Turn The Page

Dragana Cesar is seated on the mats of The Cesar Dojo, typing away on her laptop while her students are training around her. A young woman sits next to the Pride Champion.

Student: Hey Sensei, what are you up to? You look really focused.

Dragana: Hmm?

Dragana turns to the student and smiles. She tabs away from the document and switches to her text to speech program.

Speaker: I am working on something that I have wanted to do for some time now, a Bucket List item, you could say.

The student curiously peeks toward the screen.

Student: Well what is it?

Dragana laughs.

Speaker: A book. I wanted to share my story, and hopefully I can inspire someone out there to go do great things. I hope to have it published very soon.

There is a pause before Dragana continues.

Speaker: Would you like to read it?

Student: Of course, Miss Cesar!

Dragana tabs back over to the document, handing the laptop over to her student, a brief passage highlighted for her.

Student (reading): “Speaking Softly, Loving Loudly: My Life as the Silent Queen.”

Student (reading): “Standing across from an opponent, I do not feel hatred or anger, or a desire to cheat the system and gain an unfair advantage. I only feel the energy and strength from the crowd. From my students. From my friends who have helped me keep the course on the path I walk. The path of love. I understand that this is perhaps not the ideal philosophy in a profession where sabotaging your peers inside and outside of the ring is seemingly the only way to succeed. And I might be a fool for not following in the footsteps of others. But I know that when this is all over, in my heart of hearts, that what I did in my career…was the right thing to do.”

The student looks up at Dragana, enamored.

Student: Sensei, I want to read more!

She hands the laptop back to Dragana.

Speaker: I might hand out a few early copies for my students.

Dragana smiles and unfolds a piece of paper from her pocket, filled from top to bottom with several bullet points, many of which are crossed out; the Bucket List. She crosses out another item.

Edited February 15Feb 15 by Drago Cesar