[Shank]

Today I was at a gas station with a friend, just chilling and enjoying the night, when suddenly we walked around and this drunk guy in the parking lot was yelling at the people in the car next to him. Then, I guess he saw us and decided we were better targets. This guy was covered in cheap tattoos, looked like a bodybuiler, and was easily over 21. I'm 16, and so is my friend. My friend's short and scrawny. Anyway, starts yelling at us about how he would rape us in prison and stuff, and we both try to ignore it. My friend gets pretty upset about it after we walk away, talking about how we should have done something. And I agreed, but knew inside that I probably never would've fought the guy. The guy had a car full of attractive women, and they were all laughing at us. At me.

I don't get why people like this exist, or why they get off on picking on children when they're grown men. I didn't even make fun of little kids with my friends when I was in middle school, even though I know it would've been easy. But even more than that, I don't know why I don't stand up for myself. I mean, by walking away I'd like to say I was being the bigger man or showing that he wasn't worth my time, but that's not it at all. Honestly, I want to beat the **** out of these people, and even think about killing them. But I'm not even afraid of the pain or anything, I guess it's more the possibility of humiliation or embarassment from me losing, and all the things he could do to me outside of physical pain.

What do I do?

[lynn P.]

I realize this is a frustrating situation, but you did the right thing by walking away. If he looked like a body builder, he could have over powered you and probably wouldn't stop with one punch. They're all idiots and were looking for a fight and a victim. The fact he was yelling at someone else shows it wasn't you/friend - don't let it bother.

[Shank]

Originally Posted by lynn P.

I realize this is a frustrating situation, but you did the right thing by walking away. If he looked like a body builder, he could have over powered you and probably wouldn't stop with one punch. They're all idiots and were looking for a fight and a victim. The fact he was yelling at someone else shows it wasn't you/friend - don't let it bother.

Thanks, reading this actually made me feel a lot better.

[ECHOES]

I think you used excellent judgement and made an intelligent choice.
You may have also felt fear, but that's understandable!

When a person makes fun of another, they are saying something about themselves.
If I make fun of my neighbor because they drive an imported car.... that is about my feelings about imported cars and people who choose to drive them. It isn't about the person who drives the car of their choice; we all drive the car of our choice.

I agree that in this case, the person yelling was saying something entirely different than his words conveyed; he was looking for a fight and he might as well have just yelled that he was looking for a fight.

Good for you for doing what was right in your eyes!

[Rhiannonsmoon]

Hey shank,

That idiot was probably pumped on steroids as well as drunk which makes him twice as dangerous; you did exactly the right thing by ignoring him. believe me the "girls" in his car are not the type you should worry about being humilliated in front of. If they had any self respect they wouldn't have been in that car at all.

In all honesty it takes a bigger person to walk away even though you did want to give him a bunch of fives. It's not fear of confrontation, it's self preservation; steroid abusers are dangerous and good to stay away from, they have short wicks and are animalistic.

You did good,

Rhian

Be thankful ........ Being aggressive is not all its cracked up to be.

[elliemay]

Discretion is the better part of valour.

You did the right smart thing. Obviously that guy was looking for a fight. You probably frustrated and hurt him more by not giving him what he wanted.

You did the right thing, Shank. There is an old saw about knowing how to pick your battles: It means "to have the good judgement to know whether or not you are likely to win an argument or other conflict, and whether it is worth the effort and aggravation anyway".

This one was not worth the effort and aggravation.

[pachyderm]

Originally Posted by Shank

I don't get why people like this exist, or why they get off on picking on children when they're grown men.

Are they?

Deferring action in a situation like this can be a good thing; if you feel you have to act, you probably cannot think clearly what to do. Taking your time (if you can manage to do that) is likely to be a better way to see what action, if any, to take.

[Perna]

I think when we walk away we think about how scared we might be because someone is acting irrationally and we don't know what to do and that can make us feel ashamed, like we "should" fight/"stand up for" ourselves.

The guy was a jerk and, you said, a drunken one! His comments were nonsense if you think about it; you aren't planning to go to jail anytime soon are you? He may be going there but you didn't have plans for that did you?

[FooZe]

Originally Posted by Shank

Anyway, starts yelling at us about how he would rape us in prison and stuff...

You might not want to say this out loud under those circumstances but the proper reply is, "OK, but if I'm not there, go ahead and start without me."