His silver hair was neatly combed, his posture perfect even in the confines of the vehicle. On the passenger seat lay a file folder containing newspaper clippings, photographs, and what appeared to be official documents, all featuring Thelma Gardner in her younger years. The man checked his watch, then started the car and drove away, his face impassive but his eyes alert, missing nothing. The next day's class at Golden Dragon was more crowded than usual. A promotional event had brought in several potential new students, and Rick was in full performance mode, demonstrating flashy kicks and breaks for the audience.
Thelma arrived in her now familiar too-large GI, taking her place at the back of the class. She noticed immediately that something had changed in the dynamics of the dojo. Students who had previously ignored her now whispered as she passed. Josh and Tyler were huddled together, occasionally glancing her way and snickering. Rick seemed distracted during the warm-up, his instructions less precise than usual.
Several times he had to correct himself after giving contradictory commands. Front stance. No, horse stance. Focus, people. As the class moved through basic drills, Thelma noticed a disturbing pattern.
Several students, particularly those in Tyler and Josh's circle, were subtly mimicking her movements, exaggerating her stiffness, her occasional balance issues, her careful pace. Rick grew increasingly frustrated as he lost control of the class. "This is a karate dojo, not a comedy club. " he snapped after catching two younger students imitating Thelma's bow. During a water break, Mia approached Thelma. "Don't mind them. " she said quietly.
"They're just immature. " Josh, overhearing, stepped closer. "What was that, Mia? Taking grandma's side now? " Mia straightened her spine. "Her name is Ms. Gardner, and yes, I am.
You guys need to back off. " Tyler joined them, towering over Mia. "You might want to remember who your friends are. " "And you might want to remember basic respect. " Mia countered, her voice stronger than she felt. Josh leaned in, his voice low. "Keep interfering, and I'll remind you of your place. Got it? " Mia stepped back, her confidence faltering under his glare.
Thelma watched the exchange silently, her eyes missing nothing. After class, Rick was approached by Erica, who had been observing from her office window. "We need to talk. " she said, her tone clipped. "The new reviews are coming in. " Rick followed her into the office, where she showed him a tablet displaying recent online ratings for the dojo. "Trendy, but directionless. " she read aloud.
"Instructors allow bullying. More focused on image than discipline. This is not what we want associated with our brand, Rick. " Rick ran a hand through his hair. "It's been a tough month. We lost three advanced students to that new MMA gym across town, and the tournament results weren't great. " "And now we have disruptions in class. " Erica added pointedly.
"Your newest student is becoming a liability. " "You're the one who pushed for inclusivity, Rick reminded her. Inclusivity is good for the brand. Disruption is not. Erica closed the tablet cover with a snap. Fix it.
Later that afternoon, a few beginner students stayed for additional practice. Thelma was among them, working on a basic kata in the corner of the dojo. A young boy of about 12 was struggling with a sequence nearby, his frustration evident in his increasingly sloppy movements. After watching for a moment, Thelma approached him. May I offer a suggestion?