Dons, if this is more suitable for Speakers Corner, throw it in!
A little long winded, but I'll descibe as much as I can to give people the idea.
As many people know, I'm an articulated truck driver by trade, spending most of the week away in my HGV a job thats not known for its lack of stresses and usually, "****** me right off" - Fridays are the icing on a usually nasty cake.
Ok, it (was) Friday night, I'd not long finished work (about 9pm) which has today comprised of driving around London EC1 & surrounding areas, horrendous traffic & attitude on the London city ring road (A501), topped off by some delays on the M6 tonight driving back.
As you can probably imagine, I was'nt in the best of moods ,although glad to be finished and on my way to get my daughter for the weekend.
I parked my car in Middleport, Stoke on Trent and walked towards the "Late Shop" for something or other.
To my left was a group of lads, the usual, a couple on pushbikes and the other two or so milling about.
One of them comes upto me and asks if I'd go into the shop to buy something for him / them.
I asked what it was (expecting Alcohol or Cigarettes) and to my surprise, it was both!
I elected to talk to the lads and said "no" but, explained my reasons.
After asking how old the lad talking to me was (14) I told him that at 35, the one thing I regretted most in my life was taking up smoking, not to mention the cost! I also told them how I have a very good friend who's slowly killing himself through drinking, which he is alas, and therefore I could'nt in all concience do as they asked.
I thought no more of it, crossed the road & went into the late shop.
I'm damn sure the lads concerned had'nt clocked me getting out of my car as it was parked out of their sight at the time, around the corner.
You can imagine my surprise as I rounded the same corner on my way back from the shop a couple of minutes later, to find the same group of lads round my car and one of the lads kicking my front grill / number plate!
Probably due to my apperance, I was in my work clothes, not shaved for 4 days & looking definately not the BMW owning type I suppose, the lads did'nt flinch as I walked towards them and you can imagine the surprise / shock when I picked the offending item up by the scruff of his neck (off the floor I may add!
) and promptly put him back down again with some force.
Words followed that the Dons would'nt like me for, but you get the gist.
The thing that stopped me doing anything else was the lads age and he'd been drinking
I cannot express how angry I was, nor can I tell you how close that lad came to "getting it"
I told him in no uncertain turns to re-think his drinking before it gets him killed like it very nearly just had done. With that I got in my car and drove off.
I've been thinking about this for the remainder of this evening, not told my girlfriend about it ,although she could see something was up I'm sure.
Half of me is glad I did'nt hurt him, and believe me I could have, the other half of me really wishes I'd let fly.
Ultimately, people were about, he was'nt worth it and I must admit the shock of him realising I was the cars owner should, I'd have thought, make him think twice next time.
Or, would a spell in hospital done his re-habilitation more good?
I've not bothered to check the car for any damage (its black & its also dark!) the irony of it is, on reflection I'm not bothered about my car, more, my actions, or more to the point what I so very nearly did. I'm not a violent type but I do know my own strength, perhaps its a good job I do.
Apologies for my rant!
A little long winded, but I'll descibe as much as I can to give people the idea.
As many people know, I'm an articulated truck driver by trade, spending most of the week away in my HGV a job thats not known for its lack of stresses and usually, "****** me right off" - Fridays are the icing on a usually nasty cake.
Ok, it (was) Friday night, I'd not long finished work (about 9pm) which has today comprised of driving around London EC1 & surrounding areas, horrendous traffic & attitude on the London city ring road (A501), topped off by some delays on the M6 tonight driving back.
As you can probably imagine, I was'nt in the best of moods ,although glad to be finished and on my way to get my daughter for the weekend.
I parked my car in Middleport, Stoke on Trent and walked towards the "Late Shop" for something or other.
To my left was a group of lads, the usual, a couple on pushbikes and the other two or so milling about.
One of them comes upto me and asks if I'd go into the shop to buy something for him / them.
I asked what it was (expecting Alcohol or Cigarettes) and to my surprise, it was both!
I elected to talk to the lads and said "no" but, explained my reasons.
After asking how old the lad talking to me was (14) I told him that at 35, the one thing I regretted most in my life was taking up smoking, not to mention the cost! I also told them how I have a very good friend who's slowly killing himself through drinking, which he is alas, and therefore I could'nt in all concience do as they asked.
I thought no more of it, crossed the road & went into the late shop.
I'm damn sure the lads concerned had'nt clocked me getting out of my car as it was parked out of their sight at the time, around the corner.
You can imagine my surprise as I rounded the same corner on my way back from the shop a couple of minutes later, to find the same group of lads round my car and one of the lads kicking my front grill / number plate!
Probably due to my apperance, I was in my work clothes, not shaved for 4 days & looking definately not the BMW owning type I suppose, the lads did'nt flinch as I walked towards them and you can imagine the surprise / shock when I picked the offending item up by the scruff of his neck (off the floor I may add!
) and promptly put him back down again with some force.Words followed that the Dons would'nt like me for, but you get the gist.
The thing that stopped me doing anything else was the lads age and he'd been drinking
I cannot express how angry I was, nor can I tell you how close that lad came to "getting it"
I told him in no uncertain turns to re-think his drinking before it gets him killed like it very nearly just had done. With that I got in my car and drove off.
I've been thinking about this for the remainder of this evening, not told my girlfriend about it ,although she could see something was up I'm sure.
Half of me is glad I did'nt hurt him, and believe me I could have, the other half of me really wishes I'd let fly.
Ultimately, people were about, he was'nt worth it and I must admit the shock of him realising I was the cars owner should, I'd have thought, make him think twice next time.
Or, would a spell in hospital done his re-habilitation more good?
I've not bothered to check the car for any damage (its black & its also dark!) the irony of it is, on reflection I'm not bothered about my car, more, my actions, or more to the point what I so very nearly did. I'm not a violent type but I do know my own strength, perhaps its a good job I do.
Apologies for my rant!
