Wits About You - Part 2

another true account of times when I had to use my wits to get me out of trouble

The Fearful Bullies

One evening I was heading back home to the flat where I had a room just off Westgate Road, outside Newcastle city centre.  It must have been after 10pm, and I was riding on my mountain bike through an estate of flats I didn’t really know.  I had my lights on; a simple white LED at the front, and a red flickering LED at the rear, just in case the police stopped me, which happened sometimes back then.  Suddenly a gang of lads appeared from the shadows and surrounded me.  One of them grabbed my bike by the handlebars, stopping me, and said.

“Nice lights, give us them. Now!”

Oh s**t, here we go, I thought to myself.  There must have been four of them.  I looked around, measuring if I could fight them off.  But it had been a long day and I was weary from all I’d done.  I realized that I had no choice and I’d have to talk my way out of this one.  In a second I remembered something very useful.  I’d recently seen some news that a member of a local family, who were also called the Kelly’s, had walked into a pub, just half a mile down the road, with a shotgun, killed someone, then walked back out again.   Not run.  Not sped away in a getaway car.  Just walked, as if he’d simply gone in for a packet of crisps.  I remember being impressed by his confidence, as well that he was also a Kelly, regardless of how criminal or violent he actually was.  I decided to take a chance and call their bluff.  I made sure I looked each of them, one by one,  in the eye, then I spoke in my deepest voice, with all the authority I could muster.

“Watch it lads, I’m a Kelly.”

Upon hearing this, everything suddenly changed.  I could see the fear creeping over their faces.  The lad who held my bike released it, and backed off, saying, “Sorry, sorry, we’re only joking!” 

The rest of them followed, and as a gang they receded back into the shadows, leaving me free to move on.  So I rode on, happy I’d used my wits to avoid a confrontation. I pedaled my way out of the estate, reflecting to myself how one mans fear can lead to another mans freedom.

 

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