19/05: Do you want a fight? No I want to talk....
This is a great story on how one of the Northstar students used the lessons of martial arts to confront some burgulars with mindfullness.
-Andy-
***************
I also wanted to send you a note re using the skills I have learnt, albeit
outside of the dojo.
There has been an empty block of land behind our house for several years. Recently two town house have been built, albeit the fences between them are not finished.
Last Sunday afternoon, we had just returned home from mothers day lunch,
with my mother and mother-in-law, everyone at our house.
I saw two "gentlemen" climbing over the fences behind us wearing beanies
etc. I guessed they weren't on the way back from Sunday lunch (and I had been
expecting this sort of thing for quite a few years).
As break-ins etc have become quite common, particularly through older houses
around here, "something" kicked in and I decided to act.
I initially ran downstairs and to the back fence, to get a good look, and
they heard me coming and fled down to the street at the back. I anticipated
they would eventually come back up the lane four houses further up from us,
back into my street, and I headed for the top of the lane.
As it turns out I got there first, and had an eight step height advantage,
as well as a sense of presence about me.
They asked "what do you want" and I calmly said "I need to talk to you",
they asked "do you want a fight" and I said "no, I just want you to know
that I saw you, as did others, and its probably not a great idea if you
came back".
They said "so you do want a fight" and I calmly reinforced "no, I don't even
want the lap-tops, they aren't mine. You were behind my house, and I want to
encourage you to not return, that's all".
They turned and went back down the lane. I headed for home, and decided I
would see how much I could use a sense of distance and presence to move them
further from my house (probably not quite as objectively as this at the
time, however it was certainly part of the plan).
I walked after them, maintaining distance down the lane. I walked faster
they walked faster, I jogged a little, they jogged a lot, eventually we were
running a bit and they were leaving my territory, and more importantly my
family.
Interestingly as I followed them it became quite clear what was happening as
a resonably well dressed guy (me) was following a couple of individuals in shorts carrying lap-tops etc. A number of other folks, whose houses had been robbed in the street behind us started to join in and it then involved other residents picking me up in their cars, my visting the police station, and our local drug dealer - whose house they actually
robbed, although I didnt know at the time (another story altogether).
In sharing the story a couple of times this week, including with my mother
who was still in the house, several people have wondered why I would do it.
A couple of things, obviously it was about protecting my family, although I
think that would only have got me to the back fence. The rest, I am quite
confident is about the skills I have picked up at Northstar.
There was no chance they were going to get their hands on me at any stage,
as a sense of distance was always on my side. I also understood acutely
what my message was at the time, and was never intending to draw my sword,
just trying to unbalance them and get them on their way (anybody who has
sparred me knows that my sword still needs sharpening and its not my
preferred choice anyway, still a way to go, smile)
This was no more evident than when I was picked up by one of the neighbors
and we set off "in pursuit" by car. He asked "why didn't you grab them", I
told him "I was never going to do that", not my lap-tops, not my fight. It
was also very apparent by then my job was done. I just rode around for a bit
of fun, to catch my breath as I had a virus at the time, and get a lift home
- the fight was clearly over for me.
Sorry for long note, and thanks.
Cheers
John Cooksey
-Andy-
***************
I also wanted to send you a note re using the skills I have learnt, albeit
outside of the dojo.
There has been an empty block of land behind our house for several years. Recently two town house have been built, albeit the fences between them are not finished.
Last Sunday afternoon, we had just returned home from mothers day lunch,
with my mother and mother-in-law, everyone at our house.
I saw two "gentlemen" climbing over the fences behind us wearing beanies
etc. I guessed they weren't on the way back from Sunday lunch (and I had been
expecting this sort of thing for quite a few years).
As break-ins etc have become quite common, particularly through older houses
around here, "something" kicked in and I decided to act.
I initially ran downstairs and to the back fence, to get a good look, and
they heard me coming and fled down to the street at the back. I anticipated
they would eventually come back up the lane four houses further up from us,
back into my street, and I headed for the top of the lane.
As it turns out I got there first, and had an eight step height advantage,
as well as a sense of presence about me.
They asked "what do you want" and I calmly said "I need to talk to you",
they asked "do you want a fight" and I said "no, I just want you to know
that I saw you, as did others, and its probably not a great idea if you
came back".
They said "so you do want a fight" and I calmly reinforced "no, I don't even
want the lap-tops, they aren't mine. You were behind my house, and I want to
encourage you to not return, that's all".
They turned and went back down the lane. I headed for home, and decided I
would see how much I could use a sense of distance and presence to move them
further from my house (probably not quite as objectively as this at the
time, however it was certainly part of the plan).
I walked after them, maintaining distance down the lane. I walked faster
they walked faster, I jogged a little, they jogged a lot, eventually we were
running a bit and they were leaving my territory, and more importantly my
family.
Interestingly as I followed them it became quite clear what was happening as
a resonably well dressed guy (me) was following a couple of individuals in shorts carrying lap-tops etc. A number of other folks, whose houses had been robbed in the street behind us started to join in and it then involved other residents picking me up in their cars, my visting the police station, and our local drug dealer - whose house they actually
robbed, although I didnt know at the time (another story altogether).
In sharing the story a couple of times this week, including with my mother
who was still in the house, several people have wondered why I would do it.
A couple of things, obviously it was about protecting my family, although I
think that would only have got me to the back fence. The rest, I am quite
confident is about the skills I have picked up at Northstar.
There was no chance they were going to get their hands on me at any stage,
as a sense of distance was always on my side. I also understood acutely
what my message was at the time, and was never intending to draw my sword,
just trying to unbalance them and get them on their way (anybody who has
sparred me knows that my sword still needs sharpening and its not my
preferred choice anyway, still a way to go, smile)
This was no more evident than when I was picked up by one of the neighbors
and we set off "in pursuit" by car. He asked "why didn't you grab them", I
told him "I was never going to do that", not my lap-tops, not my fight. It
was also very apparent by then my job was done. I just rode around for a bit
of fun, to catch my breath as I had a virus at the time, and get a lift home
- the fight was clearly over for me.
Sorry for long note, and thanks.
Cheers
John Cooksey
