As I mindlessly fumbled through Trader Joe's today, something infinitely strange happened.
An employee ran up to me, extremely enthusiastic, and said "Awe DUDE, where do you train Systema!!"
(I don't *think* I look like a man, but...sometimes in Texas, "dude" is used between like aged, like minded adults.I think.)
This happened while I was attempting to figure out their credit card machine for the zillionth time.
I looked up at stared at him for probably a full minute when I heard my son's voice say "Mom, you're wearing the T- shirt"
Ohhhh , right. The T-SHIRT!( the TSHIRT , is a whole 'nother blog)
" I ummm, well, I don't really train anymore, I mean..I used to train at this place, and even then not alot, so I , ummm...."
My son finally said "it's at *FILL IN THE BLANK* country club with *FILL IN THE BLANK* instructor."
I composed myself and remembered a rule of Systema..."breathe".
"Sorry, um sorry, it's just it caught me off guard and this isn't even my shirt, it's my fiancée's."
So he said "Oh, so you don't train? Orrrrr, you did train , or ummm?'
(this game of "ummmms" really did happen)
"Yes, I do train, just not very often at this gym, but this instructor is great, you should go check him out, he's amazing..and the nicest man..."
The guy softly asked "what do you think of Combat Systema?"
OH.MY.GAWD. please don't go there..breathe.breathe.breathe.
"well, I mean..it is what it is. I guess I'd prefer not to think of it. At all. Ever..it's not particularly what I am drawn to. I do like knife work, but I kinda hate guns and....(interruption..)
"My mom is going to Russia to train with a Cossack. She's pretty awesome.Even though she doesn't train now."
Leave it to my son, to absolutely put me on the spot.
The guy(whom I now know as "Brian" ) said "NO WAY!" I was JUST looking into that...there's a Facebook page called "Cowboys and Cossacks", have you heard of it?!"
"THAT'S MY MOM's PAGE!!!" (for the love of all things righteous, my son is my biggest fan)
Brian then went on into a variety of unintelligible noises, words, half phrases and movements.
And then it hit me.This guy, this one man, did not give a rat's ass if I was a female. He didn't care that I hadn't practiced for very long, or that I wasn't bulging with muscles, ranting about how many burpees I could do. All he cared about was how much I could tell him about Systema in 5 minutes. As he meandered through very technical terminology, I feverishly looked up the school's schedule for him. I had no business cards to hand out, and since I don't go to training anymore, I have zero memory of dates and times.
He immediately called his friends to try to set it up so they all could go when he got out of work. The one thing I heard was "dude, the person who runs that "Cowboys and Cossacks" page is right here!"
The PERSON. For the second time in our 10 minute conversation, this man, so innocently did not give a care that I was female. He was most certainly the kind of male that belongs in Systema. He was eager, pleasant, laid back and just wanted more.He had been studying Jiu Jitsu and wanted something different. Something more holistic, something real. He had heard of Systema a few years back and wanted to try it, but wasn't sure if it was COMBAT Systema or Systema. I tried to answer as many questions for him as I could, without going overboard. I gave him the number to the school and times of classes, and told him it saved my life. Because it did.
On the drive home I had an overwhelming feeling of the first anti-female partner I trained with. It was at a seminar and this man ( an instructor from another state) openly and very loudly said " I AM NOT TRAINING WITH HER!!"
Yup. There it was. He said what I am sure any macho male who paired up with me wanted to say. Before the words "What did you jussst...?" could officially leave my mouth, I felt a tug on my arm by someone I vaguely recognized...he said "it's ok, you can train with me, that guy's a douche".
As we laughed our way through a series of slow movements and soft work, I thought in my head,
"who wouldn't want to train with women? We are soft, fun, soft...um...."
Oh...I know. Men who have issues with women..that's who doesn't want to train with women.
Later on , said douche tried to buy me a drink, you know..to apologize.I declined and walked away from him. Left him in all his glory.
Brian, the guy from the store...not a douche. I hope he goes to class soon, and helps change the stereotype of women in training.
