It was difficult to determine which aspect of Theodore Jameson better resembled a mule—his kicks or stubbornness. 

If there were dandelions to pick on the mat during Jiu-Jitsu practice, TJ would have uprooted all of them. 

“Are you listening?” Coach snapped, though he knew the answer. 

TJ had a fight scheduled against a seasoned black belt, but he assumed he’d keep it on the feet. 

…

Seconds after the bell, TJ was pulled to the canvas where he floundered like a fish gasping for breath.

Coach’s head was haloed by the spotlight above and said, “You didn’t tap.”

Word Count: 99

Prompted from Carrot Ranch’s Flash Fiction Challenge at: https://carrotranch.com/2020/03/13/march-12-flash-fiction-challenge-2/.