Growing up on the truly mean streets of north Lawrence (wasn’t a south Lawrence softie, sharing a border with the Andovers)
I learned one thing.
Every fight you avoid is a win because there’s always the chance that what starts as a one on one fist fight often ends much differently.
When I was in college there was this kid (let’s call him Joe”) who I would see in the gym bench pressing high 300’s regularly. Average height but kind of built like an old Frigidaire — just an insanely strong person. Usually very quiet and not a trouble maker. BUT whenever things got a bit tense, he would immediately go dark and suddenly his eyes would get scarily intense. Nobody in their right mind who knew him gave him any grief.
Kind of a Mike Tyson personality and shape. But always wearing baggy flannel shirts, baggy jeans, and work boots. On the surface not a terribly intimidating person to look at.
Anyway, one night in a local bar, some kid from another school got into a bit of a confrontation with him. You could see things going south. The other kid was pretty big, “looked” like he could handle himself and was certainly taller. As it was clearly heading to trouble (I happened to be nearby, but not at all part of it) I made eye contact with the kid, shook my head, and said very calmly “don’t do it”. It wasn’t stirring shit he’ll kick your ass type of stuff. Just a low key, sincere suggestion that it might be better to let it go. Of course it was immediately met with “who the f*** are you” type garbage. I backed off as it was none of my deal and thought “tried to warn you”.
Off course it ended up in a fight outside and after absorbing a few punches Joe literally picked this kid up off the ground and all in one motion used the momentum to whip him into a body slam onto the pavement. Looks all fun and laughs in the WWF but not so much on solid pavement and for real. It was sickening and ugly. After about five people pulled Joe off him and cops/ambulance arrived, arrested Joe, and carted the unconscious kid off in a neck restraint I don’t know what happened to him.
A lot of people learned a very valuable lesson that night. Looks can be deceiving and there is always someone tougher than you. Always someone a little less concerned over the prospect of doing serious bodily injury. And always someone who ultimately doesn’t give two shits about getting into big trouble.
I’m with you. An avoided fight is almost always a good fight.