A FIRE ANT 

      Slips and slides on a mound of sand.  The ANT’s eyes

      burn as it scurries on the mound, legs spinning.

      Suddenly, the ANT stops. A bleb of rain splats on the ANT’s back.

THE FACE OF A JAPANESE MAN 

      He is FUDO.  His eyes close. The swish and swash of the sea. Clap of thunder. Crackle of lightning. He nods. Crack of lightning. He smiles. Downpour.

Ext. Kopepe Beach (Chichijima Island – Japan) – Day

Coach Stazza sits down on a bench next to Fudo. Both men stare out to sea.

Coach Stazza

That was some storm.

Fudo

I watched a fire ant die. There is much beauty in death.

Coach Stazza

Thank you for seeing me.

Fudo

I wonder if the ant lived a true life.

Coach Stazza

I wanted to talk to you about Stazza. 

Fudo

Did you bring the stool?

Coach Stazza

Hai…

Coach Stazza hands a clear container to Fudo. Inside,  a walnut sized blob of fecal matter.

Fudo

How fresh?

Coach Stazza

This morning. I left him at the hotel.

Carefully, Fudo unscrews the top. He sniffs the container. Nods. Screws the top on, and offers it to Coach Stazza.

Coach Stazza

It’s ok—I don’t need it.

Fudo

I will use for my cherry blossom.

Coach Stazza

Can he do it?

Fudo

He has a troubled heart.

Coach Stazza

You can tell that from sniffing his poop?

Fudo

No, last week, I spoke to him on FaceTime.

Coach Stazza

He eats to much junk.

Fudo

I have the perfect nutrition plan for him. But first, he must find the road to enlightenment.

Coach Stazza

Like, walking blindfolded along the rice paper and not leaving a trace? What’s the plan called? Fudo Food?

Fudo

His poop stinks.

Coach Stazza

Whose poop doesn’t stink?

Fudo

The answers to life’s big questions are found in poop.

Coach Stazza

Will we have him on rice and beans?

Fudo

What is the name of his lover?

Coach Stazza

His lover?

Fudo

Her name?

Coach Stazza

Did he tell you on FaceTime that he had a lover?

Fudo

No, I can tell from the smell of his poop.

Coach Stazza

Wow. That’s amazing.

Fudo

Running on love, is far superior than running with hate in your heart.

Coach Stazza

Will he run on love?

Fudo

No.

Coach Stazza

Hate?

Fudo

No

Coach Stazza

What then? Something in between? Is that what you mean by the road to enlightenment?

Fudo

No

Coach Stazza

What will he run on then?

Fudo

His legs.

Coach Stazza

Oh.

Fudo

We fix his heart. We fix his his food. Then we fix his running.

Coach Stazza

How do we fix these things?

Fudo

He is not ready to for the nutrition plan. We must fix his heart first.

Coach Stazza

I see. Is that why he eats so much?

Fudo

No

Coach Stazza

Why does he eat so much junk then?

Fudo

Because he is hungry and it tastes good.

Coach Stazza

So, we fix his heart, his nutrition, and his running—then he will win.

Fudo

You are a fast learner.

Coach Stazza

Hai…Thank you, Fudo.

Fudo

When is the race?

Coach Stazza

We have plenty of time—one year. He’s a great one for putting races on the long finger.

Fudo

We don’t have much time. Bring him to my minka and I will fix his heart. Then we start.

Coach Stazza

Will he win?

Fudo?

I never lose.