# Pushed to the Edge



## Plasticweld (Oct 13, 2017)

_The authors note: This is a true story, it happened Oct 22, 2016.  Thanks to the “Stand your Ground law,” no criminal charges were filed. _

 *Pushed to the edge **by Bob Brown*

  In a room full of people, I would take his life, crush it out of him, and they would cheer me on.

...

  I was minding my own business, just trying to enjoy my lunch.  On Friday it’s egg salad sandwiches and clam chowder.  I always order the special no matter what it is.  The sandwich was nothing special, the soup was outstanding.

  I was reading the paper. Lost in my own little world and enjoying my quiet time.   I heard him, but didn’t turn around.  He was in the booth behind me. He was making as much noise as he possibly could, to what purpose I have no idea.  Some people are annoyed by crying kids. Not me. It takes a lot to get me worked up and I wasn’t going to let him, or his kind, get under my skin.

  Just at that moment I felt a brush against my hair, just a little flick, “What the heck?” 

  It gets personal when you start touching me… I don’t like it, not one little bit. 

  This… This little guy, was making a bunch of noise in a place where he is not, wanted or welcome, and it’s starting to piss me off.  Yes, he was black. It’s true my Grandpa never like them.  I was never fond of  their kind either.

 I am a big guy and I shouldn’t be goaded by some loud mouth who invades my personal space.  I’ll admit it, I had enough.  I took the first swing and quietly swore under my breath while doing it.

 The other patrons are starting to stare, but they don’t really care, it’s not their fight, and they’re not going to get involved.  If he is not bothering them, they don’t give a shit.  I was alone in this fight. 

  The little guy is fast and ducks my swipe.  Like the scene in the bar from the Star Wars movie. The chatter stops for a moment and then people go on about their business as if nothing happened. 

  I try to be cool. I go back to reading my paper while digging into my bowl of clam chowder.   I have taken a swing at him.  Showed him who was boss.  He probably got the hint and will now go on to bother someone else.

 I was wrong.  Maybe he suffers from little man complex.  He just picked on the biggest guy in the place, and pushed his buttons to make himself feel big.  I’m used to this, I’ve been in a lot of bars, and a lot of dives worse than this hole in the wall.  Maybe it is a rural country thing, as it seems to happen a lot more there. 

 He is taunting me by touching my food… That’s it! No more mister nice guy.  I am going to kill the little bastard. I pound the table.  The diner is silent for just a second.  The old guy at the counter tells me to, “Go get’em.”  The rest of the crowd pays me no mind. 

 The little guy circles to my left and just manages to dodge my last blow.  I am up on my feet, determined to make my next blow count.  He is mocking me, darting back and forth in the booth.  

This is conjecture on my part, but I think he was eyeing my clam chowder. For a moment, I think he was distracted.  With my right hand in a closed fist, I give him the hammer blow. 

  I killed him.  I had no remorse.

  I turned to look at the crowd, they were smiling.  The old guy at the counter said, “Good job!” 

  I killed that fly dead.  He will not bother me anymore.

_Epilog: _

_I was harassed by “Black Flies Matter” for months until the security footage revealed that he never said, “Hands up don’t swat,” during the confrontation. _


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## Elvenswordsman (Oct 13, 2017)

I didn't really laugh here, but maybe I missed the joke?


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## Plasticweld (Oct 14, 2017)

Elvenswordsman said:


> I didn't really laugh here, but maybe I missed the joke?



You're not the only one, I got a nasty note from the radical group "Black Flies Matter"  they did not think it was funny either.


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## Moostafus (Oct 14, 2017)

Greetings!

Made me giggle, but just a little. XD  

I knew there had to be some kind of subversion coming because Stand Your Ground laws & humor don't often mix.  LOL


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## Jack of all trades (Oct 22, 2017)

I admit, I jumped to the end when it seemed like the guy had to be standing on your table, but then I went back and read it through. The physical logistics aside, I loved the implication that it was a human you were fighting, only to have the surprise reveal at the end. No suggestions for the rough patch, because any change I thought of would not work for other reasons. 

Good one.


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## bdcharles (Oct 23, 2017)

I thought it was going to be from the point of view of a dog or some animal. I was half right. As to which half, well, who can say...


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## VonBradstein (Oct 23, 2017)

Plasticweld said:


> _The authors note: This is a true story, it happened Oct 22, 2016.  Thanks to the “Stand your Ground law,” no criminal charges were filed. _
> 
> *Pushed to the edge by Bob Brown*
> 
> ...


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## Plasticweld (Oct 23, 2017)

Thanks Von.   You are correct and I will work on that and make the changes.  Thanks for the example it does much to clarify your point.


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## bobo (Oct 23, 2017)

Yeah, may be it's a rural thing.
Where I come from in society we would ask first, before letting the judgement be executed 
Asking, as in: WHY are you touching me and/or my food ?? 
Who are you btw ??
Words can be intimidating too, you know


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## SilverMoon (Oct 23, 2017)

Plastic, in all seriousness, I think this should be your title. It would draw me into your story more effectively than your present one and make the re-iteration more humorous. I just think it would fly better..... 
All in all, very clever.


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## Plasticweld (Oct 23, 2017)

Sliver, I like that and think it would work well.  I try and make the title part of the story, more often to mislead than anything else.   Thanks for the feedback and for reading...Bob


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## Soul5hadows7 (Oct 24, 2017)

Elvenswordsman said:


> I didn't really laugh here, but maybe I missed the joke?


