Defending your Hat

[Mahagonny Bill]

Has your hat ever got you into a fight?

I'm walking down the street yesterday when I see two guys and and girl walking my way, laughing, shouting, and doing what two guys and girl do. They were in their early 20's at the most and the way they were acting were probably in the "Big City" for a visit. As I pass, one of the guys reaches up and grabs my vintage Lee Trinity right off my head!

Before the punk could get away I grabbed a fistful of his shirt, spun him around had pulled back for a big John Wayne roundhouse. I also believe I made a comment about carnal relations he may have with his mother. The kid looked at me wide eyed and dropped the hat. I pushed him off. We stared each other down for a minute before I retrieved my hat and walked away. No other words were said.

I would like to think that I taught him a lesson about what NOT to do while walking down the Ave, but he probably only remembers the old man who completely freaked out when he touched his hat. Do you think I overreacted? Has this kind of thing ever happened to you?

 

[J. M. Stovall]

Sounds like a pretty fair reaction to me.

 

[dhermann1]

Absolutely not! I love it! You taught this kid a larger lesson than you imagine, I strongly suspect.

 

[jpbales]

awesome!

that kid got what he got coming to him!
it's funny, I had a dream last night that some guy tried to roll up one of my favorite hats and they completely destroyed it, then we got in a fight (I won of course), then they tried to sell me a new hat (out of a bunch of cheap moderns)... anyway, weird dream

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

I think you showed remarkable restraint.

The only hat-grabbers I've encountered are female so I don't bow up on 'em of course, but I don't like it one bit. Usually alcohol is also involved. I work at a lot of party/festival settings and when I'm seated at my caricature easel with my back to the world sometimes some gal thinks it's cute to grab my lid and plop it on her own head. I just smoothly take it back and glare.

 

[Not-Bogart13]

Well done. I hope I have the guts to do the same if the day ever comes. Even if he had no intention of stealing it, he learned a lesson in manners.

And you can believe that guy's friends won't let him live it down for a while. "That ol' man had Billy p**in' in his pants, bro!" lol

 

[gtdean48]

Totally acted with great restraint. I guess he doesn't consider snatching your hat comparable to theft. No respect for another's person & property is what he displayed & deserved the consequences. He takes my hat & as the kids say, it is on. I don't hesitate to access his intentions; I'm in protection mode. Kids playing grab-ass on a playground is one thing. This is the real world...

 

[Feraud]

Yours was the last hat this kid will snatch off anyone's head.
Lesson learned.

 

[Ordinary Guy]

Nice that you restrained yourself and taking him right to the brink before doing so was a great touch...... YES, he will remember this and perhaps treat other peoples property with a bit more respect now..... I say good job.....

 

[carter]

The Punk got Punked. Sounds fair to me.

 

[carouselvic]

You did the right thing, but I would not have held it against you if you would have rattled his teeth.

 

[Splitcoil]

Well done

I think you did the right thing. You always have to gauge the potential for the individual to indulge in ultra-violence (How belligerent/crazy does he look? Does he have a knife? Gun?), but if your internal meter says it's not likely to escalate too far, then go for it. People shouldn't walk around grabbing other people's bodies or property. It ain't polite.

A drunken frat boy type in a bar once lit up when he saw my hat. Exclaimed "Nice hat! I gotta-" and reached for it. I deflected his hand and palmed him hard in the forehead. It shocked him pretty good and seemed to sober him up a bit. Especially since the message is pretty clear that if someone can palm strike you in the forehead without you seeing it coming, they can do much worse to you if they choose to do so. I glared at him and he promptly said "Sorry, man. Sorry." Ever since then I've always kept an eye out for grabby drunks, but it's never happened again.

 

[Splitcoil]

Just noticed you're in Seattle, too. Was this in Pioneer Square by any chance?

 

[Inusuit]

Not since the third grade.

I was in grade school in the early fifties. Grabbing another kid's hat was a common form of bullying. I don't understand why taking someone's hat is acceptable to people who would never put hands on your coat or fountain pen. I had a boss once who would come in my office and put on whatever hat I was wearing that day. I finally told him I'd been exposed to ringworm and he never did it again.

Bill, I think your response was appropriate.

 

[RBH]

You should have smacked him.

 

[JohnnyGringo]

Extremely innappropriate and ignorantly bold are the first two thoughts that come to mind, followed by disrespectful jerk- I think you showed tremendous restraint!

 

[Chuck Bobuck]

You did the right thing. The young man had no business grabbing your hat or putting his hands near you. Nothing like that has happened to me. I hope I can react as quickly if it does.

 

[carldelo]

Considering

Considering you didn't break his nose, I think you showed fine restraint. In NYC, 'He grabbed my hat' is on the list of acceptable explanations for justifiable homocide - it comes right after 'He wouldn't shut up about my mother' and just before 'He looked at me wrong'...

OK, mostly kidding...

 

[feltfan]

Well done

Handled as it deserves.
You did a service for all of us.

 

[mayserwegener]

It has happened to me a few times. Always alcohol involved. Never led to physical violence with any of the guys but it has come close. Being a sabre fencer my natural reaction is to attack.