Taichi: The Story of a Chinese Master in America by Marc Meyer
(Book Excerpt)
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HERE’S PAULIE, THE CENTRAL CHARACTER AND NARRATOR, AS A YOUNG BOY TALKING TO THE
BEAUTIFUL YOUNG GIRL AND MARTIAL ARTIST BA LING, FOR WHOM HE HAS LONG FELT THE PANGS
OF UNREQUITED LOVE. BA LING HAS JUST FINISHED A JAW DROPPING PERFORMANCE OF HER
DOUBLE STRAIGHT SWORD ROUTINE:
“There she stood, one stiletto heel boot propped against the wall, silhouette framed inside the metal exit doors
with rows of snowy pines forming a backdrop. Sunlight glinted through a small tear running down her cheek. By
now I knew Ba Ling had heard Xiao Feng’s sentence and it hadn’t been good. I also knew it was too late to
comfort her but I didn’t want to get in the way of the moment so I just stood there. After a while she looked up.
“Come to gloat Paulie?” She choked through a sob. “Come to worship you mean” I countered. “You were great
out there seriously”. I finished a bit lamely with “My uncle’s an asshole sometimes and Xiao Feng is a fat bag of
wind. They say even his teaching days are over.” She managed a grim teary smile, pulling a tissue and a pack of
cigarettes out of her knapsack. I struck an old pack of matches that had been languishing in my pocket for a
week and lit her cigarette, grateful that they’d been there. “He was my last hope.” She sighed through an exhale.
“I’ve got nothing now.”
“Xiao Feng?!” I almost shouted. “You’ve got to be kidding. You’re one of the best martial artists I’ve ever seen.
Even uncle thinks you’re great. You can get a job teaching anywhere.” She smiled through a wet face. “Don’t you
get it Paulie? This was my last year to compete nationally for the Olympics. No one’s going to take a chance on
me now.” “That’s crazy talk.” I protested.”I’m sure uncle…” I started in but she cut me off. “Forget it Paulie. I’m
just too old now.” I stared incredulously at a girl who could have passed for my slightly older sister. Were it not for
the mascara running over her puffy eyelids, she would have looked like a teenager instead of the mere twenty
year old she was.
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