But surely you smiled.


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## bobo (Oct 27, 2017)

Since it's a true story which happened about a year ago - may be there could be a sequel about how it influenced your life ??


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## Plasticweld (Oct 27, 2017)

bobo said:


> Since it's a true story which happened about a year ago - may be there could be a sequel about how it influenced your life ??




This is actually the second story I wrote about this diner.  The first one was for the local paper, a third one I am sure is in the mix.  Linda and I  have breakfast there every morning and it is a real slice of small town life, with some very fascinating characters.


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## bobo (Oct 27, 2017)

Well, it was you killing a man, wasn't it ??
Transcending that line is an irreversible thing - you cannot go back - it happened.
May be it wasn't the first time you killed somebody ??
Could be a habit 
-or because it didn't have any judicial consequences, could become a habit.
But else, it's bound to have some influences on your state of mind, your peace of mind.
Remorse ??
or did you become the local hero ??


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## Plasticweld (Oct 27, 2017)

Bobo I will write the third story just for you, answering all of your questions.  :}

The story almost writes itself. 



bobo said:


> Well, it was you killing a man, wasn't it ??
> Transcending that line is an irreversible thing - you cannot go back - it happened.
> May be it wasn't the first time you killed somebody ??
> Could be a habit
> ...


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## Kevin (Oct 27, 2017)

bobo said:


> Well, it was you killing a man, wasn't it ??
> Transcending that line is an irreversible thing - you cannot go back - it happened.
> May be it wasn't the first time you killed somebody ??
> Could be a habit
> ...


 ah... That was the joke: he wrote it so you thought it was about an extreme act: killing a man. And then it wasn't a man( that was your assumption that he let you and led you to believe) it was a damn fly,  bugging him. * smack!*


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## TuesdayEve (Oct 28, 2017)

I thought it was very funny... mostly because the joke is on me...
As I began reading the story, line after line, I formed an opinion, a moral outrage... You led me down the path and in the end delighted me with a twist...


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## bobo (Oct 28, 2017)

Kevin said:


> ah... That was the joke: he wrote it so you thought it was about an extreme act: killing a man. And then it wasn't a man( that was your assumption that he let you and led you to believe) it was a damn fly,  bugging him. * smack!*


Really - I wouldn't be so sure about that 
You don't call a fly for 'he' - but I can see it could have been.
But funny - absolutely not - nothing funny about being lead on.


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## bobo (Oct 28, 2017)

I want to add, that leading people on is making a joke on those  (the people) - and who'ld like that ?? ... even they smile politely.
They'll remember , and lead you on the next time  - and so forth...
Is that how you want to spend your youth ??
Besides humour is one of those things NOT being international - actually very different different places.


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## Plasticweld (Oct 28, 2017)

*Lighten up, there – things look different in [/FONT][/FONT]**Light[/FONT][/FONT]** than in Shadow*


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## Kevin (Oct 28, 2017)

bobo said:


> I want to add, that leading people on is making a joke on those  (the people) - and who'ld like that ?? ... even they smile politely.
> They'll remember , and lead you on the next time  - and so forth...
> Is that how you want to spend your youth ??
> Besides humour is one of those things NOT being international - actually very different different places.


well... We'll have to agree that plastic is obviously a most terrible person, absolutely terrible... Having us poke fun at ourselves. What next? We laugh because we do something silly and no one else is even around to see it? 
Now that is a misspent youth... Except I'm a little too old to be called a youth...heeey?! You're poking fun...only I am alowed to poke fun at me. Okay, you can poke fun at me too. I like it. 

Surely some humour must be international.? A wise woman here once told me we have more in common than you think. 
Okay... Something absurd like Trump's hair, or Berlisconi. Something less political... hmm

A beautiful woman ( person) waves and smiles at you coming towards you on the sidewalk. You have no idea who they are, but not wanting to appear awkward you wave and smile back. And then they walk right past (with a confused look on their face, at you) and greet their friend who was somewhere behind you the whole time. Surely that is international...'universal'. I know I'm embarrassed every time, laugh at myself every time.


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## bobo (Oct 28, 2017)

Kevin said:


> well... We'll have to agree that plastic is obviously a most terrible person, absolutely terrible... Having us poke fun at ourselves. What next? We laugh because we do something silly and no one else is even around to see it?
> Now that is a misspent youth... Except I'm a little too old to be called a youth...heeey?! You're poking fun...only I am alowed to poke fun at me. Okay, you can poke fun at me too. I like it.
> 
> Surely some humour must be international.? A wise woman here once told me we have more in common than you think.
> ...



Aha - got your mouth up running, eh ??
Interesting


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## cyberfyber (Dec 7, 2017)

Had envisioned, half way through the reading, that it might've been a pest; of course, the 'black' reference lingered as I tried making a connection before reaching the end. 

Yeah, I hate Black Flies too!


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## cyberfyber (Dec 7, 2017)

Plasticweld said:


> You're not the only one, I got a nasty note from the radical group "Black Flies Matter"  they did not think it was funny either.



now THAT made laugh big time!

Can't stop thinking now of the 'Far Side' as well as 
'Bloom County'


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## Birb (Dec 7, 2017)

This was good, it was a little predictable to me, but otherwise, it was well written and it made me smirk a little. It was well done!

My favorite part is the end, with the black flies matter and "Hands up don't swat"


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