I got pretty hot, especially when he said I wanted to kill him. Words from HIS mouth, not mine. Now, I do not in any way, shape, or form have a poker face, and I don't doubt the guy saw it, and perhaps my mates out there with me did too, which may be why they came over to intervene, but there was no way I was going to say anything to him that could be construed in any way as a threat, never mind actually instigating physical violence. Wasn't going to do it. Period.
It was a late moment to realize he was trying to provoke a response from me. I had a previous incident like this many years ago, but there was one difference. This guy from back in 2008 was pretty obvious from the get-go he was a provocateur.
I was at a 2008 Tea Party rally at Boston Common with a physician I worked with, and it was a great day, large crowd, sunny, just a lot of fun.
IIRC, Sarah Palin was the speaker, and she came on and was speaking, and this guy came up and stood in front of me, facing me. Then he came closer to the point he was in my face and I couldn't ignore him, and asked about my sign. I stepped to the side to see the stage, and he mirrored my move. He was less than a foot away, deep inside my personal space. When I recognized he was just there to pick a fight, I said "Look. I am not really interested in talking to you." and stepped to the side.
Again he mirrored my move, staying in my space, and talking the whole time. Again, I said I wasn't interested in talking to him, and at this point, strangers around me began to talk to the guy saying "Hey, he said he isn't interested in talking to you..." and such.
For what it is worth, the guy looked just like the guy in "Forrest Gump" who slapped his girlfriend, causing Gump to ruin their "Black Panther Party".
While they were admonishing this guy, I looked over and saw a whole group of college age people, all videoing the encounter. They were clearly hoping for me to take a swing at the guy.
Thing is, as much as I would have liked to, I simply couldn't. I was carrying, and I had to be the adult in this. No way I was going to end up rolling on the ground with a weapon on my person. Anything can happen. And that is my mindset-I have to be the adult in the room in these things, because they sure as hell won't be.