While I was at home watching the movie Karate Kid, I remembered meeting Pat Morita in Los Angeles, California.

Pat Morita.

It was sometime in 1988 that I was in California, staying with friends in Anaheim, Los Angeles. Ron, who was a friend of my parents asked me if I wanted to go out for a drink at the British Legion bar he was a member of, I think it was in Long Beach.

How I met Pat Morita.

We were inside playing pool when Ron started talking to a man watching us. He introduced me to his friend Pat, and whilst Ron got us another beer, Pat and I played pool together. I had already beaten Ron at the pool table before I beat Pat, and we started to play darts. It was a dart game I had never played before at that time. It was called cricket, and they had to explain the rules to me. We had a few great games. I remember losing all the darts games but enjoyed Pat's company and a few beers.

We didn't stay long before we had to leave to go home for dinner. On the drive home, Ron asked me if I recognised Pat. I told him that he looked familiar, but I couldn't remember where I knew him from. Ron told me I had been playing pool and darts with Mr Miyagi from the Karate Kid film. He was nothing like the quiet character from the film, he loved a beer or two, and he may or not have been a good pool player, but he kicked my arse on the dartboard.