5. Off Like a Speeding Bullet!

5 Off Like a Speeding Bullet! An hour later, Stanley and Oda Nobu stood on the platform of the Shinkansen—Japan's famous bullet train! Oda Nobu held on to Stanley's hand tightly. Even so, as the big sleek train whooshed into the station, Stanley felt himself lifted ever-so-slightly off his feet. Oda squeezed his hand tighter. "Today, I will show you the westernmost tip of Japan, Stanley-san, which is also the southernmost tip," he said. "There we will see many wonderful things, including the first cherry blossoms of the year. Perhaps we will chase the opening blossoms all the way to the north." He smiled warmly.

Stanley felt much better than he had the night before. He felt proud again to be Oda Nobu's personal ninja. Then something occurred to him. "Oda-san," he said. "Where are your bodyguards today?" Oda Nobu laughed. "I'm afraid I gave them the wrong instructions. They are waiting for me at the movie studio. But so what?" He smiled and spread his hands. "I have my own personal ninja with me. Why do I need bodyguards?" That made Stanley feel proud, but also a little nervous. What if something happened? He was responsible for the great movie star's safety now. He and he alone. Then again, Oda Nobu was the most famous warrior on the planet. Who would dare try to hurt him? Stanley thought about these things as they settled into the comfortable chairs on the bullet train. Almost immediately, the train slid out of the station. Within moments, they were racing through the Japanese countryside. "The Shinkansen travels at nearly three hundred kilometers per hour," Oda Nobu said, as the towns and fields outside became a blur.

"Wow!" said Stanley. "That's… that's nearly two hundred miles per hour!" He suddenly realized his teachers were right. Math was really useful! As they rode, Oda Nobu reached into his pocket and pulled out a small square of shiny paper. He made a few quick folds and twists, and there was a perfect little frog! He gave it to Stanley, pulled another square of paper from his pocket and— swish, snap, snick!—presented Stanley with an elegant long-necked crane.

"You're really good at origami, Oda-san!" Stanley said. "Almost as good as you are at karate!" Just then, the door of the train car opened and a man walked in. He was wearing a dark suit and dark glasses. He noticed Oda Nobu and slowed down, before walking past. Stanley saw that Oda Nobu was suddenly frowning and tightly gripping the armrest of his seat. "Oda-san!" Stanley said. "Are you all right?" Oda Nobu released his grip on the armrest. He nodded. "Stanley-san," he said, "I must tell you something." For a few moments, Oda Nobu stared out the window at the hills rushing by. "You and I are very much alike, Stanley-san," he said at last.

"When I look at you, I see myself as a young boy." Stanley was stunned. "You were flat, too?" Oda Nobu laughed. "No. But I was also… different. In my own way." He turned to face Stanley. "Look at me, Stanley-san. What do you see?" Stanley smiled. "I see the greatest movie star in the whole world!" "Look more closely," Oda Nobu said. "What do you see when you watch my movies? You see this handsome face. This perfect smile. You hear this deep voice. "Stanley-san, when I was your age, I wanted to be a karate master. But this face, and this smile, and this voice made me different in other ways. And so, instead, I became an actor." Stanley listened quietly as Oda Nobu spoke. "Instead of learning karate, I learned to act," he continued. "I only pretend to know karate, in the movies." "But I've seen your movies!" Stanley said. "You are a master!" Oda Nobu shook his head sadly. "No, Stanley-san. When it is time for a big fight scene, I am not

in it. It is my stunt double you see in the movies. He looks like me. But unlike me, he really is a karate master." Stanley couldn't believe what he was hearing. "It is why I have bodyguards," Oda Nobu said. "On the movie screen, I can defeat all enemies. In the real world, I can defeat no one. I cannot even use my ninja star. It is only to make me appear tough." They rode in silence for a few minutes. "Stanley-san," Oda Nobu spoke. "Here is a lesson I learned and that I wish to share with you. These things that make me special—this face, this smile, this voice—these things make me what I am, but not who I am. Do you understand?" "I think so," Stanley said. But he wasn't sure. "Who I am is the boy who wanted to be a karate master," Oda Nobu said, and placed his hand over his heart. "He is still in here. But I forgot about him for too long. I got confused by what I am. And now I think it is too late for him." Oda Nobu looked very serious now. "Stanley-san, your flatness is what makes you special. But you must remember this: Being flat is what you are. It is not who you are. Who you are is a very