A Salaryman Was Accosted By Hoodlums!
"I am naturally drawn to conflict, " Allan Ripp admits, alluding to his fantasies of "stepping into a fray... mostly as a test of my wits and physical fitness." But despite his daily "350 push ups" and "hours on the Lifecycle," his happy violent fantasies were not good preparation when he confronted the n'er-do-wells whose "jostling and loitering"—not to mention spitting!—again disturbed the peace near his Columbus Circle office.
I let the howling and snickering get to me, and so stopped to rebuke the boy who had flown into me. "You guys are always here, standing around, bumping into people and fooling around," I scolded. "It's not the place, and someone's going to get hurt." I'm certain I cursed as well.
Allan ended up getting punched in the ear. "No one stopped or intervened. I'd like to think that was because it had happened in a blur and the scaffolding provides good cover for a mugging." Keep telling yourself that, Allan.
