Kung Fu

From about 7th grade on through high school I was stuck with a nickname that I didn’t like very much, “Kung Fu.” It came about after the television show of the same name and the fact that I had been taking martial art classes at the air base.

After a year and a half of training, the Air Force sergeant who was teaching me, was reassigned. Because of that I decided to sign up for Judo classes with College of the Redwoods, which held training sessions at the high school.

Our instructor was Rick Madonia. He was not only a Judo instructor, but also an instructor in Karate, Aikido and several weapon forms — not a guy you’d want to pick on in some dark alley.

In the right side of the photograph, clipped from the Del Norte Triplicate, is me. I look like I’m holding hands with the guy I’m supposed to be sparring with, rather than battling him.

Oh — and did I mention — I never really liked being called “Kung Fu?” It doesn’t bother me now, as I find it rather amusing.