Recently within the past 30 days, I have had the most odd experiences with teens (16-18). Are they just getting stupid, or am I just getting "older"? I'm 30. I'm male (doesn't this mean I'm supposed to be "19" for the rest of my life -according to some women?) Some of the incidents which occured totally blows my mind. Is the social behavior of teens in public now days in the U.S., turning to a trend of: "I can do what I want to whomever and I expect no consequence"?
Now granted, we "older" people did (and still do) go against "social grains". We did our immature stunts, broke the law etc. etc. but what the following situations that happened to me, is something I myself didn't think of doing, when I was a teen nor did my peers. Simply because; When you fool with someone "older" in a THREATINING way, you can get your ass kicked.
You've probablly already guessed, I'm a passionate person. My posts don't beat around the bush. I use colorfull language, and I dont put up with sh..err crap. In the social arena of public, I dont fly off the handle and I don't get in to physical confrontations. But, 3 incidents in the past months have occured that pushed me over the line.
One thing, I "HATE" is bullies. I don't believe in pacifist means to deal with the person(s) (even if they are a "teen") in public, who for no reason start targeting elderly people (65+ yrs old) in public and start harrassing them. Even to the point of trying goad them in to a physical confrontation, or even using physical abuse upon them. Or target employees of various retail stores, and use force in anger. Or vandalize and/or steal property and I catch them in the act.
Here are the situations:
1) I'm at the waterside park, sitting on a bench, enjoying the local sunset. An elderly couple sits about 3 ft. away on another bench. Folks, these people had to be in their 70's. They were just sitting their quietly, smiling and saying a friendly "hello" to everyone who passed by.
Now here comes 3 people in their "teenz"(15-16), riding along on their skateboards.
Old Man: Hello
1stTeen: What the F**K did you say to me!?!
Old Lady: Oh oh...we were just saying hello, sorry.
1stTeen: Did I say F****ing hello to you?
Old people lower their heads and look to ground in silence, avoiding anymore contact. I can see fear in both their faces. Old Man leans over and suggests that he and his wife should leave.
2nd Teen moves forward to couple to prevent them from standing and says: "My homy asked you a question..."
Old Man holds his arm over his wife in protectively, trying to stand while aiding his wife. 2nd teen GRABS the old man's arm to prevent the couple from getting up off the bench. 3rd teen starts laughing.
I dont know whether it was anger or rage, I didn't ask questions, I didn't WANT to reason with these kids. Frankyly, I didn't give a rats ass. I just jumped off the bench and let hell loose.
2nd teen I got in the jaw, smack-dab-his-eyes-rolled-back in to his head and he's on the ground. I get tagged by 1st teen with skateboard in the back, NOW I'M BEYOND PISSED! I pick this 135 lb. idiot up by the crotch and shoulders and slam him on the cement, and give him a nice kick in the ribs. 3rdTeen is already running away, so I put my knee in 1stTeen's back and hold his arm behind with my left and grab the hair on his head with my right.
Old couple are now standing, both with a confused look. Old Lady walks away (going to a pay phone nearby).
While I have 1stTeen in this position, he evidently isn't grasping the "REALITY" of his predicament.
Me: I think you owe these people an apology
1stTeen: F**k YOU!
Me: **slams teens head in to cement path**
Me: Wrong answer.
1stTeen: A**hole!
Me: **slams teens head in to cement path**
Me: Am I getting thru to you yet?
1stTeen is now sporting a bloody nose begins to cry.
1stTeen now apologizes to Old Man
Long story short...
Police arrive.(Old Lady called from payphone) Asked what happened. 2ndTeen gets an ambulance (never got up after I clocked him) 1stTeen gets hauled off in policemobile.
Now, this suprised me more than anything. I thought, FOR SURE, that I was going to go to the slammer. I just "assulted" two minors!
The officers who arrived simply said: "We need more people like you".
Took my name address etc. And that was it. No tickets. No cuffs. No nothing. Just "We need more people like you".
The following other 2 incidents (geez, no I'm starting to believe that things "come in 3's" superstition) were samilar. Both involved bullying physical confrontation initiated by the "minors". The parties they targeted tried to reason with them. But the teens didn't care and continued. I jumped in. In one they backed off and left. The other, again it lead to a physical confrontation, Police arrived took them away and nothing happened to me.
Is there something here with the U.S. teens that is seriously making them this "stupid"? Or, again, am I just getting "older"? :\