigan who were moving to our town. They were black belts in Isshinryu and were looking for a dojo to train in. They'd somehow gotten in touch with Blake and were asking about our dojo. Now, maybe it's just me, but too many things aren't adding up. Two people (husband and wife) moving to this town, who just happen to be black belts in the only style of karate in our town? Ok, it's possible, but if it were true, why would they contact Blake and not sensei? If it were me looking to join a dojo, I'd be talking to the sensei, not a purple belt who isn't even the high ranking kyu.

By the way, Blake seems to have quit class again. He hasn't come in at least a month--seems like longer. This is his typical pattern. He'll come to class long enough to learn a kata or get a rank promotion, then when things start getting tough, read sparring and self defense, he'll quit. Slowly. He'll come for the kid's classes, then he'll make an excuse:

"I have to take [my fiancee] to work."

"I'm tired."

"I don't feel good."

and will leave before the adult class starts. He'll start doing this every once in a while. Then once a week. Eventually, he'll quit coming all together. It's been this way ever since I've known him.

But I digress...

Where were we? Ahhh, yes...Sensei wondered what happened to the Michigan black belts. Of course, he hadn't talked to them. He was only going by what Blake had told him. I said something to the effect that maybe they never even existed. "Blake gave me a name, though," sensei said.

"I wouldn't exactly bet my life on anything Blake says," said I. "He likes to act like he knows more than he really does."

That's when sensei said it. "I'm about fed up with Blake."

Sensei had forgotten his key to the dojo and his wife wasn't going to come in that day. Sensei called Blake and asked him if he was coming into town that evening and if he could borrow his key, and Blake said,

"Yes, I have wrestling practice at 6:00."

"Now, why the %#!! can he go to wrestling practice, but he can't come here," sensei says to me. "And as much as I've done to help him out, too."

And it's true. Sensei has done a lot for Blake. He's made arrangements for Blake to work in exchange for his dues when he couldn't pay. He's given Blake one on one time at no extra charge. He even gave Blake a paying job in the after school program. (I finally asked sensei why he didn't go ahead and give that job to me, and he said it was because he needed someone who could be there at 2, and I don't get off my real job until 3. I can live with that.) He really has done a lot to keep Blake involved in karate. And this is the way Blake shows his appreciation?

I think this time he's pushed sensei too far. And that is hard to do.

To add insult to injury, all Blake could talk about was how much harder wrestling practice was than karate. Yeah, and I'll bet he goes to wrestling practice and all he talks about is how much harder karate is. Personally, I can't imagine a wuss like Blake wrestling. I wonder if he starts whining every time someone pins him. It's what he does in the dojo.

Now some of you out there may think I shouldn't be posting such things about him, but I've seen Blake be so extremely disrespectful toward sensei, and me, and Barrett, and Josh. Not too long ago, sensei was getting ready to order some patches for our gis, and I asked him if the patches were going to be like the one he had on his gi. There are three different styles of Isshinryu patches--all basically alike, but with some differences. Blake butted in and practically yelled, "Yes, that's the only kind he'll allow us to have." In addition to that simply not being true, sensei is perfectly capable of answering my question himself--not to mention that I did ask the question of sensei, not Blake.

It was almost funny when we were watching the video of Joshua and Barrett's rank testing. Blake was sitting there telling us what this guy was doing, or watch that guy. Yeah, I know Blake, I was there. You weren't.

Well, I've rambled on longer than I intended to about this. I apologize for that, but sometimes one needs to blow off a little steam. I think I'll go knit now. It'll calm me down.