As a child who was bullied into becoming The Punisher, I can say from experience that fighting is not the answer. There's too much at stake. First there's your safety. You mentioned a gun or a knife. How can you be certain that this "young punk" will come to the fight empty handed? Second there's your job to consider, but since 1day explained better than I could I'll leave that issue alone. My advise, listen to 1day. Oh, and if you really want to get under this guys skin without violence, you could say something to the effect or "I'm terribly sorry that there's an empty void in your life that you feel the need to fill by inflicting pain on others. You will most certainly be in my thoughts. I pray that someday you will find peace. Take care and have a nice day." Then walk away. I've found this to be a very effective tool when dealing with people who act in this manner. You must decide, however, if this approach couldlead to violence. I guess what I'm trying to say is be the better man. Why waste your time with physical solutions. There are so many better ways to handle this. Just my 2 cents. Take it for what it's worth. Take care and good luck.

Ryan