(Story begins here.)
``There was this Japanese martial art called `aikido' that seemed interesting,'' Eric continued.
``Interesting?'' Roger interjected as Joe watched on. Around them, the bar was still relatively serene. The Friday college madness had not descended upon them yet.
``Yes, interesting. It said that it could be used for self-defense, and was highly effective if one were less physically imposing than the opponent. I thought it was interesting, and went to one of their club meets or training sessions. The teacher was a professor on campus, and he was friendly and good at the art. I saw a lot of cool joint locks and pins and throws and he made it all look so easy. Mind you, he was nearly seventy and yet he was casually tossing spry twenty-somethings all over the training mats. I knew I wasn't super fit for any of the more `usual' martial arts, and if a seventy-year-old man can do it easily, I should be able to as well without hurting myself.''
``Wait, wait, Eric. I don't mean to interrupt you as you regale us'' Roger broke off momentarily glancing at Joe ``with your tale, but how has this got to do with your woman trouble?''
Eric sighed and picked up his glass of beer and chugged the rest of it at one go. Roger and Joe stared at him in disbelief and waited impatiently for him to continue.
``I was getting to that,'' Eric finally found his voice to reply. ``I only told you all that to set up the background. Otherwise you won't have enough to give me advice.''
Roger nearly laughed again, but he caught a quick disapproving glare from Joe and managed to halt himself in time. ``I'm sorry, please do continue.''
``So for a year after that, I took part in the aikido training. It was deceptively hard---I always went home sore all over, but that was due to my lack of fitness rather than an error in instruction. At around teh ninth month mark of starting the aikido training, a new girl joined us.
``Her name was Julia. She was a graudate student working on her PhD and was introduced by a friend of hers to the club who was already a member. I cannot forget the first time I saw her when she came to training.
``She was fit-looking, but was paradoxically stiff everywhere, making it mildly comical to see her pineed and her joints locked with relative ease. Throwing her was quite funny, because the stiffness made it super easy to do so.
``At first, I didn't realise what was going on, but now as I looked back, I had started to be smitten by her.''
(Story continues here.)
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