How would of you handled this?

[kegtapr]

While the bartender was getting our drinks this huge Sam Adams size guy came out of the bathroom, saw me, and immediately walked over to me. He lifted his massive arms over his head and pushed against the ceiling with his hands. Then he said to me in a very loud and very deep voice, "What the fu*k do you think you're doing here?"

 

 

236499[/snapback]

 

Mind if we dance with your dates?

[Pete]

Heres my knife story. About 6 years ago I was driving down 95. Traffic was heavy and some jackass was weaving in and out of cars out of control. He was in front of me, in front of him was an older lady driving the speed limit in the passing lane. The kid kept weaving back and forth with little concern with the cars around him. Then he keeps flooring his car at the old ladys trying to intimidate her. Then he swerved to the right lane- I sped ahead and sealed him off. He tried to swerve at me menacingly- I didnt back down. He then waves for me to pull over. I was pretty hot at this time. He pulls down exit 58(guilford) which is a long straight exit. I pulled my car halfway down the ramp and rolled down my window. I was gonna tell him to cut the sh-- before there is an accident. Anyways he pulls up behind me and comes flying out of his car waving something shiny- I sped ahead thinking it was a gun. I noticed then it was a knife. I was furious now and pulled over again. This time when he stopped I ran out of the car at him. I can be pretty inimidating- this kid crapped his pants and ran back into his car and locked. I pounded on his car then drove off. I went to the police station and filed a report. Here where the story gets good. Two years later I am taking classes at Quinnipiac which is in Hamden-about 25 miles away where this first incident went down. Hamden is part of New Haven and pretty urban. I am in between classes and was on my way to do some shopping. I am minding my own business, reading a book while I am driving and this car pulls up honking its horn and had two kids screaming at me. I ignored them- I didnt cut anyone off or anything. They pull up again screaming at me. I shrugged and was like what the fug? My old car had some bumperstickers on it. Anyways I went to Petco. I have two fish tanks and was checking out the fish. I am kind of bent down checking out a tank and this kid taps me on the shoulder. I thought he had a question about fish. He asks me "do you know this kid"? pointing at some dude. I say no, never seen him. He says "he knows you". I looked again and said "I dont know him- he must mistake me for someone else". Then the kid goes "thats my brother and he said you pulled a knife on him on the highway". I laughed and said "thats the piece of sh-- that pulled a knife on me? Come on do you really think I would need a knife for that kitty?" Then the punk who pulled the knife on me suckerpunched me- I grabbed him and his brother-I am a big, strong dude. I threw a jab and busted the brothers nose and grabbed him again- I have a strong grip on each of them right now. By this point all the Petco employees came over. I said "call the police.....call the !@#$ing police NOW". They were freaking out "sir please calm down there are fish tanks everywhere. I really entertained the notion of throwing both of them headfirst into the tanks. "Sir we have to ask you to leave" they said to me-while I am being attacked by two dudes. I said "I am trying to shop here!" This standoff went on for a minute or so- finally I threw knife boy on the ground hard. His brother ran away and knifeboy got up and ran away. I went to the Hamden police and they were !@#$s. We will get to they said. Two days later I had class and swung by Petco to speak with the managers and let them know I was assaulted and they did not call the police for me when I asked. I was kind of a celebrity at Petco- the manager was like "that was you" all wide eyed. Anyways I have learned to never get involved in road rage. I get along with everyone and have no enemys but made one when I pulled over. Its a crazy story- its much better when I tell it in person

[Alaska Darin]

Its a crazy story- its much better when I tell it in person

236555[/snapback]

Is that because you use paragraphs?

[sfladave]

Never, I mean NEVER talk about having a gun.  The only time that should be an issue is if you have to use it.  It is not to be used to bluff, it is not to be used to intimidate. It has one purpose only.  To kill someone if they are going to kill you.  If you treat it otherwise, then you set yourself up to be the one taking the long goodbye.  And ESPECIALLY with your wife there.  You may be able to take care of yourself, but they can not only harm the little women, they can take away any advantage you have by using her against you.

 

I appreciate that you were dealt with improperly.  Perhaps a funny comeback could disarm them - the mood that is.  Or maybe like me, you quietly look the guy in the eye and convey the concept that you will not be fu@ked with.  What ever your personal style, it should not include any explicit or indirect threats.  You are, or should be, about making sure you and your wife leave without difficulty.  To say what you did left you open, and possibly, a bigger target then when you went into the store in the first place.

236544[/snapback]

 

I agree 100%.Why give away the only advantage that you have. The problem is that this may not have been your advantage, what if everyone else had a gun too. You and your wife could have been in jeopardy! You may be well equipped to handle most situations, but you cannot say for sure that you can handle every situation.

 

That being said, I am glad that everything turned out well for you.

[gmac17]

Great story pete, that's some good sh*t. I never new Petco could be such a dangerous place.

