Today the teachers all went to a meeting and the students run their sports activity clubs by themselves again. Now normally Japanese students love to rough-house around. Like play fight. Between classes it's uncommon to NOT see kids in headlocks and girls stealing eachothers things and play fighting. It takes a bit getting used to. So when you see fighting, you start to tune out a bit. But today at basketball there was a tousle that just looked a little too serious. The kids weren't smiling like they usually do. While the wrestles weren't any different to normal it just felt more serious.
I checked with one of the other students just watching to ask if I should break it up and with a nod I got to be superman and split them up and raise my voice like one of the Japanese teachers. It doesn't matter what you say, you just make your voice big, loud, deep and threatening. I can't even remember what I said. It might have been as simple as 'ENOUGH!'.
The kids instantly stopped what they were doing. Bowed in apology and went their separate directions and continued to play basketball. It was so surreal. It really is amazing how much respect for Authority these kids have. That kind of power should be used in moderation haha. With great power comes great responsibility or so they say!
The best part was, later one of the students came up and apologized again and said thanks for stopping him. Because the other guy was 'An angry spawn of the devil'. No idea where he learnt that English but it made me chuckle haha.
