29 June 99
This from a student at a Course in the Midwest, just a week ago:
“As you may remember, I had a dead battery in my Jeep on Friday and ________ gave me and____ a ride to our motel. After depositing ____ back to the room, I decided to walk about a mile to the nearby Meier’s to pick up some food and a new battery. I did not have my Glock but I did have my Spyderco Delica knife in my strong-side pocket. It was around 12:30 am, so activity in the area was minimal.
As I was making my way through a huge and mostly deserted parking lot, a beat-up Chevrolet Chevelle suddenly pulled up alongside me and stopped abruptly. The car was occupied by two unkempt and untidy men. As the car stopped, the passenger opened the door as if to get out.
Without even thinking about it, I found myself in the ‘interview stance’ with my strong hand on my Delica. I also was somewhat amazed to hear my voice inquiring ‘Can I help you, Sir?’
I don’t know whether it was my taking up this stance, my firm tone, or my hand on something in my pocket which they could not identify which gave them pause, but the door stopped opening and the passenger apparently decided to stay in the car after all.
A long moment passed while they looked at each other. The passenger finally said in a stuttering voice, ‘Uuuuuuuhhhhh, Yeah, uuuuuuuhhh, is there a pool hall up here a ways?’. This was, of course tailor made for my next comment, ‘I’m sorry Sir, I don’t live around here.’
They quickly gave each other several quizzical looks. The door then abruptly slammed shut, and the car took off in a squeal of rubber, never to be seen again.
After my heart stopped leaping around, I smiled and said out loud, ‘Hey, it worked!’
Lessons:
>The best way to win a fight is by reputation!
>Never let them see you sweat.
/John
