# What did I ever do to him?



## Greimour (Jul 17, 2014)

[Edited out for reasons not yet willing to share]


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## PiP (Jul 17, 2014)

Ah the dreaded school bullies. So what happened next... ?


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## Greimour (Jul 17, 2014)

Hmm. Not much really. More (even worse) self-aggrandizing will follow if I try to explain anything from before or after this event.

I mostly shared the memory because of how I thought at the time. How I viewed things.  

Put another way, I am interested in how people react to/interpret it without explanation.

...

Let's just say - things worked out OK and I really don't fight anymore. In fact, I haven't fought for so long, I probably lack the ability to even defend myself anymore. I haven't even done much in the way of fitness so I probably don't have the stamina to last more than half a minute if I did get into a fight. The old me would kick my butt ... that doesn't concern me though, because I have no intention of the old me being reincarnated. He is dead and gone... >.<


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## Deafmute (Jul 17, 2014)

ah Griemour, you and your childhood mischief. I wouldn't be surprised if this kid had more reason to pick a fight than you would think considering the stories you told me, about you starting fights. lol

as far as the writing goes. You switched tense a few times between past and present. and the bit about how they would all run around to catch you through the school and such was a little confusing. you go through each persons movements tracing out what you believe they will do if you run, and then say 





> satisfied I could get away by running that way, I relax.


 its a bit confusing because you say they will cut you off in the sentence right before that. 

Aside from that and a few other little grammar things here and there, the overall piece is fun.  A peek into the mind of a skilled brawler. Watching him analyze the fight each step along the way and evaluate it makes for an exciting action sequence. You could easily pluck this out and inject it into a action fiction and it would be totally appropriate. As always a fun read, good to see you posting stuff again.


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## Plasticweld (Jul 17, 2014)

Kev, great to see you sharing your work. 

Best way I know to start a fight in a bar or pub.  "I am not looking for any trouble."  it lets everyone know you are an easy mark and not willing to fight back. 

I remember taking a  Muay Thai class many years ago, We spared and fought all weekend long learning the new techniques. "I was a kick boxer and was  not used to below the waist strikes."  On Sunday when we were supposed to get some sort of certificate to show we had taken the class. The instructor said there was one last test to see if we had learned some of what we were taught.  Behind the closed door, an empty room with the exception of a gray squirrel that he had caught the in one of those Have Heart traps.  For us to complete the coarse we had to go in the room, catch the squirrel with our bare hands and bring it out. 

The class fell silent, each of us were trying to picture how we were going to catch this squirrel without getting severely bitten.  The instructor asked " Who is first?" met with complete silence. 

 Now you have to picture this room full guys, all of them fighters, each with the scares and bruises from the weekend, most fought in some sort of organized form of fighting from boxing to the martial arts, these guys fight for fun and sport

The instructor broke the silence.  "I want each of you to think about how reluctant you were to enter the room, big strong trained fighters and you were afraid of a little itty bitty squirrel.  Why because you knew it would fight to the death, it would not back down when trapped but would give it everything it had. *Be the squirrel"
*
 There of coarse was nothing behind the door but a good lesson that has stuck with me for more than 25 years


At some point in time I hope to be able to correct some of your work, but the student does not teach the master.  

Good story well told.


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## Greimour (Jul 17, 2014)

Deafmute said:


> Aside from that and a few other little grammar things here and there,  the overall piece is fun.  A peek into the mind of a skilled brawler.  Watching him analyze the fight each step along the way and evaluate it  makes for an exciting action sequence. You could easily pluck this out  and inject it into a action fiction and it would be totally appropriate.  As always a fun read, good to see you posting stuff again.



Thanks. 

I knew about the tense issues when I posted, but as I told it I was slipping between "the memory is something i lived" to "the memory is something I am reliving" if that makes sense. 

As for the escape route and then relaxing. I always do it. Its little more than a feeling and my imagination, but I always thought of possible escape routes before I got into any questionable situation - or even whilst I was in such a situation. Based on nothing but a gut feeling I would decide which one to use when the moment came. But just knowing I have an escape route doesn't mean I would use it.

Think of a fire escape. A popular slogan is "Know your route" 
Just because you have a route in case of a fire, doesn't mean you will use it.

As for the grammar, I went to bed about 13 times between 1am and 5am, but I couldn't sleep. Then I read plasticweld's Non-fiction piece again and thought; "screw it, I will share a memory" 

10 minutes later I posted this. I should know better than to write whilst in that mental state but it was good to get something written for a change.





Plasticweld said:


> Kev, great to see you sharing your work.



That's a great little story there yourself... I was always the squirrel. 

One of the reason I went about dropping my fighters reputation and stopping fighting was because of a head injury. A good blow to my head can kill me. I was in an accident that caused a bleed to the brain and was told I would never be allowed to do any fighting sports in the future. Ever. I felt that letting a secret like that out of the bag where I lived would have been a bad idea. So when people did pick a fight with me, it was a little unfair. 
I often felt like I was fighting with my life on the line. What kind of motivation did they have compared to that? :/

P.S. You still write coarse instead of course. Got to start catching that spelling <3

~~~

P.S. Both of you and all others:

If you want to highlight tense slips and spelling issues or grammar issues, feel free. Though I have few problems spotting and finding it in other peoples work, I often miss it in my own. 

I have marked many myself already, such as:


> I dodge too more punches without much effort


should be *two* more punches ... but I am not going to make any edits to the thread. I will copy and paste it into word and make the edits there. So if anyone wants to highlight my mistakes, maybe you will find some that I didn't and I will be very thankful <3



~Kev.


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## Plasticweld (Jul 17, 2014)

_*As for the grammar, I went to bed about 13 times between 1am and 5am, but I couldn't sleep. Then I read plasticweld's Non-fiction piece again and thought; "screw it, I will share a memory*_" 


Warms my heart to read that, of course I will continue to work on my spelling


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## Pandora (Jul 18, 2014)

Very well written Greimour, engaging and exciting, loved the anticipation in the beginning. Great deep questions, the whys in life. I got a feel of compassion too, an understanding as to the whys.  As much as I can't stand bullies that understanding of why they bully truly helps the victim. I enjoyed, thanks!


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## Greimour (Jul 18, 2014)

Praise is always nice, ^_^

I wouldn't really say they were bullies though. I certainly didn't feel bullied or threatened by them. It was more due to the social hierarchy of where I live(d). 

Fighting was a huge factor for placement within the social standings. Even many the most popular and beautiful girls in the school had fighting reputations. They were often more than happy to stand toe-to-toe with lads. Unfortunately they took advantage of that because there was many of us (me included) who wouldn't tolerate a guy hitting a girl. 

*Shrugs*

I seen a lot of bullying and I did experience a bit. It's not just physical violence that counts as bullying after all. Rumours and such were the methods used on me. Lies and gossip. 

I expect there were people who even considered me a bully at one time or another... but we don't always perceive our acts a wrong. 

For example, there was a lad who was a bully and beat up the same lad several times. I told him that next time he did it he would have to fight me. 
He did it again... 
Every time he seen me after that he ran for the hills. I didn't chase him a single time but I did wait. When the time came... I put a fear in him that made him apologize to the one he had been bullying. No doubt he considered me his bully during those weeks he ran from me. 

I don't like bullies, never have. But I have no doubt that there were people during my childhood that considered me a bully; even if I personally felt justified in my actions and don't believe that I was a bully at all. In fact, there are many who would stand up and say I protected them from bullies. Of those that would have considered me a bully, I think there is probably only one that wasn't a bully himself. But that one who wasn't a bully is a whole other story and gets me incredibly angry - even now.


~Kev.


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