This weekend I watched my six-year-old place first place in Karate in both form and sparring. The night before him and I watched youtube episodes of Bruce Lee, Jet Li, Jackie Chan, Bolo and other Kung Fu legends. It made me think about growing up in Brooklyn watching Kung Fu theater on Saturday afternoon. All the classics, “Five Deadly Venoms, Iron Fist, Chinese Connection,” and for a break from the action, “The Last Dragon.”
As kids we all though we were Bruce Lee and became Kung Fu legends in our own mind. While we had the ability to watch it on TV, our families were all too poor to pay for actual lesson. So TV movies became our teachers. We all knew the classic lines; “Mr Han; suddenly I like to leave yo island; hooooooooh!” (Jim Kelly in Enter the Dragon.)
So watching my son really compete and be good warms my vicarious needs. He not only enjoys it but has the potential to become something I never had the chance to become; a childhood legend (even if it ain’t his, but mines).
If i’m blessed to see it, maybe one day some kid will be looking at him in the movies beat up 100 men without a weapon. He’ll have a great catch phase, like “Come Smell My Fist,” (made that up.) or bring home an Olympic Gold medal. Until then, I’ll enjoy the fantasy of my newest kung fu legend; MY SON.
