Mr. Miyagi Passes Away
I woke up today to some sad news.
As I do every morning, I pour out the coffee, munch on some toast and read the news. I had to put aside everything because I read the phrase: Pat Morita passes away. Of course, I said: "Not Mr. Miyagi! He can't die!" But I was sad and my heart goes out to his family.
So, why should I care about the passing of a Hollywood actor? What is so important about Mr. Morita? For me, he is a symbol of the Gen X generation. In the late 1970's and the early 1980's, his role as "Arnold" in Happy Days was the beginning of my exposure to his work.
The Fonz: Arnold, go and cook up a couple of burgers for us.
Matsuo 'Arnold' Takahashi: But I just cleaned the grill!
The Fonz: Well, good! Then maybe they'll taste better!
He was funny to watch and held his own against the likes of The Fonz and the rest of the kids that normally hung around the diner because they had nothing better to do. Yet, it wasn't until the The Karate Kid when people in my generation saw him for the talent he really was. Who will ever be able to forget Mr. Miyagi and his classic phrases? Mr. Miyagi is a role which burned Mr. Morita's popularity into our impressionable 1980's brains. Love him or hate him, we all knew who Mr. Miyagi was and what his philosophy was.
Oh, yes, and how we made fun of him. A year never went by when someone I knew (or myself) uttered the phrases: "Wax on, wax off." or "Not up down - side side!" No matter how important or meaningful some of Miyagi's lessons were we still poked fun. But - we never forgot those lessons.
Miyagi: Karate come from China, sixteenth century, called te, "hand." Hundred year later, Miyagi ancestor bring to Okinawa, call *kara*-te, "empty hand."
Daniel: I thought it came from Buddhist temples and stuff like that.
Miyagi: You too much TV.
Pat Morita made this character his own. He knew that the little old man could show the younger generation a thing or two about life. He could take our selfish, scattered lives and turn them into something meaningful. And, really, who wouldn't have wanted to make out with Elizabeth Shue at that age? I would have given my soul to have had that chance in 1984.
But, the appeal of Mr. Myiagi will not leave our lives easily. He was like everyone's favourite grandfather - the ever watching and mindful old man with the ability to guide the younger generation into making good decisions, to follow their dreams and become more than gangly teenagers. Or, at the very least, to learn how to use the most important muscle we have.
Miyagi: Your friend, all karate student, eh?
Daniel: Friend? Oh, yeah, those guys.
Miyagi: Problem: attitude.
Daniel: No the problem is, I'm getting my ass kicked every other day, that's the problem.
Miyagi: Hai, because boys have bad attitude. Karate for defense only.
Daniel: That's not what these guys are taught.
Miyagi: Hai - can see. No such thing a bad student, only bad teacher. Teacher say, student do.
Daniel: Oh, great, that solves everything for me. I'll just go down to the school and straighten it out with the teacher, no problem.
Miyagi: Now use head for something other than target.
I raise a glass to Pat Morita. He was hard on Daniel-san just as we know there are times when someone older and wiser than us need to crank on us once in a while. They've all been there. Our parents, grandparents, friends and family. I wish we would listen just a little closer to them.
I thank you for your work and making Mr. Miyagi a man we all can see a little of ourselves in.
