STORYTIME TAPESTRY

The Newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness throughout the world

Special Treat ??“ Michael Smith

June 25, 2005

The Right Thing

            In the early 1980??™s, I was a young man in my very early twenties. I was breaking

free from my mother??™s apron and enjoying myself. One place I liked to hang out was a

50??™s and 60??™s bar. I had a lot of fun there and made many great friends.

            Early one night I was at this club enjoying a beer, when ???nature??? called. I was in

a bathroom stall, when I heard the bathroom door open with a bang. I could hear a

gentleman pacing around, mumbling to himself. I looked up. Through the crack in the

door I saw him pass in front of my stall, return, and peer through the crack at me.

            ???I know you??™re in there.??? he yelled.

            I sat there wondering who he was. He certainly sounded angry. All I could say

was, ???So????

            ???Well, I know you??™re in there.???

            ???You??™re right. I??™m in here.???

            He grew silent and continued to pace. I finished my business came out.

            He was instantly in my face. ???I knew you were in there.??? he yelled.

            ???You??™re right. I was in there. Do I know you???? I ask calmly.

            He was about 5??™ 4??? and stocky. A tobacco stained mustache decorated his upper

lip. A scar cut a path through the yellowed hairs. Thick veins traversed his muscled arms,

cutting blue and green lines through the many tattoos, which decorated his flesh. His

shoulders were broad. He was obviously very strong. The way he twitched and danced

from one foot to the other warned me, he was not a person to mess with. I am six foot,

much bigger than him, but I??™m not a fighter.

            ???Yeah! Well, I knew you were in there.??? His breath stank of alcohol.

            ???You were right.??? I hoped someone would come in and disrupt this scene.

            ???I could take you, ya know.??? He said.

            ???Take me????

            ???Yeah! I could take you. You??™re bigger, but I could take you.???

            I was getting nervous. ???But why? Why would you want to fight me? I don??™t even

know you. I??™ve never even seen you before.???

            ???I know, but I could if I wanted to.???

            ???I don??™t doubt you. I??™m sure you could. You look strong. I just don??™t understand

why you would want to.???

            He danced from one foot to the other. His eyes danced in his head. His breath made it very apparent he had been drinking, but those eyes told me there were also some

strong drugs involved here as will. I grew uneasy. This man was someone not right in

the mind. I knew I was in a bad situation and had no idea what to do. I decided to stay

calm.

            His eyes focused on my again. ???I could kill you ya know.???

            ???Kill me???? My heart rate increased. ???Why would you want to do that? I haven??™t

done anything to you. We have never met before.???

            ???Well I could. I could kill you. I have killed before. What do you think of that????

            I was in trouble and knew it. ???But why? I believe you could do what you say,

but why would you want to? I don??™t even know you.???

            ???Well I could if I wanted to. I have been in prison. I have killed before and I could

kill you too.??? He began to pace again. It was obvious this man was on drugs. I needed to

get out of there and fast. Where were the other patrons? We had been alone in there for at

least ten minutes and no one had come in.

            ???I believe you, my friend. I believe what you say. I am going to go back into the

club. Talk to you later. OK???? He was pacing. I saw an opening to get away. This guy was

dangerous. He could have a gun or knife on him. If he did, there was no doubt in my

mind that he would use them.

            I left the bathroom and went back to my table in the club. A few minutes later

the ex-con comes up and sits at my table. He talked nonsense the whole time. I nodded

when required and looked for an opening to get away. I replied politely and smiled when

necessary. I played it cool and waited. After what I thought was an appropriate time, I

excused myself to go to the bathroom again - blaming it on the beer.

            On my way out I spoke to the bouncer at the door. I pointed to my unwanted

friend and said, ???See that guy over there? Keep an eye on him. He??™s nuts.??? I explained

the encounter in the bathroom and got out of there as fast as I could.

            A few days later I returned. The bouncer said to me, ???Mike, remember that

guy you pointed out to me the other night? You were right! It took four policemen to

drag him out of here. He was crazy!???

            A week later I picked up the local newspaper. I unfolded it, looked at the front

page, and my face turned white. There was a picture of the man I had met that night. The

caption read, ???Ex-con charged with murdering local man with a machete on downtown

lawn.???

            This story still makes me shake. I came so close to being that victim.

            It taught me a valuable lesson. I read that man??™s actions - he was dangerous.

I am not a violent person. If someone attacked my wife or one of my kids I probably

could get violent, but I am not one to take on a fight, when running works better.

If I had provoked that man in the slightest way, I could have been his next victim.

I thank the Lord for giving me the wisdom to handle that situation the way I did.

            Use words, my friends. You do not know your enemies.

            I did the right thing.

Michael Smith

mtsmith@qwestonline.com