Kumite

The Legacy Left Behind.

It’s a nice calm quiet day with a slight breeze in a small town on this early afternoon.

The sign on the front of a facility that reads ‘Kumite Player’s Martial Art’s Supplies’ catches the attention of a young curious boy, who happened to be roaming the streets of this small town.

The young boy suddenly draws his attention to a manakin standing in the window that’s dressed in a Karate Uniform while in a fighting stance.

Standing next to it, is a manakin wearing a Jujitsu gi, as well as the manakin dressed as a Thai boxer and the one next to it dressed in a kung fu uniform.

Being so excited just looking at the manakins, the young boy’s interest is captured, which leads him to enter the store.

In the store…

As the boy walks about the store, he observes the different merchandises on display; Swords, Tanfas, Nunchucks, bo-staff, ext… and what the boy loves the best, the samurai armor inside of a tall glass box next to a glass box that contained the armor the Korean Hworang warriors used to wear in ancient times.

“Woah,” the boy silently says to himself.

The boy suddenly directs his attention to two attractive female Korean Tae Kwon Do instructors standing by a book rack while speaking Korean.

While carrying on their conversation, the two female Tae Kwon Do instructors step away from the rack as one of them sets a book back on the rack.

The young boy pays MOST attention to the book one of the female Tae Kwon Do instructors were holding.

As the book sits on the rack with its title showing, which was ‘Kumite Players,’ the boy approaches the rack and picks up the book, observes the title, then opens the book to the introduction page.

On the introduction page was a photo of a National State Champion karate team…

…Starting from the top row in the photo from left to right, Conrad X, who was a 64 year old karate master as well as an undercover cop, Tiffany, who was an EXTREMELY attractive seventeen year old first degree black belt Hawaiian girl with a muscular physique, but not so much the physique of a professional body builder, Careena, an 18 year old beautiful black girl with curly hair, Heather X, who was such an attractive 23 year old third degree black belt as well as a United States Marine, and Talya X, who was a 17 year old very gorgeous blond girl, 3rd degree black belt.

…Then there was the second, third, and forth row of black belt students.

A tall trophy stood on the right side of the group.

In the middle of the bottom row, there was a small square black board that read: ’Las Vegas National State Championship Karate Tournament. 1986.’

The boy is really amazed as he views this photograph of this championship Karate team from 75 years ago.

At this very moment, the young boy clues in on the fact that the book he’s holding is a story book; regarding a great legacy that was left by this Karate team, and much more…. it’s about their adventurous life story.

Ston Armstrong, who’s an elderly Caucasian man with a slight bit of facial hair, 5′6", wears glasses, takes a short glance at the young boy flipping through the pages of the book, then after a few seconds, continues wiping the dust off a tall Karate trophy, which happens to be the same trophy from the photograph in the book the boy was thumbing through, checking the book for any additional pictures.

Of course, the trophy Ston wiped the dust off of is not for sale, but only for display as an important piece of décor for the Martial Arts supply store.

Being that the trophy is 75 years old, it’s more-so, an antique.

The young boy approaches Ston while Ston begins wiping the counter.

Just before getting Ston’s attention, the boy flips the pages of the book back to that of the karate team photograph.

“Excuse me, sir,” the young boy quotes.

Ston looks to see the boy and notices the book He has in his hand.

“That sales for $105.00,” Ston quoted as he wrongfully assumes the boy was gonna ask about the price of the book.

“Actually, sir, I wanted to know what kind of Martial art’s book is this? It has no pictures of people demonstrating techniques,” the boy points out.

Ston takes a close look at the book the boy holds in his hand, and notices the title.

Ston answers the boy saying, “That’s actually a biography book. Written by the team who founded this store years ago.”

The young boy observes the picture once more as Ston points to it.

“It’s a story about THAT very champion ship karate team you see in that photograph. How they stuck together during their accidental run in with a street fighting crew which I myself, happened to be a part of seventy-five years ago,” Ston explains.

“You knew those people?” the young boy asks while sounding somewhat impressed.

“Yes…” Ston answers. “The team and I were NOT properly introduced, however. Read the book carefully, and you will find that there is more to Martial Arts than punches, kicks, and techniques, but it’s a way of life as well… about manners, how you respect yourself, and how you respect others…”

The young boy nods his head saying, “Okay, sir, I’ll buy it. I’ll purchase the book.”

In the boy’s bedroom; later that evening…

The boy relaxes on his bed and opens the book. He flips through the pages until he reaches chapter one of the story, and began reading.

And this is how the story begins…