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Old 05-12-2005, 07:06 PM   #11
Charles Hill
Dojo: Numazu Aikikai/Aikikai Honbu Dojo
Location: Three Lakes WI/ Mishima Japan
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 837
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Re: Did O-Sensei have a sense of humor?

There is a story in Terry Dobson`s great book, A Lot Like Dancing. At public demonstations, O`Sensei would use Terry as uke. At one, O`Sensei signalled that Terry should grab O`s front lapel. O` then stepped back and said, "Why did you grab my beard? I am an old man, you know, and don`t have many hairs in my beard. If you grab my beard, I won`t have any hairs left." Everyone laughed, and Terry writes that he was extremely embarrassed. At the next demo, O`Sensei again signalled for Terry to grab his lapel. Terry very carefully made sure not to grab any beard. O` the stepped back and said, "Why did you grab my beard...." Terry realized that the whole thing was a set-up to make the audience laugh.

Terry Dobson`s book is full of such stories, highly recommended.
Charles
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