Part 88: Karma
Jenny slowly moved awake. The source of light coming from around the blue tarp meant that the sun was starting to come up. The young soccer player grunted as she leaned up, feeling the ache in her muscles. She no longer had headaches. With all the water she had been drinking, she assumed she had recovered from the dehydration that nearly killed her. But she hadn’t used her muscles in quite a while. She remembered her old coach telling her that if she didn’t use the muscles, she’d lost them.
Jenny looked over to her friend Kristy. The model was still asleep, foot elevated on two suitcases. Her foot was looking better by the day. She even was able to walk around on it yesterday. The teenager thought about her family, worried that she might have not survived the crash. Her thoughts drifted back to Sarah; her sister; her friend. Mom and dad did their best to raise Jenny but by age 12, Sarah practically took over. She began to adopt her music likings, even movies and books. Jenny could never forget the day she had the near-fatal car crash. The one that ripped her spine nearly in two. Luckily, Sarah was able to live thanks to the skill of a very good spine surgeon.
Then the surgeon wouldn’t leave Sarah alone. He would visit her during rehab, making sure her ability to walk again was progressing. Then as she got better, Sarah and the doctor began to date. Then they felt in love and after that; marriage. Sarah never seemed so happy. Jenny even liked Jack. He was one of the few men in Sarah’s life that were able to remember her little sister’s birthday. But then Jack had to go; he divorced Sarah. It felt as if the honeymoon was barely over. Sarah took it so hard; her savior left her. Jenny was on her way home to be with her sister. How could see not be? Come home, Jenny, she said on the phone. Sarah needed someone to help her with the daily life, as losing Jack made it even worse. Jenny wiped her tears that she was forming. “I’m gonna be late, sis,” she whispered, “I’ll be home but I’ll be a little late.”
Jenny then rolled on her back and then flipped over to exit out from under the tarp. She could leave through the main entrance but she would have had to walk through all the sleeping people. She gently put the tarp down and walked out to the beach. The others were sleeping in their various camp like spots. The strawberry-blonde walked down a little ways toward the water. She leaned over and scooped up the ocean liquid, splashing it on her face. After being among it for ten days, she really wasn’t in any desire to get back into it.
Jenny walked a little ways down the beachline. She stopped an area where she thought she had enough room. She then closed her eyes and got in her fighting stance. Opening her eyes, she visualized her opponent. Swiftly, she thrust her fist out again and again. She twirled and flung a drop kick into the air. Her muscles were starting to slowly NOT ache; feeling the blood get back into them. Jenny flung her sharp hand outward, twisting it. She collided her elbow against her invisible opponent. She repeated all these maneuvers for a good twenty minutes. She then stopped and took a deep breath. She felt so much better. Jenny felt alive again.
The young teenager smacked her lips, feeling thirsty. As she turned around to head back toward the camps, she found the Asian man named Brendon staring at her. He was looking at with an obvious curiosity. Jenny wondered; had he been looking at her the whole time? Then the Asian man slowly raised up a piece of wooden plank. The girl was curious where he got it but in the stance he was holding it, she knew what he wanted her to do. She then walked over and smiled at him. She placed her fist on the plank; then pulled back her fist two inches and then flung it at the wood; snapping it in two pieces. Brendon laughed as the wood gave way. “I thought I recognized your form,” he said, clapping, “Jeet Kune Do. The way of the Intercepting Fist.”
“Yes, indeedy,” Jenny said proudly, “Second year, black belt. Been studying since I was 9.”
“Any particular reason you decided to study a martial arts made famous by Bruce Lee?”
“Actually, that was the whole reason I got it into. I saw him at a drive in with my family in Enter the Dragon. The way he moved; the way he attacked his opponent. I had to study his art.”
“Interesting. It’s the last thing I would think a white girl from California would do.” Brendon smiled.
“Why not? Bruce Lee’s wife did it.” Jenny retorted.
Brendon laughed, admiring the wit of the young girl. He then cupped his hands to his side and bowed to her as if she was a worthy opponent. Jenny repeated the gesture to him. As Jenny started walking back, Brendon followed her. He was anxious to get something for breakfast as well. “Is that all, Jenny?” he asked.
