How to Be Social for Beginners

It was 10 in the morning but beads of sweat trickled down my face and to the floor. My palms were glistening and my body was hot. I licked my dry lips as I grabbed the water bottle near my feet; my throat was begging for a drink. I gulped down almost the whole bottle and quenched my thirst - at least for the time being. Then poured the remaining contents on my head. I sighed contently as the cold water dribbled from my head to my neck. Sometimes, I've never been so happy to see water; especially ice cold water. I often see it as a miracle.

After relishing the feeling of cold water, I felt that it wasn't enough; my body was greedy for more. I grabbed another bottle and opened my jacket then poured the ice cold water inside my shirt. It wasn't long before I stopped pouring and was relieved. Having your upper torso inside a thick fencing jacket for a long time is not easy; especially if you're competing. Your body is pushed to the limit when you're competing and having your body stay in the same jacket for almost 1 hour, sweating heavily, makes it ten times hotter than it already is.

On the other corner of the court, directly across from me, my opponent sits. A hand suddenly clasped my shoulder, cutting of my train of thought. I didn't have to look because I knew it was my coach. After a minute of silence, he says, "Remember, parry then riposte; fast and small movement only. Make your opponent passe or get the priority."

I wasn't able to reply quickly because I was called by the referee. I stood up and nodded at him. I closed my jacket and wiggled my hand inside the glove. I kicked the floor once then twice with each foot, a ritual I did before fighting, to check if my shoes were okay. Then I attached the reel wire to the body wire attached to my lame. After that, I attached the head wire, which awas attached to my lame, to my mask. I grabbed my blade and also connected it with the rest of the body wire.

I held my mask with my left and my weapon with my right. My opponent and I went to the middle of the piste, right in front of the referee. She raised her sabre and tapped my mask and I did the same; both lights in the scoring equipment lit up - signaling that it's functioning properly. I went back behind the guardline and faced my opponent. Even from a distance, I can see her trembling as she saluted me. I did the same and put my mask on.

"On guard," the referee called and I quickly got into my on guard position. I took a long deep breath before exhaling slowly in order to relax myself. The referee looked at the both of us before saying, "Pre, Ale!"

One word was all it took for me to charge at my opponent at full speed.