Mate Late

(I’m the trainer in a Judo class for kids. It’s the end of the lesson and in order to do this it’s tradition that the children sit down in a row to bow. The command for this is “Mate”)

Me: “Mate!”

(The children sit down, one child is waving his hands and shouts.)

Child: “Teacher, I have to say something!”

Me: “After ‘Mate’ it’s supposed to be silent. I think we have to practice this. Everyone to the wall at the other side! Okay, let’s try it again: Mate!”

(The children run to the wall. After the command they return and sit down, the same child is waving his hands and shouts.)

Child: “Teacher, I have to say something!”

Me: *sigh* “Everyone back to the wall! Okay, once more: Mate!”

(The same thing happens once again.)

Me: *to the child* “You DO realize that we repeat this because of you? You can ask your question after that, okay?”

Me: “Okay, once more: Mate!”

(This time everything works and we can bow to end the lesson.)

Me: “[Child], what do you want to say?”

Child: “I just want to say that I have to leave two minutes earlier, as I need to catch the bus.”

Me: *face-floor*