People occasionally see an ex-student in the supermarket and then begin wondering what happened to ex-students. They ask my husband about ex-students: does he still hear from them? Is he in contact? etc.
The truth is simple: no. Sifu has no interest whatsoever in ex-students. He never mentions them, thinks about them or keeps track of them. Sifu is rooted in the now. He is perculiarly immediate.
The only ex-student Sifu ever mentioned was Shaun Ullah, his old friend. Shaun trained everyday as Sifu's indoor student for several years before converting to Islam, getting married, and being persuaded by the mosque not to study taijiquan anymore.
It is notable that Shaun is the only ex-student noteworthy enough for conversation and memory. To the best of my knowledge all of the other ex-students were (by today's standards) just beginners. They never penetrated the art or got very far with my husband's teachings. They did not impress Sifu at all.
So many people have come and gone over the last 16 years, is it any wonder that Sifu forgets all about them?
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