Brian, you made my day.
To visit "Cowboys and Cossacks" go to :
http://tinyurl.com/qganbd7
An employee ran up to me, extremely enthusiastic, and said "Awe DUDE, where do you train Systema!!"
(I don't *think* I look like a man, but...sometimes in Texas, "dude" is used between like aged, like minded adults.I think.)
This happened while I was attempting to figure out their credit card machine for the zillionth time.
I looked up at stared at him for probably a full minute when I heard my son's voice say "Mom, you're wearing the T- shirt"
Ohhhh , right. The T-SHIRT!( the TSHIRT , is a whole 'nother blog)
" I ummm, well, I don't really train anymore, I mean..I used to train at this place, and even then not alot, so I , ummm...."
My son finally said "it's at *FILL IN THE BLANK* country club with *FILL IN THE BLANK* instructor."
I composed myself and remembered a rule of Systema..."breathe".
"Sorry, um sorry, it's just it caught me off guard and this isn't even my shirt, it's my fiancée's."
So he said "Oh, so you don't train? Orrrrr, you did train , or ummm?'
(this game of "ummmms" really did happen)
"Yes, I do train, just not very often at this gym, but this instructor is great, you should go check him out, he's amazing..and the nicest man..."
The guy softly asked "what do you think of Combat Systema?"
OH.MY.GAWD. please don't go there..breathe.breathe.breathe.
"well, I mean..it is what it is. I guess I'd prefer not to think of it. At all. Ever..it's not particularly what I am drawn to. I do like knife work, but I kinda hate guns and....(interruption..)
"My mom is going to Russia to train with a Cossack. She's pretty awesome.Even though she doesn't train now."
Leave it to my son, to absolutely put me on the spot.
The guy(whom I now know as "Brian" ) said "NO WAY!" I was JUST looking into that...there's a Facebook page called "Cowboys and Cossacks", have you heard of it?!"
"THAT'S MY MOM's PAGE!!!" (for the love of all things righteous, my son is my biggest fan)
Brian then went on into a variety of unintelligible noises, words, half phrases and movements.
And then it hit me.This guy, this one man, did not give a rat's ass if I was a female. He didn't care that I hadn't practiced for very long, or that I wasn't bulging with muscles, ranting about how many burpees I could do. All he cared about was how much I could tell him about Systema in 5 minutes. As he meandered through very technical terminology, I feverishly looked up the school's schedule for him. I had no business cards to hand out, and since I don't go to training anymore, I have zero memory of dates and times.
He immediately called his friends to try to set it up so they all could go when he got out of work. The one thing I heard was "dude, the person who runs that "Cowboys and Cossacks" page is right here!"
The PERSON. For the second time in our 10 minute conversation, this man, so innocently did not give a care that I was female. He was most certainly the kind of male that belongs in Systema. He was eager, pleasant, laid back and just wanted more.He had been studying Jiu Jitsu and wanted something different. Something more holistic, something real. He had heard of Systema a few years back and wanted to try it, but wasn't sure if it was
On the drive home I had an overwhelming feeling of the first anti-female partner I trained with. It was at a seminar and this man ( an instructor from another state) openly and very loudly said " I AM NOT TRAINING WITH HER!!"
Yup. There it was. He said what I am sure any macho male who paired up with me wanted to say. Before the words "What did you jussst...?" could officially leave my mouth, I felt a tug on my arm by someone I vaguely recognized...he said "it's ok, you can train with me, that guy's a douche".
As we laughed our way through a series of slow movements and soft work, I thought in my head,
"who wouldn't want to train with women? We are soft, fun, soft...um...."
Oh...I know. Men who have issues with women..that's who doesn't want to train with women.
Later on , said douche tried to buy me a drink, you know..to apologize.I declined and walked away from him. Left him in all his glory.
Brian, the guy from the store...not a douche. I hope he goes to class soon, and helps change the stereotype of women in training.
Brian, you made my day.
To visit "Cowboys and Cossacks" go to :
http://tinyurl.com/qganbd7
No comments:
Post a Comment