Coffee Talk

The other day, I stopped in at the local coffee shop where I bumped into the owner of the local mixed martial arts studio. We've met once or twice before, and our respective martial arts studios are about a two-minute walk apart from one another. But in truth, they couldn't be further apart.

He ordered a protein supplement drink; I ordered a chai tea. While we waited for our drinks, I tried to strike up a conversation by asking him how things were going at his studio.

"Great," he responded. "I think I've got one of my guys a slot in the UFC. We're just nailing down all the final details for his fight."

He was swelling with pride, and I congratulated him for his student's accomplishment. He then asked what I was up to.

"Things are great at our dojo, too," I said. "One of my students is in the middle of a community service project to deliver hand-made winter clothes to needy city kids, and I just wrapped up a diabetes awareness and prevention training class for at-risk youth at the local grade school."

I must admit that I was swelling with pride, too.

Immediately thereafter, though, our conversation sputtered, and died a decidedly ungraceful death. Never in the history of the world, I think, did two extremely passionate martial artists have less to say to one another!