[Simon]

"I am trying to shop here!"

 

 

Did you really?

[Marv's Neighbor]

Is there such a thing as a " ALL WHITE STORE"?

I'm being serious.

236517[/snapback]

I think I saw one in the movie MY COUSIN VINNY!

[sfladave]

Heres my knife story.  About 6 years ago I was driving down 95.  Traffic was heavy and some jackass was weaving in and out of cars out of control.  He was in front of me, in front of him was an older lady driving the speed limit in the passing lane.  The kid kept weaving back and forth with little concern with the cars around him.  Then he keeps flooring his car at the old ladys trying to intimidate her.  Then he swerved to the right lane- I sped ahead and sealed him off.  He tried to swerve at me menacingly- I didnt back down.  He then waves for me to pull over.  I was pretty hot at this time.  He pulls down exit 58(guilford) which is a long straight exit.  I pulled my car halfway down the ramp and rolled down my window.  I was gonna tell him to cut the sh-- before there is an accident.  Anyways he pulls up behind me and comes flying out of his car waving something shiny- I sped ahead thinking it was a gun.  I noticed then it was a knife.  I was furious now and pulled over again.  This time when he stopped I ran out of the car at him.  I can be pretty inimidating- this kid crapped his pants and ran back into his car and locked.  I pounded on his car then drove off.  I went to the police station and filed a report.  Here where the story gets good.  Two years later I am taking classes at Quinnipiac which is in Hamden-about 25 miles away where this first incident went down.  Hamden is part of New Haven and pretty urban.  I am in between classes and was on my way to do some shopping.  I am minding my own business, reading a book while I am driving and this car pulls up honking its horn and had two kids screaming at me.  I ignored them- I didnt cut anyone off or anything.  They pull up again screaming at me.  I shrugged and was like what the fug?  My old car had some bumperstickers on it.  Anyways I went to Petco.  I have two fish tanks and was checking out the fish.  I am kind of bent down checking out a tank and this kid taps me on the shoulder.  I thought he had a question about fish.  He asks me "do you know this kid"? pointing at some dude.  I say no, never seen him.  He says "he knows you".  I looked again and said "I dont know him- he must mistake me for someone else".  Then the kid goes "thats my brother and he said you pulled a knife on him on the highway".  I laughed and said "thats the piece of sh-- that pulled a knife on me?  Come on do you really think I would need a knife for that kitty?"  Then the punk who pulled the knife on me suckerpunched me- I grabbed him and his brother-I am a big, strong dude.  I threw a jab and busted the brothers nose and grabbed him again- I have a strong grip on each of them right now.  By this point all the Petco employees came over.  I said "call the police.....call the !@#$ing police NOW".  They were freaking out "sir please calm down there are fish tanks everywhere.  I really entertained the notion of throwing both of them headfirst into the tanks.  "Sir we have to ask you to leave" they said to me-while I am being attacked by two dudes.  I said "I am trying to shop here!"  This standoff went on for a minute or so- finally I threw knife boy on the ground hard.  His brother ran away and knifeboy got up and ran away.  I went to the Hamden police and they were !@#$s.  We will get to they said.  Two days later I had class and swung by Petco to speak with the managers and let them know I was assaulted and they did not call the police for me when I asked.  I was kind of a celebrity at Petco- the manager was like "that was you"  all wide eyed.  Anyways I have learned to never get involved in road rage.  I get along with everyone and have no enemys but made one when I pulled over.  Its a crazy story- its much better when I tell it in person

236555[/snapback]

 

Whatwasyourpoint,Ihadahardtimefollowingwhatyousaidafteryourfirstparagraph?

[jester43]

in about 86 when i still lived in philly, i had a bud that lived on 50th and locust. he was black. his street was sort of the "dividing line" between where white guys should, and should not go. i didn't have the advantage of being all jacked up on weights or packing heat like navy bills fan, so i was always very careful when i walked to his house. i was 5'9' 140lbs of burning love...but other than being able to run really fast, my superpowers were limited.

 

so we are hanging out at my pals house watching nba one day(remember- back in the 80s, it was still fun to watch), and someone decided we needed more beer. so duran(my friend) says lets walk to the deli on 52nd st. i thought that might not be so smart for me, but he said "nah, i know the guys that hang out up there. it'll be fine."

 

so we walk the two blocks and when we go inside the place is full of mean looking black guys...everyone is wearing kangols and chains and expensive adidas. i'm thinking to myself aww...how cute, they like run-dmc! they look like they are just hanging around doing nothing. no one's buying anything. the poor little chinese guy behind his bulletproof glass is wheeling the beer, snacks, subs, etc. around to his customers on one of those thick plexi carroussels so there's no way the barrel of a gun can make it through to rob him.

