Turning The Other Cheek (urgent)

[Doc]

Well, I did not know I could take a punch until today. Mossburg and I were riding our bikes down a trail and then walked around a ravine. (I have traveled this park for about 11 years or so. It is a great place to skip rocks, ride bikes, explore nature, meditate, and last of all, get the crap beat out of you.

We were watching a few kids jump off the nearby waterfall and me and this one little kid I met there were playing king of the rock with sticks. It was fun until a kid from the waterfall started saying something. Now I am not all sure what he said but it was something about how I was looking at him (I have never seen him before until then and if you are not aware this kid was white)

He continued to say something and I just kept walking with my favorite stick with Mossburg getting the same treatment from someone else. He told me to turn around but I kept walking. The next thing I knew I was on my knees gasping with a swollen chin. (Keep in mind I still had the stick clenched in my hand. I turned to face the evildoer and my oppressor only to receive another toothache from his cronie. I felt the urge to crack one of their bare chested ribs with the stick, except for the fact that about seven of them surrounded us. Without thinking further I was hit one final time this time spinning me into some more rocks never to see my staff which was carried down stream. Mossburg and I managed to escape him getting hit a few more times than I. I would have gone back to fight them no matter how many if I saw that little kid I was playing with get the same as myself.

Surprisingly enough they all admitted they were sorry because they thought we stole their shoes. However, going up the hill with our bikes, one came up and told us to come back down to 'apologize' once more. I suspected this as meaning "Dont tell or else.. and we will have to beat you up again"

I told the punky kid to say it was better we had never met and to go away. He left without much more.

Now comes to the point where my parents will be home soon. Should I leave it as it is or tell them the gruesome tale, only to be pampered like a baby for the rest of the summer and possibly prohibited from going to other woods and streams I often travel.

If I don't tell and they find out anyway, well I will never hear the end of it.

PS- Similar things happened to my dad at my age but he was only taunted by one usually. Since I was little, I had heard the heroic tales of him standing up to one of the agressors and winning a fight. At least I have something to tell my kids about now.

 

[linwood]

It`s hard Doc but just drop it.
Don`t mention it to your parents unless it becomes a regular thing.

 

[Mister Emu]

Don't lie to your parents, but you don't have to tell them either.

 

[The Black Whirlwind]

i agree with linwood, dont tell unless it becomes regular.

 

[Scuba Pete]

Expose the bullies. You already turned the other cheek. Call their parents and call the police. There is NO excuse for violence. If they get away with this they will hurt someone else WORSE until they DO get caught.

 

[Druidus]

I'm glad you're ok. I've been in a few fights, though not that unfair odds.

When I was younger, two guys ganged me up in a bathroom, and smashed my head against urinals, and such. I would have been ok with one guy, but two of them were owning me.

I had a few fights with several other people, which, unfortunately, I initiated, but only because they would not stopprovoking me, by poking me, and pulling my hair. Finally, punched one, and he fell down and cried. A friend of his came at me, but I wrestled him to the ground, and held him until teachers came. I got in trouble, however, depite the fact that I had told him to stop annying me, repeatedly, over a period of a week, and had told teachers, who didn't do anything.

Finally the only other major fight, the worst one, was last year. A gang of about ten or twelve guys were joking around at recess when a small dog appeared. I was off to the side, minding my own business, when one of them, the leader of the group, started throwing rocks at the dog. I ignored it at first, as they weren't hitting her, but then I heard a yelp, and another one. A wall of red covered me (I didn't mention this, but when I get severely angry, sometimes this happens. I don't really control myself, but I can stop and think, if I have to), and I ran up to the leader and decked him, he rolled onto his side and held his jaw (which, apparentyit had healed only a week ago of a fracture). Three of the other guys came at me, and a few others threw rocks. I ignored the rocks, kicked one, and tackled another, before teachers came and broke it up. I got in trouble again. Moral of the story? Don't defend the weak and innocent, the authorities will punish you.

 

[Doc]

Netdoc,

I would have no problem exposing them if I had any idea who they were. I have never met them. They were total strangers. They walked away at about the same time I did when the kid found his shoes and realized he pummeled us for nothing.
And I only turned the other cheek because I had no other choice. I did not gain my alertness of what had happened until after the last punch was thrown and I had left them. I was in no physical condition for veangence after an exhausting bike ride and several punches.

