Being me has its drawbacks. To exist in a world dominated by humans it is imperative that you have the ability to defend your self and loved ones from those humans who have absolutely no regard for others of their species.
I dare not venture down the night road on my own on foot for fear of becoming a target for some two legged sewer rats. I do go out at night but it is by car. Today's society has made me paranoid, albeit mildly, about the night time creatures who, grouped together, become these 'hard nuts', 'tough guys' who fancy making a name for themselves by attacking one, maybe two innocent people going about their lives. Sometimes though, aggressive attacks come in different styles:
I remember just the other year when I decided to walk to the shop to get a couple of bottles of wine, as you do. Of course it was dark and I had to venture across this park. Going by car was not an option because I had already had the enjoyment of partaking in a two bottle red wine session. No, I was determined to walk the walk. Being a fairly mild night and with the power of red grapes running through my veins, I went for it.
Then I saw them. A group of six loud teenagers messing about in the fenced off children's swing and slide area that unfortunately was just a few feet from the path I was treading. My spider senses were on red alert. I should have turned back. I foresaw the blonde haired girl say something intimidating to me. I was right! "Hey Mister, do you want to be my granddad?" She laughed when her words of utter stupidity left her arguably, uneducated mouth. I of course ignored her. I kept my eyes focused on the large unkempt dotted faced youth who I visualised as making an aggressive move on me. You know, the show of to the girlfriend bit. Well thankfully on that score I was wrong.
Making my way back I wondered why I hadn't taken my own advice and had gone the long road way back home. Well it was because my anger had been lit. My whole being was cloaked in this bubble of fearlessness. As the path took me back to near touching distance of the pack I switched my mobile on and kept it to my ear. I could hear the wife's questioning voice so I whispered to her to just listen.
"Hey mate. Don't you like me? I thought you wanted to be my granddad." Now you can probably guess what she was meaning, I certainly did. The girl must have been no more than 14 years of age, but yes she was dressed much older. After she spoke her words that in an instant could have changed my life for the worse, I stopped right in front of them and said into the mobile: "Did you get that love?" The youth's smirk changed to a forced smile and he said to me: "Take no notice mate, she's just playing!" With a sigh of relief I continued home.
The incident I have just described was of a different type of aggression than being set upon by violent thugs. Never the less, it could have resulted in so much more pain and suffering than a few punches and kicks could do. My fear was that because I had ignored her, she was going to shout the one descriptive word that would have cut me and my family to shreds. Mud sticks does it not?
I'm a writer not a fighter, but sometimes I wish I was more aggressive. If I had been I would have told that pathetic girl too f#ck off and sent the wife to sort her out!
