Lesson One
Toreen Salberg
June 4th, 1983 Terry and John were in an empty room of the Lab, both wearing jogging suits. Terry turned John's wrist. "You have to have the right angle. If you connected with that punch, you might have broken your wrist. Ok, again." John threw the punch again. "Much better! Your practice has been paying off. Now, question." "Yes?" "Why don't you look at me during lessons?" John stopped and thought about that. "When you're teaching, you sound like an adult. I guess I need to forget you're a child to learn what you're teaching." "Good. Now, One more question. Do you have problems learning from other people younger than yourself, or is it just because it's me?" "It isn't that I can't learn from someone younger than myself." he looked at her. "I am learning from you. You're just so tiny, I can't help but think of you as a little girl." Terry smiled. "I can deal with that. Now, how's your meditation coming?" "I'm beginning to enjoy it. It's a pleasant break in the day." "That's great. Ok, lesson over for today. I have to go out."
"Where?" "I have a lesson with Ginge and Lefty." "Do tell." He looked somewhat disturbed. "You're starting to sound like me. Not good." she smiled "They're teaching me to ride." "Oh, no they are not, young lady." he crossed his arms and glared at her. She laughed. "Yes, they are. John, I know you're worried. Don't. They're teaching me street fighting and how to ride a motorcycle in exchange for aikido lessons." "I don't like the idea of you spending time with a motorcycle gang." "Do you really think Ginge and Lefty would let anything happen to me?" "Oh, all right. When will you be home?" "About 6. What do you want for dinner?" "Excuse me?" "I'll cook tonight. What do you want for dinner?" "Shepherd's Pie?" "You got it." she left the room, heading to the jaunting pad. John smiled. He can't remember anyone ever getting this close, let alone this fast. She popped her head back into the room. "John, go visit your father." "What?" "You haven't seen him in a few months. You should spend more time with him. Go visit him." "I'll see him this afternoon." "Good." She was gone again. That was when it hit him. It was all about family. Terry took advantage of the bond they shared to get close and give him the family he needed. He was now closer to his father than he had been in years, and she gave him herself as a little sister. Of all the lessons she gave him, this was Lesson One.
Toreen Salberg
June 4th, 1983 Terry and John were in an empty room of the Lab, both wearing jogging suits. Terry turned John's wrist. "You have to have the right angle. If you connected with that punch, you might have broken your wrist. Ok, again." John threw the punch again. "Much better! Your practice has been paying off. Now, question." "Yes?" "Why don't you look at me during lessons?" John stopped and thought about that. "When you're teaching, you sound like an adult. I guess I need to forget you're a child to learn what you're teaching." "Good. Now, One more question. Do you have problems learning from other people younger than yourself, or is it just because it's me?" "It isn't that I can't learn from someone younger than myself." he looked at her. "I am learning from you. You're just so tiny, I can't help but think of you as a little girl." Terry smiled. "I can deal with that. Now, how's your meditation coming?" "I'm beginning to enjoy it. It's a pleasant break in the day." "That's great. Ok, lesson over for today. I have to go out."
"Where?" "I have a lesson with Ginge and Lefty." "Do tell." He looked somewhat disturbed. "You're starting to sound like me. Not good." she smiled "They're teaching me to ride." "Oh, no they are not, young lady." he crossed his arms and glared at her. She laughed. "Yes, they are. John, I know you're worried. Don't. They're teaching me street fighting and how to ride a motorcycle in exchange for aikido lessons." "I don't like the idea of you spending time with a motorcycle gang." "Do you really think Ginge and Lefty would let anything happen to me?" "Oh, all right. When will you be home?" "About 6. What do you want for dinner?" "Excuse me?" "I'll cook tonight. What do you want for dinner?" "Shepherd's Pie?" "You got it." she left the room, heading to the jaunting pad. John smiled. He can't remember anyone ever getting this close, let alone this fast. She popped her head back into the room. "John, go visit your father." "What?" "You haven't seen him in a few months. You should spend more time with him. Go visit him." "I'll see him this afternoon." "Good." She was gone again. That was when it hit him. It was all about family. Terry took advantage of the bond they shared to get close and give him the family he needed. He was now closer to his father than he had been in years, and she gave him herself as a little sister. Of all the lessons she gave him, this was Lesson One.