Anthony Bourdain 1956–2018

I started training early last year at age 57. The hardest part was getting up to speed with the warm ups. That took some time. And For a long time, got squashed, day in, day out, by younger, faster, often heavier partners--but that's every white belt's story. I've been lucky with injuries. A bad groin pull last week being the first serious reminder of my...limitations. I love all of it. The soreness, the carrot fingers, mat burn, the ego-destroying ass kickings, just when you think you're getting somewhere. I'm hooked. I know I will never be young again. I am well aware that I'm only getting slower, more fragile over time. That I will probably never live to see black belt or win any competitions. But I'm pretty sure I will suck a little bit less every month . That while I will never master this skill, will at least, hopefully, get better and better at it. And every once in a great while, I will sweep some young upper belt, or maybe even catch one in a triangle . And that makes me happy.

Rolled with another white belt today. He knew nothing--which is okay, because I know nothing. But he was built like a freaking dump truck, and was about as graceful . Also, he's a wrestler. What kind of wrestler, I can't imagine. He managed to kick me in the nose, WWE elbow drop onto my stomach, and generally throw me around his cage--when he wasn't just laying on my legs or trying to artlessly squash me with his massive girth. Oh, yeah, he did try and twist my foot off. That was ...interesting. I don't think he even attempted a single recognizable jiu jitsu technique that I'm aware of--and raising the subject in a helpful way is difficult as he communicates only in monosyllabic grunts and avoids eye contact.

What's the polite thing to do here? I sure as shit don't want to roll with this Killdozer again. Do I edge over to the other side of the mat when he approaches? Talk to the professor and beg him to put Godzilla back on Monster Island? Shoot him with a tranquilizer dart so we can track him back to see if there are others of his species?

What's the appropriate response to this ?