"Do you know any skills?" Ralph requested, his voice now professional, as he evaluated me.
“No I do not have any skill,” I said, and I felt quite naked as I admitted my utter lack of training.
“Any gymnastic skill? just anything special you can do” he said as he placed his hand on his hip.
“I can run for like maybe ten to twenty minutes” I said with a smile
“Ok, why not begin at the roots of things,” he said, walking away to get a punching glove. His gestures were as smooth as silk, graceful almost as though he had spent all his life mastering the art of battle. I followed the play of his muscles under his shirt, the looseness of his walk. He was fully aware of what he was about and it made me feel safe somehow.
“Wear this,” he said, and gave me a pair. The gloves were heavier than
