I'm sure we've all had the problem that I'm about to describe, but I seem to really have alot of trouble with this, so I thought maybe you guys would have some input here. I know theres *alot* of experience floating around this forum, and I'm really glad that there is a forum like this where so many experienced people share their ideas and opinions.
So here's the deal. Last night I went out to shoot some pool with a good friend of mine. She had never shot pool before, and it's something that I used to do when I was younger and I enjoyed it, so I agreed to escort her out to the pool hall. (It was a disaster. I wont bore anyone with unnecessary details, but I will say that the place we went to has changed ALOT since I was a kid.) After a confusing time in the establishment we decided to just head on home. On the way across the parking lot I was addressed from some distance away by a gentleman who was heading in our direction. He told me to "hang on a minute", whereupon I tossed the keys to my friend and told her to get in the car. She did. The gentleman approached and started rambling some nonsense about "taking a survey" and began asking ridiculous questions. (examples: "Are you a registered voter?" "what is your shoe size?" and so on.) All I could really manage in the face of this was to just stand there with a confused expression.
Long story short, when I told him I had had enough of him and told him to get lost he became belligerent and rude and very threatening. He went back across the parking lot yelling obscenities at me, making very offensive remarks... I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about. When he decided he needed reinforcements, and went into the establishment to find some, I let out one of those "ugh - why me?" kind of sighs and got in the car and went home.
Now... Nobody got hurt, and thats the most important thing. But even before I got out of the parking lot I was upset with myself. A big part of me was upset that I hadnt just snatched that little idiot and snapped his neck for bein a jerk. Im absolutely certain that most of the people here know exactly what Im talking about.
How do you deal with that? It's like there are two minds. One thinks: "I am the bigger man for letting that dummy walk off. Like Grandpa Hayes is fond of saying - become powerful so you can be peaceful. Violence is never the good choice, not if you can avoid it at all." and then there's the other mind that says: "C'mere to me you goofy little b@#$%rd. I'm gonna take that hundred and fifty pound sack of wet meat you call a body and tie it in big ugly knots for ya. Jerk."
It would be one thing if I wandered around the world with a chip on my shoulder or something just spoiling for a fight, but I don't. It's like these whackos just fall out of the sky, and all us normal responsible people just have to take their crap and smile about it. Forgive me if I'm being verbose here. It's not my intention to waste anyones time. But in the days when martial skills were developed far more through application than through practical training that guy woulda been destroyed where he stood and everybody watching would've just said "well that figures."
argh. It's all very frustrating. Any and all input on this topic will be appreciated, even if you just wanna share a story about something similar that happened to you. At least I'd know I'm not alone in my frustration.