Rob was refereeing a kungfu competition in Wapping, in the docklands of London, and invited me along to watch.
I got there late — as the docklands area was a bit of an alien territory in those days — so everyone was standing to attention, waiting for the signal for the competition to begin. Rob and his two fellow male referees — both his disciples — were already seated on the stage set up for the judges.
When he spotted me, Rob waved me up to the stage, indicating the spare chair he’d reserved for me — next to him!
As I crossed the huge gym hall, and walked up to the stage to take the seat next to the three male referees (one black, two white), the whole hall went silent, with all eyes following my progress with awed reverence. They must’ve thought I was the chief referee, being the only Oriental (and therefore the most likely person for kungfu!), and were probably also most impressed as I’m female!
(London, early 1990s)
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