another good use for Kung-fu

Shaolinwind

2nd Black Belt
Ok, I'll keep it short and cut out a lot of the dirty laundry. This morning I was physically attacked from behind without notice. I was bruised and bloodied.

The offender was my younger brother, fresh out of jail on bail. While exchanging serious words about screw ups, and him spitting in the face that did him a favor, he flew off the handle and I was sitting in the car in front of him *driving* the car with my mother in the passenger seat. So self defense was a little on the difficult side.

A quick pull over, a couple blocks and out of the car (luckily I was only a quarter mile from work). I would have very much loved an opportunity to lay some serious Fu down at that point, having been the victim of a very cowardly attack and bleeding from my face. Yeah, my pride was hurt. "I'm a semi-trained fighter.. I don't go down by some punk meth addict with a temper." But guess what.. It ended there. No more of it, I walked the rest of the way to work, let my mother drive off with him in the car, didn't call the police, went to the locker room at work and washed up. I looked like hell.

He will be staying with her 4 hours away at the hotel her travel assignment gave her, and then he will be going to the courthouse to enter a plea, and I believe the lawyer has advised a plea of guilty.. Frankly, there is no contest. He's guilty, he was caught and he has a record. He's going to jail soon enough, and since I didn't choose to retaliate I am NOT going to jail.

I'd like to think it was knowing what I am capable of doing that stopped me from doing it.. Not to mention the fact that I was right in front of my own mother certainly factored in.. Imagine her horror if her eldest son was bleeding from a sucker attack from her younger son, and imagine her now having to endure watching her younger son have his ribs cracked? No thanks, not by my hands.

Martial arts teach a wonderful ability, the ability to not fight. That of course doesn't stop my head from hurting.
 
Wow, that takes real self-discipline. If it was me, I would have killed the guy (well, not quite), and then felt guilty about it later because of the mother thing. I think you probably made the right choice and that having martial arts training definately helped you with that. You deserve a real round of applause. Congrats! It couldn't have been easy, but you did it anyway. Good for you!

Btw, I'm not sure I entirely understand your signature. Could you do me a favor and explain it? Thanks either way.
 
That's a really tough situation to be in - but I'm impressed by your forbearance. I'm sorry that your brother put you in this position, but you have learned the hardest lesson - when not to fight. For your sake, and your mother's, I hope that this is the end of the situation with your brother, and I hope he learns from his error. Best wishes to you all. :asian:
 
trueaspirer said:
Btw, I'm not sure I entirely understand your signature. Could you do me a favor and explain it? Thanks either way.

Sure. It's a quote from "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolfe". Richard Burton says that during an incredibly heated verbal altercation between him and another college professor.. It's a really rough one, lots of hurt feelings, lots of resentment, and it's really time for him to step up. He simply says "Up yours!!" Burton makes that statement which I've quoted, and it's followed by:"You're going to regret this". "Of course, I regret everything." "No, I'm going to make you regret this." "Sure, sure."

It stands out in my mind for several reasons.. When a person is flabbergasted and essentially loses, they often simply ejaculate a phrase just like that, or respond with violence. It reminds me of how utter frustration can lead even an educated and calm adult to being pathetic and childish.

It reminds me of the importance of not lashing out with an "Up Yours".

Also, I find it amusing how something so amazingly significant can end with a petty whine.. The Dies Irae ends with a trumpet sound, the call of all the souls of the world to judgement after earth's last day. "Up Yours" is an amazingly pathetic Dies Irae indeed. I am presantly motiviated to quote Apocolypse Now, "This is the way the world ends, not with a bang, but with a whimper."
 
You have more restraint that I do. I would beat his behind then personally drove to the police and have him put back in the lock up. Brother or not.
 
Yeah I'd have dragged his duck taped butt out the trunk of my car, but then again my family is all criminals anyway so I have no problem smacking them around.
 
Hello, You did the right thing..he is your brother you could have made things worst for him.

Only you know your brother...it time he will know what you did and he will be sorry for it later.

I am sure he knows your are a Kung-fu expert..and maybe a little jealous of your life, plus mom not happy with your brother too....

Doing what you did ....you have forgave your brother for what he had done to you.......Aloha
 
still learning said:
Hello, You did the right thing..he is your brother you could have made things worst for him.

Only you know your brother...it time he will know what you did and he will be sorry for it later.

I am sure he knows your are a Kung-fu expert..and maybe a little jealous of your life, plus mom not happy with your brother too....

Doing what you did ....you have forgave your brother for what he had done to you.......Aloha

Actually no.. I was merely merciful to him, to my conscience,(sp?) and to my mother. There will be no forgiveness.
 
I dont know if your mother has said it, but from another mother I thank you for the respect you showed her.
 
What an awful situation. I'm very sorry to hear it happened. I do believe that our training also teaches us restraint. We do know what we are capable of, and having self-control and discipline to know when it's absolutely necessary to retaliate, and when it's more trouble than it's worth, is part of that training. I applaud your self-control. Well done. Your brother is very lucky. I know this for a fact.
 

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