Mr Steven Bainbridge was an exceptional athlete. His body was a picture of masculinity and his Martial Arts ability was excellent. His ability had gained him many sport combat accolades, regionally, nationally, and internationally. This man was the best, a natural in his early twenties and the world was his oyster. He loved being involved with the Korean Arts.
So far, in a career that spanned almost 10 years, all his accolades had come from sport combat, his experience drawn from that of tournament preparation and fighting. This was to prove his flaw, but it wasn�t all Steven�s fault, if fault is to be given out, his instructor was part to blame. Sabonim Ritan had been a great warrior but now age was upon him. In his later years he endeavoured to live his hopes and aspirations through his star student, instructor Steven. All the good will in the world cannot overlook Ritan�s failure to carefully examine his subject matter, the original reason for any style�s evolvement, its existence. Survival and so, though Ritan would never have wished Steven any wrong in neglecting to train him in the realities of combat he had done him a great injustice.
Steven Stanley Bainbridge had the Midas touch in top level competition fighting. His results were cherished by Master Ritan�s countless students. Everything was perfect, just perfect. Steven�s parents were proud of him; they did not understand what he did, but it must be good for him, it afforded him a good living, a good future �that Kung Fuey stuff�. Even Steven�s girlfriend cared for Steven because of what he stood for, not for who he really was.
As I recollect it was after the World Championships in �86, or was it �87 I can�t quite remember, anyway what is important is Steven �Four times World Champion� Bainbridge had defended his sport combat title for the fifth time. After the pats on the back, magazine photos, coverage and all the trimmings, he and his girlfriend Cheryl decided to celebrate and go out for a meal to their favourite Chinese restaurant.
They got dressed up and went to the venue. Today was a special day for Steven he was going to ask Cheryl to be his wife. He decided he would ask her after the meal and present the engagement ring. They ordered food and the waiters began serving in their gracious oriental manner. Across the room were a gang of 3 young men, they looked drunk, and were rowdy, creating havoc in general, insulting the local Orientals on an opposite table. Steven turned and gave them a cold stare, the type of stare he gave to all his opponents. It was met with insult, which infuriated him. He briskly rose from his table and confronted the young troublemakers, and demanded they stopped this undistinguished behaviour. This only intensified the situation, turning the men�s foolish drunkenness towards Steven. One of the smaller men jumped quickly from his chair and lunged for Steven�s throat, Steven responsively side kicked the young man in the stomach plummeting the man �crash bang� into the wall. His backside then his head hit the wall and the young man slid down onto his bottom, clasping his head. The bigger man swore profusely and violently at Steven and rose from his chair, while the third even bigger of the three sat there unmoved by the situation, his laughter turned to karma. Steven was confident, positive; it was just like he always thought it would be. Your see for Steven had fought many times in sport combat he had always wondered how it would be in a real conflict! The second man began swinging hooking punches wildly, Steven kicked him hard under the chin and knocked him completely out. Cold he was, felled like a tree. To Steven it was like taking candy off a baby. The first, smaller man, still holding his head, looked up and decided to stay on the floor. The atmosphere changed, it had quietened. The third man, pokerfaced stood up. Steven cockily told him to sit down or he�d get the same. He was cold. The first man taunted him to kill Steven. Steven stood waiting and the man closed the distance. Steven executed a head kick and it hit the man smack hard, but he shook the kick and stood there, defiant. This seriously un-nerved Steven, no one had ever withstood this kick. It was one of his best techniques and had won loads of events. Steven quickly spun 360 degrees clockwise and raised his right leg and hooked it. It caught the man again but once more he just shook it. The man now quickly returned a straight right punch to Steven�s face; it knocked him back, smashing his nose and mouth. Blood filled Steven�s face, he fell backwards to the floor, the man closely followed and began head kicking and body kicking him. Fear filled Steven but all he could do was curl up into a ball, as a small child does in its mother�s womb for safety. The man stopped and for the first time in his life Steven was scared, really scared. He feared he could die. Sirens echoed in the background and two of the conscious men quickly ran out carrying the second unconscious man with them.
Bloodied and battle blemished Steven Bainbridge stood, his head drooped. He looked towards his table, Cheryl had gone. He walked out. He received pats on the back for his efforts but felt he could not live with himself. Misguided, misdirected he quit the Martial Arts because Martial Arts didn�t work, well not really. Despite Ritan�s efforts Steven would not return to his dojang. He now works in a video shop as a manager. He�s going up in the world. Or is he?