14. The house next to the ocean

Terry walked down of the small path to the little house next to the ocean. The wind played in the treetops and blew dust from the path up in his face. He reached the little house and felt like stepping into a whole new world. The house wasn't like the rest off the school, which was built in a western style. This little house was built in the traditional Japanese style.

"Can I help you?"

Terry had been so fascinated over the house that he hadn't seen the man, who was working in the garden. He turned around and recognized Anna's grandfather. He had seen him many times before, but he had never talked to him before.

"Anna…oh, Miss Lee has sent me. She said you needed some help with the garden."

The old man thought about it for a while and then he nodded.

"She said something about it. Well, then we better find some work for you."

He began to walk down a path into the garden, but stopped and turned around.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Come with me!"

Quickly Terry went after him. The old man was surprising quick on his feet and Terry almost had to run after him.

"You can call me Mr. Lee, understood?"

"Yeah…"

Mr. Lee stopped and turned at Terry.

"It is yes, not yeah or other lazy expressions, understood?"

"Yes."

o-

Terry lay down on the bed with a sigh. He had always thought no one could be more demanding that Bruce, but now he knew he couldn't have taken more wrong. He had been working for Mr. Lee in little over a week. Anna had arranged it like that, since he could take part in the training due to his broken nose.

Mr. Lee had order him around like a general. Take this pot! Move it over here! No, not like this! Put more feelings in it! Plants are living being. Treat them with care! Even though it was over an hour since he had left the garden was Mr. Lee's words still strong in his memory. It made Terry shuddered to think of next day. It was going to be a whole day working with Mr. Lee.

o-

He walked up to the little house with misgivings. He had hadn't heard his alarm clock and had overslept. At the garden gate waited Mr. Lee for him.

"What time is it to come?"

He was argy. Terry tried to explain himself.

"Sorry, I overslept. It shall not happen again."

Mr. Lee just looked at him for a second and then he began to walk in the direction of the beach.

"Come."

Terry quickly followed him. Mr. Lee walked down to the water and sat down.

"Sit down."

Terry sat down next to him.

"Close your eyes and listen to the waves. Feel how calm they are."

Terry did as Mr. Lee had told him and felt a strange sense of peace. Mr. Lee kept talking, but Terry didn't hear him. He felt the waves' sound in his whole body. It pulsated up in his body with a great energy and he felt tiredness disappear.

He felt a hand on his shoulder, which called him back to the reality. He opened his eyes and saw Mr. Lee standing in front of him. For the first time he saw Mr. Lee smile.

"Good, how do you feel?"

"Marvellous, how did…"

A gesture from Mr. Lee stopped him.

"It is still too early, but one day I will tell you."

He helped Terry up and together they walked back to the house.

o-

A little bird, which was singing outside his window, woke him up. He cast a glance on the alarm clock and felt back in the bed. It was way too early. The breakfast was first in two hours, so he tried to fall a sleep again, but he couldn't. Therefore he stood up and got dressed. Quietly he opened the door and walked softly down the stairs.

Outside he began to walk down to the beach. Somehow he felt it was calling for him. All around him was things waking up and starting the new day. He came to the beach and went down to the water's edge, where he sat down. The first sunbeams greeted him. He closed his eyes and felt the warmth from the sun on his face.

He sat there for a while. Not knowing if it was seconds, minuets or hours there had passed. For the first time in months he felt in peace with himself. He didn't want to lose that, but he knew he had to go back. He opened his eyes and was just about to stand up, when he saw him.

Mr. Lee was standing some hundred meters away from him with closed eyes. Terry was just about to walk over to him, when he started to move. Each movement came with speed and proficiency. Each movement lead up to the next and together the performed the most wonderful dance Terry ever had seen. He had seen a kata being done before, but never one so elegant.

Mr. Lee stopped and just stood there for a moment, but then he turned around and began to walk up to the house. Their eyes meet and he stopped. Terry stood up and walked over to him.

"Good morning, I was just…"

The old man smiled.

"Morning to you too. Do you want to join me for breakfast?"

The question caught Terry off his guard and it took him a moment before he answered.

"Okay."

The old man smiled again and together they began to walk up to the house.

Terry helped Mr. Lee making the breakfast. There were a lot of things he never had seen before, but they looked very delicious. Soon they sat down next to a well-provided table and began to eat in silence. It was Terry, who first broke it.

"Oh, Mr. Lee?"

The old man looked over at the young man.

"Yes, Terry."

"The thing you were doing down on the beach…"

"Kata."

"Yeah…oh, yes, can you teach me that?"

"Why do you want to learn it?"

"I…I don't know… it just feels…it looks…I don't know."

For a second the old man just looked the young one into his eyes, but then he started to laugh. He stood up and walked over to a closet and took something out off it. He then came back to the table and gave the thing to Terry. It was a photo album.

"Open it."

Terry opened it. Inside were there a lot of old pictures. Mr. Lee turned over the pages until he reached one of a young Japanese man holding a trophy in his hands.

"Is that what you want?"

Terry shook his head. He felt the weight of Batman on his shoulders.

"Good, but what do you want then?"

Terry thought about it for a while and recalled the feelings he had had down on the beach.

"I want the control, the speed, the…I want to do it like you. To be perfect!"

Mr. Lee nodded.

"Good answered. I will train you, but mark my words: It is going to be hard and I don't allow any laziness. Do we have a agreement?"

He held his hand out and Terry took it.