Short story: John lives to live for another day, by showing his apparent cowardice, to some thugs
By emptychair
@innertalks (23748)
Australia
June 25, 2023 12:48am CST
John Preston was an average man, average height, average build, average weight, and he was now in his sixties.
John was walking in a park, near his home, to get some exercise, when a gang of youths approached him.
Some were behind him, and some, in front of him.
Then, all of a sudden, but which was probably a coordinated move, they all attacked him at once.
John had seen them make a sign, to each other, then they moved in all at once.
John dropped to the ground, as if he had already been hit, which surprised the thugs a bit, as they looked around at each other to see which one of them had caused him to collapse into such a heap, already.
As they bent over to look at John, he grabbed the nearest one by the hair, and twirled him around with all his strength, knocking the others over, and then he quickly jumped up, and run away; even at his age, he could still run if needed to.
John exited the park, back to the street.
His coward move had worked once again.
John had not allowed his fearful emotions to hijack his mind, but had stayed with what was happening, and acted as he needed to act, rather than being forced into a defensive position instead.
Even though his act looked weak, it was really an offensive position for him there on the ground.
"A wise warrior is better than a strong one."
From the Old Testament of the Bible, Proverbs, chapter 24, verse 5.
Photo Credit: The photo used in this article was sourced from the free media site, pixabay.com
12 people like this
12 responses
@crossbones27 (53005)
• Mojave, California
25 Jun 23
Is this about Russia? Haha. Its so amazing how some of these life lessons just work for everything.
5 people like this
@innertalks (23748)
• Australia
25 Jun 23
Russia is in trouble now it seems. Putin likes to keep putin his foot in it.
No, this is about what I would have liked to have done, when something similar happened to me once.
5 people like this
@crossbones27 (53005)
• Mojave, California
25 Jun 23
@innertalks Fair point what is neat about what you teach it can work for so many things.
4 people like this
@innertalks (23748)
• Australia
25 Jun 23
@crossbones27 Yes, thanks, I like to entertain, but be useful too.
@ptrikha_2 (49779)
• India
26 Jun 23
A lesson for everyone.
The only caveat would be maniacal attackers who draw a knife or Pistol out at the first go.
Yet- a remarkable presence of mind in this case.
5 people like this
@ptrikha_2 (49779)
• India
26 Jun 23
@innertalks
Yes yet the toughest challenge is to keep one's cool !
4 people like this
@vandana7 (102699)
• India
26 Jun 23
You reminded me of a statement made by ex cop Sangliana ... “If you are overpowered, you should surrender, and follow up the case later. That way we can be safe, save a life, prevent being killed.” This was with respect to gang rape of December 16, 2012.
What would be the wisdom there...
3 people like this
@vandana7 (102699)
• India
27 Jun 23
@innertalks I often wonder why such things are more in our society. The official statistics are just a tip of the iceberg. While many cases are false too in recent times, fact remains that social stigma scares many families from standing up against rapes.
Others are daunted by the prolonged fight ..time and paucity of funds.
I am for freezing the assets of accused as well as accuser till the crime is proven.
Assets of family such that nobody can be bribed.
Government would pay the advocates and when the accused is found guilty, all his assets and those of his spouse will belong to government, and fifty percent of the assets of his parents and grandparents too, since they did not bring up the child well, and fifty percent of the assets of the minor children too, and 100 percent of assets of major children.
This will prove to be a big deterrent in this country.
If the accuser is wrong, same rule applies to her / him too.
2 people like this
@innertalks (23748)
• Australia
27 Jun 23
@vandana7 Here in Australia, the accused, if found guilty, is given a short sentence, then allowed out before the sentence is fully served, and in their life in jail here, they are even paid a small salary.
It is so different in different countries.
Many here are given suspended sentences even, or just told to stay in their house, as a housebound detention, reporting to the Police station, every day. Many new crimes have been committed, when the person is allowed out on bail, given a suspended sentence, or given an early parole.
If the sentence was as you suggested, it would surely make a big difference to the crime rate here too.
@innertalks (23748)
• Australia
27 Jun 23
In some ways though, with the worst of the worst, they might just rape the woman, and kill her anyway.
And if she is just raped, and not killed, even if she wins the court case later, and they get jailed, this trauma stays with her for the rest of her life.
I think that making a noise, trying to attract attention, and fighting back, is usually better than just being a surrendering scapegoat for their treatment.
3 people like this
@LindaOHio (223157)
• United States
26 Jun 23
John acted in the way I hope I act in this same situation. He was courageous and quick-thinking.
3 people like this
@innertalks (23748)
• Australia
27 Jun 23
@LindaOHio Ha, ha. In some ways, I am looking forwards to, when I am able to legally carry a thick walking stick, for that ulterior purpose too. I am not yet quite old enough.