 

everybody looks real nervous and quiet and starts checking us out reeeeeeal close. the biggest meanest looking guy in the place walks up to me and says what do YOU want? he is like 1 inch from my nose. before i get a chance to answer him, sombody behind me goes "21 jump street!" i thought that meant we were about to get jumped, but sudenly duran laughs out loud and says "aw cmon man, are you kidding me?!" everyone kind of stands down after that, we pay for our beer, and leave.

 

when we get outside, my heart is beating like hell, but i am not quite sure what happened. all i know was that i was was almost beat up...i thought it was for being white. i say to duran, "you KNOW those guys?" he says, "umm those aren't the same guys...i haven't been up here in awhile i guess."

 

well, if you hadn't figured it out yet(i still hadn't), those guys were dealing drugs out of the bulletproof chinese deli. the "the 21 jump st." comment was a reference to a really bad tv show of that era(a show that i had never seen) in which a multi-ethnic group of very young police officers would go undercover to bust drug dealers. so i guess these guys had been watching too much tv because they thought we were !@#$ing cops. i was like 20 years old, duran might have been 22. sheee-it.

[IDBillzFan]

Your story reminds me about an experience I had in Buffalo back in 86 or 87. A good friend of mine, who was black, convinced me I should go to the Martin Luther King festival. He had some friends who were having a party and said we'd have a good time.

 

So we went to the festival and had a great time. I was just about the only white boy there and did get a lot of looks, but his friends were very cool and made me feel welcome.

 

When the festival was winding down my buddy wanted to go to one of his favorite bars, so the two of us went to tip back a few. We walked in and went to the bar to get some drinks and I noticed that once again I was the only white boy and I was getting a lot of “are you crazy” stares. 

 

While the bartender was getting our drinks this huge Sam Adams size guy came out of the bathroom, saw me, and immediately walked over to me. He lifted his massive arms over his head and pushed against the ceiling with his hands. Then he said to me in a very loud and very deep voice, "What the fu*k do you think you're doing here?"

 

Well the bar became completely silent and I said, "ah, um, ah, well you see we were thirsty and  ah..." My stomach felt like it just did a 1000 foot freefall. I'm not a small guy, 6 foot 225 pounds, but not a NFL size lineman like this guy was. He could have squished me like I was an ant. THANKFULLY this is when my friend decided to speak up and say I was with him and that I was alright. The big guy grunted and sneered at me and walked away.

 

My friend and I had a couple of drinks (my first one went down in record time), and then I asked the bartender to buy the big guy a drink and tell him I meant no disrespect. After the bartender brought over his drink and pointed to me the big guy yelled out for me to come over there and sit down.

 

When I got over there he told me to sit and then reached his arm over the table and said, "My name is Larry, as in you're in Larry's Lair." I reached across, shook his hand and said, "I'm Dave, as in Dave in Larry's Lair." He busted out laughing and everyone else in the bar including me started laughing. Then he said to me, "What are you laughing about?" Everyone in the bar shut up immediately as did I. Then Larry started laughing again and told me to relax and sit down so that we could have a drink together.

 

Anyway without going into all of the details of our extended conversation, Larry and I really hit it off and we even wound up going to another bar together later that night. I still visit him every chance I get when I go back to Buffalo.

 

The moral of the story is that like it or not there are racial problems everywhere in America but with a little luck and a friend to help you out everything can turn out great if people get to know each other. That being said if my buddy wasn't there to help me this story probably would have an entirely different outcome.

236499[/snapback]

 

That's a great story. Not to take the edge off it, but as I read it I was reminded of a scene in "Rush Hour" with Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker. Just before walking into an all black bar, Tucker tells Chan to let him do the talking. As they walk in the door, Tucker says to the people he sees going in "How you doin' my nigga? Whassup my nigga? What's goin on my nigga?" One by one they all acknowledge Tucker, bumping hands and whatever. Later in the scene, Rock goes into the back to meet with the kingpin, whatever, and while he's in there, Jackie Chan, sitting at the bar, looks at the bartender and says with perfect Asian accent: "Whassup my nigga."

 

"What'd you call me?"

 

"I said 'Whassup my nigga.'"

 

And a fight ensues...

 

Best example I ever saw of a double standard.

[Terry Tate]

Not a nice neighborhood there.

236388[/snapback]

1. Stay out of bad neighborhoods.

[Terry Tate]

Then he said to me in a very loud and very deep voice, "What the fu*k do you think you're doing here?"

236499[/snapback]

2. If, in a lapse of judgement, you find yourself in a bad neighborhood, or present company, be polite, and if necessary, apologetic. This will be better received than snappy comebacks that are or could be construed as confrontational or threatening. Good story about how this works.

[Terry Tate]

Then he swerved to the right lane- I sped ahead and sealed him off.  He tried to swerve at me menacingly- I didnt back down.

236555[/snapback]

3. Don't do this.

[Fan in San Diego]

I've lived in mostly black and mostly mexican neighborhoods and have never had so much as a sideways look ! You just happen to come across one jerk, let it slide and forget about it !