As much as I would like to see them be stopped before they hurt others, I am not the person who will be teaching them the lesson. But they will learn one day. Not from me. But no doubt they will find someone like me one day seemingly defenseless except they will pick on someone with a knife or a gun.

Druidus,

Thanks for the story. Similar thing happened last year where I stood up for a little ant's rights because the recess mom wanted us to kill some of them so they wouldnt crawl anywhere in the room. As she walked away, I asked her what she would think if God stepped on her (partly out of spite because this lady always got on my nerves.)

Anyway, she turned around and thought it was another kid. She told him not to talk that way and left leaving him dumbstruck and myself partly pleased and a little guilty.


Anyway, after I left the scene I tunred to one of them who had not hit me. I felt some strange urge to tell him that Jesus still loved him no matter what. The words almost came out but I think my survival instincts overtook my evangelical ones and I was in no mood for another beating for preaching to him.

 

[Melody]

Now comes to the point where my parents will be home soon. Should I leave it as it is or tell them the gruesome tale, only to be pampered like a baby for the rest of the summer and possibly prohibited from going to other woods and streams I often travel.

I agree with Netdoc. If you can identify these kids, then file a complaint with the police. At least then it's on record that these kids have a history of unprovoked violence. Yes, it may crimp your lifestyle for a few months, but ask yourself how you're going to feel if you do nothing....and these boys escalate to killing someone (inadvertently or deliberately).

Bravery doesn't always mean putting up your fists and defending yourself. Sometimes it means standing up and speaking out.

 

[Doc]

That is the problem though, I hardly saw the kid that did it partly because I knew if I looked at him wrong, he would fight me which he did anyway. And I was more worried with getting away with my teeth let alone thinking of what he looked like. So I am not much use there.

It was strange though that there were girls there too none of which fought or tried to stop it. It is a shame that such a nice reservation must be plagued with violence.

 

[groovydancer88]

Doc, that really sucks. I'm sorry that those jerks did that to you. I'm also sorry that you can't identify them. I'm not much help here, I can't think of what else to do since you don't know who it was... but I wish you better luck in the future!

 

[Melody]

It is a shame that such a nice reservation must be plagued with violence.

I've often thought the same of earth.

 

[Doc]

Doc, that really sucks. I'm sorry that those jerks did that to you. I'm also sorry that you can't identify them. I'm not much help here, I can't think of what else to do since you don't know who it was... but I wish you better luck in the future!

Thank you, but there will be no more next times for that park that I once loved. To think it was all just looking for a meditation spot. But at least I got a better understanding of violence and its affect on the world. Gandhi and Jesus and Martin don't seem so far off the mark anymore.

 

[Doc]

Well I decided not to say anything about it unless they ask about the swollen chin which is not too visible yet. I much rather keep this a private matter one which I can learn a lot from and hopefully in the end spiritually profit off of it from a moral standpoint. As much as I fear them, I hope one day I can meet them again. Face my attackers and try to change their ways. Not that it would help but oh well. Pope John Paul could forgive a man who tried to assassinate him and shot him. I could forgive someone for giving me a bruise, a cut, and a bad memory.

 

[Prima]

That's a great attitude, Doc.

However, if you ever get the chance to identify them, please do. What has been said here is correct - violence is a lifestyle, not an event. If they beat you up because they thought you had stolen their shoes...what would they do to someone else?

Forgiveness is saying I love you even if you did something to hurt me - it's not saying that hurting me was okay. You can forgive them and still make sure they're brought to justice. John Paul II didn't try to get his assassin out of prison.

 

[Doc]

I will if I ever can, but I became very dizzy and my sight was blurred for some time. I have been sort of uncoordinated since the incident. I don't think Mossburg could do much better identifying them but I havn't talked to him much since then. Their faces all looked familiar. Not that I had seen them, but that I could see all kinds of people I have known in their faces, their eyes, and their hair.

Funny as it is, I became angrier at my family tonight than I did the gangsters. They were mad about how cranky I was and inconsiderate for going into the shower when someone else was going to in a few minutes. I was washing up some blood and tending bruises but apparently my sister became quite perturbed that she was going to miss the opening of her show. They said I was not being very Christian and I should go to bed earlier. I felt like breaking it to them, but I just muttered to myself.

PS- I know I can be quite critical of religion sometimes, well actually a lot of times especailly Christianity and Catholicism. It is not hard to see that I can be quite unmericful with religions, but today, I think my Christian faith and closely held religious beliefs possibly saved my life.

