The Zen Martial Artist
My friend Conrad Romo is a lifelong salesman who’s hocked everything from pens to chimney cleaning services to fresh meat to computer diskettes. He’s also a devout practitioner of Zen Buddhism who studies at the Zen Center in midtown Los Angeles.
A few years back, the Zen Center experienced a series of break-ins by a convicted sex offender. The perpetrator (who turned out to be an ex-student of the Center) entered the premises at night and sexually assaulted female residents. Conrad, who had several years training in the Israeli martial art of Krav Maga, volunteered to serve as an all-night security guard. In accordance with non-violent Buddhist teachings, he carried no weapon. He armed himself solely with a can of mace.
The first two nights passed without incident. Conrad caught up on his reading and wrote letters to friends. By the third night he was exhausted. He found himself struggling to keep his eyes open. Sometime after midnight he fell asleep. He was awakened by a loud noise in the kitchen. He opened his eyes, disoriented and confused. He reached for the mace knocking his eye glasses to the floor.
A blurry figure moved through the kitchen toward the adjacent residence hall. Filled with fear and surging adrenaline, Conrad moved toward the figure. The perpetrator attempted to enter one of the dorm rooms.