4 people like this
@innertalks (23748)
• Australia
26 Jun 23
Yes, and he kept his cool, and didn't panic.
I would also like to be able to act like that too, in a similar situation too.
3 people like this
@LindaOHio (223157)
• United States
26 Jun 23
@innertalks I would like to trip them with my cane and then beat them with it. lol
4 people like this
@MarieCoyle (59547)
•
26 Jun 23
He thought it through and acted on his plan. He knew not all fights are won with fists, some can be won with using the brain and your smarts instead. As you stated, the wise warrior is better than the strong one, and his actions proved that.
4 people like this
@innertalks (23748)
• Australia
26 Jun 23
Thanks.
It is, of course, better, to avoid fights altogether where we can do so, but when we are trapped, with seemingly no way out, and surrounded like that, we do need to think smart, on our feet, or not on our feet, as John did here.
4 people like this
@Treborika (18227)
• Mombasa, Kenya
27 Jun 23
This is a very interesting story in deed.its so fascinating. John really used his brain and emerged the winner here.
4 people like this
@innertalks (23748)
• Australia
27 Jun 23
Yes, John was not hurt, and he got away from his opponents, without hurting them either,
1 person likes this
@innertalks (23748)
• Australia
26 Jun 23
Thanks. It is a technique that would work, with its surprise factor, I think. My brother used to do that with the kids that annoyed him at school too.
2 people like this
@Jenaisle (16568)
• Philippines
25 Jun 23
@innertalks I am not aware of this verse from the Bible and I have never heard of it. Perhaps, it is an edited version? 
2 people like this
@innertalks (23748)
• Australia
25 Jun 23
Thanks. Yes, sometimes, we do need to defend ourselves.
I was surprised to find this verse in the Bible, where Jesus Christ tells his disciples to carry a sword to defend themselves with, when they go out to evangelise, after he has gone from them. Before this, he had sent them out without a sword, or a bag, a purse, or even sandals.
"If you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one."
From Saint Luke's gospel, chapter 22, verse 36.
2 people like this
@innertalks (23748)
• Australia
25 Jun 23
@Jenaisle Some of his disciples did carry swords.
It was Peter who cut off the ear of the High Priest's servant, (When Jesus was being arrested) and Jesus told him to put his sword away, and healed the guy's ear for him again.
@innertalks (23748)
• Australia
25 Jun 23
Yes, he didn't really hurt them, just shocked them, and so he got away from them. A smart move indeed!
2 people like this
@RasmaSandra (98215)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
25 Jun 23
I have to agree with you. A wise warrior can sometimes get out of a situation without any violence. Thank you for the suggestion @Jenaisle
3 people like this
@innertalks (23748)
• Australia
26 Jun 23
Yes, a non-violent purely defensive approach can at times work well. Talking humbly, instead of retaliatory, sometimes can deescalate a situation too.
These tactics will usually work against an attack, which is spontaneously made, and not fore planned.
A planned assault, on a targeted subject, is usually much harder to prevent.
3 people like this
@misunderstood_zombie (8765)
• United States
30 Jun 23
Good for him. I always love it when the underdog wins.
2 people like this
@innertalks (23748)
• Australia
30 Jun 23
So do I. And it doesn't often happen often enough in life. He got away unscathed.
2 people like this
@laser_vision (129)
• United States
30 Jun 23
I don’t know if you’ve seen the TV show Ninjago, but this looks to be another example of the art of the silent fist. Dissolve away from the attack, letting the attackers tire themselves out. Though this one had the addition of the element of surprise as well.
@innertalks (23748)
• Australia
1 Jul 23
No, I have not seen that show.
I believe it is a computer-animated fantasy martial arts type of a TV series.
When, we appear to be just a coward, then it is that we can suddenly become our most strong self too, unexpectedly so, as it is not anticipated that we will suddenly change from the stance of a coward, to one of warrior.
I like that wording, "the art of the silent fist."
Or, we could word it, "the art of the invisible fist, or attack, too."
When our method of defence is invisible to others, it can surprise them enough for us to counter their offensive moves, with a surprise offensive move of our own.
2 people like this
@innertalks (23748)
• Australia
10 Jul 23
@Shiva49 Yes, it's a bit like the guy that put a Ferrari engine in his mini coupe.
He could beat everyone at the lights if he wanted to do so, but he never needed to do so, as he knew he could always win, if he did.
2 people like this
@Shiva49 (28409)
• Singapore
9 Jul 23
@innertalks I recall Muhammad Ali's 'Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee'.
John proved not a pushover in the end and did pack a punch before taking to his heels.
2 people like this