“What do you mean?” she looked back at him.
“Is being enamored with Bruce Lee the only reason you studied Jeet Kune Do?”
“Isn’t that enough?” she said, slightly implying it’s none of his business.
“Not on this island.” He chucked.
“Okay, “ she grinned, “now what does THAT mean?”
“It means when you speak to everybody here, you are will fine one unifying theme. Each one of us hold a secret; each one of us is broken. When you reveal that secret to anyone; your soul becomes healed.”
“That sounds really great, Brendon but rarely do I believe in Karma.”
“You study Jeet Kune Do and you don’t believe in Karma?” the Asian man laughed.
“Okay, let me re-phrase. I don’t believe in the karma you are suggesting,”
“Why not?”
“Cause there is only thing I wished for at the present time and I don’t thinking revealing why I studied Jeet Kune Do is going to grant my wish.”
“How about you try?” he smiled.
Jenny stopped and looked at him. At first she thought it was just standard “getting to you” stuff. However, she could tell he was serious. Since she knew she was going to be stuck here on the island for a while; where would the harm be in talking about herself and opening up a little more to people? She smiled and crossed her arms. “I don’t want people to think I am weak.” She whispered.
“You’ve had people think you are weak?” Brendon asked.
“Once or twice. All my life, and mostly because I am a girl, that other people thought I was weak. That I couldn’t do anything. So then I got into sports and became aggressive at soccer. I studied Jeet Kune Do so that no guy would ever make fun of me and I’d be able to backup any words I said. My sister supported me on it and was the one who suggested I do martial arts.”
“Sounds like your sister is a wonderful woman.”
“She’s more than just my sister. She is my best friend.”
“You will return to her one day. I promise you that.” Brendon smiled.
Jenny grinned. It did feel better to talk to someone about Sarah and how she felt. “Thank you, Brendon,” she bowed again.
“Don’t you feel better?” he asked.
“Yeah, little bit. Now I just have to wait for my wish to be granted.”
“What is that, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“For the man who hurt my sister to appear out of nowhere, “she whispered, “So I can beat the ever living snot out of him.”
Jenny looked over to her friend Kristy. The model was still asleep, foot elevated on two suitcases. Her foot was looking better by the day. She even was able to walk around on it yesterday. The teenager thought about her family, worried that she might have not survived the crash. Her thoughts drifted back to Sarah; her sister; her friend. Mom and dad did their best to raise Jenny but by age 12, Sarah practically took over. She began to adopt her music likings, even movies and books. Jenny could never forget the day she had the near-fatal car crash. The one that ripped her spine nearly in two. Luckily, Sarah was able to live thanks to the skill of a very good spine surgeon.
Then the surgeon wouldn’t leave Sarah alone. He would visit her during rehab, making sure her ability to walk again was progressing. Then as she got better, Sarah and the doctor began to date. Then they felt in love and after that; marriage. Sarah never seemed so happy. Jenny even liked Jack. He was one of the few men in Sarah’s life that were able to remember her little sister’s birthday. But then Jack had to go; he divorced Sarah. It felt as if the honeymoon was barely over. Sarah took it so hard; her savior left her. Jenny was on her way home to be with her sister. How could see not be? Come home, Jenny, she said on the phone. Sarah needed someone to help her with the daily life, as losing Jack made it even worse. Jenny wiped her tears that she was forming. “I’m gonna be late, sis,” she whispered, “I’ll be home but I’ll be a little late.”
Jenny then rolled on her back and then flipped over to exit out from under the tarp. She could leave through the main entrance but she would have had to walk through all the sleeping people. She gently put the tarp down and walked out to the beach. The others were sleeping in their various camp like spots. The strawberry-blonde walked down a little ways toward the water. She leaned over and scooped up the ocean liquid, splashing it on her face. After being among it for ten days, she really wasn’t in any desire to get back into it.
