jvo

arghh... super sore today... I guess he did more than I thought.

Looking back on last night.

I think I did the right stuff. twice, I was able to talk a perp down. Even as he held me completely immobile, and defenseless. It would have been easy for him and his friends to do far more damage than what was done. They could have swung the steel fence pole at me, ending a lot more than my night. But something made them stop. Something made him come to my level at least long enough for him to stop. 'I'd do anything to be back in jail,' is what he said, but had that been the case, he could have hit me with the pole, and thrown me over the fence where I may not have been found for a good while. (at least it was near one of my favorite places in town, the 'highbridge'). But, it wasn't in the cards.

Will I play the same hand, if put into a similar situation? Yes.

First, Cool. I didn't let my anger get the best of me. I responded to his force only with equal force.

Second, Calm. I didn't let my anger get the better of me. I didn't lose my temper, I didn't show him a weak spot he could use to knock me down.

Third, Collected. I didn't let my fear get the better of me. I was afraid, yes, but I didn't let him use my fear against me.

I approached him on his level. sparked a conversation on grafiti, and a few grafiti artists. some of whom are friends of mine. It calmed him down enough to let me up the first time.

I refused to lower myself to his level, to strike back, to use force. Instead I talked to him. I held his eyes. I diffused him.

I beat him. without raising a fist, I beat him.

That's how my cards are stacked.