Kodomo Sumo

Kodomo Sumo Every one knows what sumo is .... it is when 2 enormous guys ram into each other at high speed in order to try to knock one another out of the ring. Kodomo is a child Kodomo Sumo is where little kids get in the ring and wrestle for toys and candy... Eric likes toys and candy and my Ogie-san always wanted to see him compete at Kodomo-Sumo so I made it a point this year to take him. We arrived early and Eric was as always friendly with everyone especially the people who had the prizes. At 130 the festivities started and there were plenty of other children around by then I would say at least 20 or so. Eric was dying to get into the ring and I was hoping that all of our rough housing had taught him some lessons. In his first match against a kid who was 5 and a little bigger and much stronger looking Eric had a decisive victory winning by hip tossing the kid out of the ring. WOW!! I couldn't believe it the other kid had hit him in the face and had a good size and age advantage on him and Eric man handled the other kid with easy. I was so stoked I could not believe it ... I expected him to get hit and fall down and cry... he seems to think that crying is some kind of defense mechanism... That went well and soon Kia and Miku, Erics cousins showed up ... they did not fair as well Miku actually stood with her hands behind her back while her opponent pushed her from the ring... cute and funny just like Miku.. Eric got a chance to wrestle again. This time he also won but it was a much harder fought victory because the other kid was pretty strong also it ended with Eric pushing the kid out of the ring. Then disaster struck .... I had promised Eric that if he did well at sumo I would buy him the kind of bugs he likes to keep as pets .... I planed to buy them latter as long as there was no crying Kids Eric's age love these things and when the master of ceremony's said that he had 3 of them and they were one prize for the next match which was a elimination match starting with the smallest to biggest kids I know it was going to be bad... the first couple of really small kids went then Eric. He went against a kid who was a very even match for him and they went at it for a good 30 seconds and Eric had the other boy pushed up against the rope and turned and swung him out of the ring but as the other kids foot touched the ground Eric fell in the ring. It was too close to call, not to mention the judge was not paying attention I could not see clearly from where I was standing and probably would not have said anything either way... but it would have been nice to know in my heart. Eric and the kid had another go around and this time it was no messing around Eric pushed the kid out of the ring quick. 30 seconds to 1 minute later he was at it again with this time with a bigger kid but he picked the other kid up and pretty much threw him down. I was really proud but I knew it could not last.... the kids were getting bigger and he did not look it but he had to be getting tired... finally with no rest he went against a kid who was 6 or 7 and put up a pretty good show but the kid forced Eric to the ground. He had lost... he was handed his consolation prize and he broke down in tears and started screaming. There was nothing I could do. I know how bad he wanted the bugs Kuwalgata Mushiis are his favorite. He was inconsolable and the more I tried to explain that he needed to win to get them the worse it got. A bunch of the old men were telling him to suck it up and be tough and get in there and fight again for the next batch of bugs but he continued to cry and scream. I was highly embarrassed but knew it was going to happen. The match ended with the second biggest kid getting the bugs while Eric continued to cry and scream. Other matches went on for the other not as highly prized bugs but Eric refused to get back in and go for it. I was starting to get pissed and was on the verge of issuing a spanking when a older woman came over and offered he one of the very types of bugs that he wanted. I refused which made things worse then she ran ....... well ran for a old woman around and set up a match for the bug... and basically summoned Eric to the ring... and tried to pick a girl or some one she thought he could beat... she basically threw a female relative of hers into the ring kicking and screaming.. when she refused she asked the kid who he had beaten in his first match. They wrestled and Eric won again .... the tears turned to a big huge smile as he showed off the bug that was even nicer than the 3 in the case from the match before. I on the other hand was not as happy he will probably never know or remember that the old woman fixed the match so he would win and stop crying but I knew and I didn't like it at all ... but this is the kind of thing that old people do here.... another old-man sensed my displeasure and handed me a beer and said "shogani" it cant be helped .... Eric wrestled a few more matches after that winning all of them.... then we grabbed up all his prizes and headed home.... I told him I was not happy about the way he lost but I was impressed with his performance... as usual with my family members he didn't really listen to what I said he was happy he had a new cool bug, a bag full of toys and snacks, and a 6 and 1 record.

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