Jenny walked a little ways down the beachline. She stopped an area where she thought she had enough room. She then closed her eyes and got in her fighting stance. Opening her eyes, she visualized her opponent. Swiftly, she thrust her fist out again and again. She twirled and flung a drop kick into the air. Her muscles were starting to slowly NOT ache; feeling the blood get back into them. Jenny flung her sharp hand outward, twisting it. She collided her elbow against her invisible opponent. She repeated all these maneuvers for a good twenty minutes. She then stopped and took a deep breath. She felt so much better. Jenny felt alive again.
The young teenager smacked her lips, feeling thirsty. As she turned around to head back toward the camps, she found the Asian man named Brendon staring at her. He was looking at with an obvious curiosity. Jenny wondered; had he been looking at her the whole time? Then the Asian man slowly raised up a piece of wooden plank. The girl was curious where he got it but in the stance he was holding it, she knew what he wanted her to do. She then walked over and smiled at him. She placed her fist on the plank; then pulled back her fist two inches and then flung it at the wood; snapping it in two pieces. Brendon laughed as the wood gave way. “I thought I recognized your form,” he said, clapping, “Jeet Kune Do. The way of the Intercepting Fist.”
“Yes, indeedy,” Jenny said proudly, “Second year, black belt. Been studying since I was 9.”
“Any particular reason you decided to study a martial arts made famous by Bruce Lee?”
“Actually, that was the whole reason I got it into. I saw him at a drive in with my family in Enter the Dragon. The way he moved; the way he attacked his opponent. I had to study his art.”
“Interesting. It’s the last thing I would think a white girl from California would do.” Brendon smiled.
“Why not? Bruce Lee’s wife did it.” Jenny retorted.
Brendon laughed, admiring the wit of the young girl. He then cupped his hands to his side and bowed to her as if she was a worthy opponent. Jenny repeated the gesture to him. As Jenny started walking back, Brendon followed her. He was anxious to get something for breakfast as well. “Is that all, Jenny?” he asked.
“What do you mean?” she looked back at him.
“Is being enamored with Bruce Lee the only reason you studied Jeet Kune Do?”
“Isn’t that enough?” she said, slightly implying it’s none of his business.
“Not on this island.” He chucked.
“Okay, “ she grinned, “now what does THAT mean?”
“It means when you speak to everybody here, you are will fine one unifying theme. Each one of us hold a secret; each one of us is broken. When you reveal that secret to anyone; your soul becomes healed.”
“That sounds really great, Brendon but rarely do I believe in Karma.”
“You study Jeet Kune Do and you don’t believe in Karma?” the Asian man laughed.
“Okay, let me re-phrase. I don’t believe in the karma you are suggesting,”
“Why not?”
“Cause there is only thing I wished for at the present time and I don’t thinking revealing why I studied Jeet Kune Do is going to grant my wish.”
“How about you try?” he smiled.
Jenny stopped and looked at him. At first she thought it was just standard “getting to you” stuff. However, she could tell he was serious. Since she knew she was going to be stuck here on the island for a while; where would the harm be in talking about herself and opening up a little more to people? She smiled and crossed her arms. “I don’t want people to think I am weak.” She whispered.
“You’ve had people think you are weak?” Brendon asked.
“Once or twice. All my life, and mostly because I am a girl, that other people thought I was weak. That I couldn’t do anything. So then I got into sports and became aggressive at soccer. I studied Jeet Kune Do so that no guy would ever make fun of me and I’d be able to backup any words I said. My sister supported me on it and was the one who suggested I do martial arts.”
“Sounds like your sister is a wonderful woman.”
“She’s more than just my sister. She is my best friend.”
“You will return to her one day. I promise you that.” Brendon smiled.
Jenny grinned. It did feel better to talk to someone about Sarah and how she felt. “Thank you, Brendon,” she bowed again.
“Don’t you feel better?” he asked.
“Yeah, little bit. Now I just have to wait for my wish to be granted.”
“What is that, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“For the man who hurt my sister to appear out of nowhere, “she whispered, “So I can beat the ever living snot out of him.”
posted by Jason | 11:29 AM
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