I’m 48 and some would say still a punk. A black kid in Sam’s parking lot probably 20 years my junior pissed me off with a stare when I was going through the crosswalk. I parked, walked right over to his car, and right up to him.
“Whatchu want”
Me: I said I was sorry for whatever pissed you off at the crosswalk. And I figured I’d walk over and take it back, you don’t deserve it.
I start walking towards Sam’s.
“You better walk away”
Me: Or what MFer?? Turned around and slowly walked away.
If someone walked up and didn’t know the whole story they’d say I was a punk. Whereas to me I just like to send a little message that not all of us are pushovers.
When I was in Toronto a couple of years ago, I was eating outside at a cafe and some homeless guy came up and started harassing me for money. I turned to him and said, "Why don't you get a job?"
(He was perfectly healthy from the looks of him, btw.)
He walked back to me and said, "What did you say to me?" I said, "Try getting a job."
The guy spit on the food that I had just paid $20 for. Some of his saliva landed on my face and I could not wash it enough, LOL.
There is a major culture of entitlement in North America and it was not always like this.