I recently reconnected with one of my Chicago black belts, Bill Roma. I had sent him a copy of Lessons with Ed Parker since he had been there for many of the events in the book. He said "You left the best part out" regarding the story in the book about being in a Chinese restaurant one night with Mr. Parker and a group of my students. The entertainer there was a Hawaiian man who recognized Mr. Parker and acknowledged him. What Bill reminded me of was that the man said, 'You white guys, when you were young, wanted to grow up to be Roy Rogers. In Hawaii, we wanted to grow up to be Ed Parker."
Also, the man pointed out that the author of On Golden Pond was there as was the mayor of Gary, Indiana. All in this cheesy place in Tinley Park, Illinois on a Saturday night. Who'd have thought?
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