 

[Scuba Pete]

Doc,

You are exhibiting signs of a concusion OR WORSE. Please go get checked out by an ER. You are describing possible pressure on the optic nerve which may mean swelling that is far deeper than just your skin. It's probably nothing, but on the outside chance that it IS something, please go get checked out.

I feel it important to point out at this point, that I am NOT a medical doctor. I fix sick Networks, but I am a First Aid and CPR instructor. Please take care... we want you posting here for a LONG time to come!

 

[Master Vigil]

Dude, I am so sorry that this happened. I have never really gotten into a big fight with more than a few people. The worst was back in middle school. I had a halfpipe in my backyard that I built, and I was just coming back from the woods (about 3 am, I used to do that alot), and there were 3 older kids playin on my ramp. So I told them to leave, and they were obviously drunk (which probably helped me out ) and one actually tried to stab me with a knife. Luckily I was a pretty good fighter at that point from countless tournaments, and was able to beat all 3 of them. But I still have a scar from that knife in my stomach. Ba$tard. But violence is truly a horrible thing. I am glad you got through it ok, and I hope you don't have a concussion.

 

[Mossburg32908]

Well I got nailed about 6-7 times in the face but I had only one regret, I didnt fight back, yes I was out numbered but, you that dont know me Im a big kid, and what I should have done is make an example of one and the others will get intimidated, that is if I do something that would be intimadating, one would be to wrap my arms around the kids neck and strangled him until he might be bad enough to go to the hospital, or (this one is a little sick but effective) grab his...balls and pull and yank all I can. since I am a big kid I could put all my wieght on the kid with my knee. There is no fair fighting, unless its they pull a knife or gun. I know what you all will say "fighting is bad, you should never use violence." but you have to know how to defend yourself, lets just say you can not do what we did, this will never happen again in my case. And as Doc said I never knew I could take a punch, and when I was getting punched I was seriouly thinking to my self "Is this really getting beating up, Its not that bad, I thought it would be worse then this."

 

[martha]

This is a very unfortunate situation with a good lesson in it. My feelings are usually to forgive the first offence, but if it happens to me again or someone else, then I would tell someone. In this instance though, these people seem to have a hit first and ask questions later mentality, so to speak. They reacted with violence to their first impression, which was wrong in the first place. I would try to find a local law enforcement officer and explain the situation to them so that they are at least aware that this is happening and be on the lookout for it. Tell them if you don't want anybody to know. Ask first if you can talk to them in confidence.

Even within your own family, from what you explained, your action was misinterpreted as crankiness. You were acused of being thoughtless. They didn't know what had made you cranky or sullen. Did they ask you why?

The lesson here is that we should never act violently in any event. Niether should we behave negatively towards someone based on our first impression of their behavior. That is why gossip is such a hurtful thing, for it is based upon assumptions. Never assume the guilt of an individual at first glance, wait until you have all the facts. Even then, don't join the crowd in casting the first stones. I don't think you would anyway.
I truly am sorry for your trouble and I pray that this never happens to you again.
Be careful.

Martha

 

[Mossburg32908]

And I will fill in the rest of Docs story. now I came over to see this kid foolowing Doc around asking him questions. then the kid said watch that kid,meaning me. Doc and two kids disappear around a corner. And I told the one kid we didnt take any thing, because before they asked if wqe took anything, so he said "what did you say, *****?!" so I turn around to have a fist lunged into my mouth and nose. I fell to the ground, to have four kids kicking me, I got up and thought about defending my self to have three more punches. I started to walk telling them we were going to leave, another punch, I seen a kid walk away from Docs position, as I past him I didnt think he was going to hit me, I was wrong I got nailed again, me and Doc began to get our bike when they come over and say "sorry man, I thought you took my shoes and money, are we cool?!" so being allready beat I said "yeah" only because I didnt want to get hit again. So as were riding away, a kid on a bike rides up and says "What happened" (he knew very well what happened) so I told him, he said "well he wants to talk to you and say sorry again, and give you $5 for hitting you." he did not want to say sorry, so I said "No, Its quite alright" then the kid said, "well if you dont stay here he'll beat the crap out of you!" Now listen to this, if I didnt stay there so some kid could say sorry(again) for beating me up he'll, beat me up. so we "took our chances and left. So that my side of the story.