What am I Doing Here?

ALEZ! FENCE!

Well I took this post from a person who suggested it for a contest.

If I wrote a letter to a person, it would be a friend who has died a few years ago.

Dear R.R.

Thank you for introducing me to the sport of fencing. Your classes were informative but enjoyable. I also think that I needed the exercises that you showed us to limber up, stretch and get into the right positions. But you never yelled or put anyone down. You made each member of the class feel important and special. I learned about a sport which I heard someone refer to as a mental chess game on a fencing strip.

You as a person were smart. I heard that you were in the Merchant Marines so you knew how to discipline when needed. But it was never an issue in our class. People liked to participate in tournaments. As a director you were fair and gave excellent descriptions of the movements that awarded each point.

After the class, most of us went to a pizza place and had a nice pizza and drink. Some had beer and I was the one who downed a Dr. Pepper. That must have put back the pounds that I took off with the class. The conversation at the table was about everything and anything. It was all clean.

Later on I met your very kind wife. She was a teacher who enjoyed talking to all of the class members. Next was your son who became a National Champion. He made sabre look so easy. I know that you were the proudest dad in town when he won.

You are one of the people who I think about a lot. Once or twice I talked to you about something that bothered me and you responded the RR wisdom that I knew so well. You were someone of a good friend. But I never wanted to invade your privacy or home life. And you never wanted to hurt your family as well.

There are a few memories of tournaments that pop up in my mind occasionally. And I do not know if I ever thanked you for the coaching, or advice. You once said that a six pack of beer would be sufficient.

I am sad that I was not told when you died. I also missed your funeral because I was not told of that also. It hurt to not say a proper "Good bye." But now I will. "Good bye RR, Coach and super friend." Somewhere up there you are maybe watching fencing in the Paris Olympics, or the World Championships." I still have some of my equipment in storage but do not think I am in good shape to pick up my foil, saber or epee. I might see rust on the blade from sweat of a bout or crying. If I ever do fence again, I will dedicate the first bout to you! You have earned that right. Alez! Fence!