I agree. School is out, so they should be doing stuff to keep these kids occupied. Cameras are heavy, but I usually have one on my phone. I should shoot and e-mail it to the local school.

P2H:

Haha…my friend said that a 170 lb. man should be enough to scare away a 14 year old regardless of his posse, but after 4 miles, I look like a guy on crutches who forgot to bring his crutches! I did buy new running shoes though. They’re really cool and professional looking. Maybe the shoes’ll scare ‘em off.

Clearly your running style with the bad knee reveals a weak link in your armor. You need to buck up and start doing lunges, squat jumps, and straigh-leg dead-lifts. Just a few more weeks and those kids wouldn’t dare chase you down. They’ll just be in awe of your god-like running stride.

I wonder if there are any community activities that could get the kids off the street and doing something productive . . .

Akrypti:

I wonder where the parents are too. I’ve seen pics of your hubby, and he’s a big boy. I imagine getting swatted by him would not be very comfortable. Kids these days–where’s the respect? If they don’t respect his age and experience, at least they should respect the fact that he could toss them like potatoes.

Anna,

Race was definitely an issue on some level. I had to say something, especially since I don’t want to be perpetuating stereotypes that encourages this bad behavior. I think this is yet another difference between being minority and being mainstream.

Alpha and Mojo,

Thanks for the stories! It’s good to know that I’m not the only one. I think in both cases, you guys made your points. The kids learned not to do that. And it’s great that they learned the lesson without having the confrontation escalate.

I did stuff like that when I was in my twenties too. Not necessarily good or safe, but yes, that was my angry stage. I almost didn’t care. These days, I try to avoid confrontations, but stuff like this–getting chased down while minding my own business–it irks me. I felt like I had an obligation to say something, a feeling that if I didn’t, it could happen to someone else, maybe someone who couldn’t even pretend to have the physical upper hand. I’m glad it turned out well.

and for a moment, i felt bad that i didn’t control myself. i later thought that i should’ve stopped and asked those kids why they would say something like that to me, that they, of all people, should know better, to know how hurtful words can be. especially given this country’s history of treating black people. and then i’d ask them if they would like it if a bunch of white kids said something to them if they were all alone. but then again, i am not responsible for their education.

It’s sad, but these past experiences (and I haven’t had any in a long while, thankfully) have made me always guarded when I’m doing a solitary activity in places that are not so well traveled. I use to carry pepper spray whenever I went out on a bike ride or went on some isolated path. I’m conscious of how I look to others and I try hard not to make it look as if I’m weak, I try and give off a don’t-fuck-with-me vibe.

I also think a little weight lifting and training is useful. It’s good for your health anyway and adding a little bulk makes one look less frail.

I remember a run-in with some teens on a bus a long time ago. A couple of elderly Asian women came on to the bus talking in Chinese, and a teenager started doing the ching-chong thing.

I must have been in a really bad mood that day, cuz I immediately turned to the kid and said, “You do that again, and I’m going to bust your face in.”

I know, not the mature thing to do (I think I was 24 at the time), but that is what happened and I’m not proud of it. Hey, we all go through our Angry Asian Man phase, don’t we?

Anyway, the kid’s friends just get crazy wild hooting and hollering, and the kid himself gets up to get his football helmet to hit me with it. I get up and I just stared him down to the point where he just sat back in his seat.

Unruly teens are bullies, and they always pick on those they feel are weaker than them.

But I’m sure those wannabes will think twice before harrasing anyone that looks like you again hahahaha……

“Outraged Runner rips the face of 14 year old”
“Lone hero beats gang into submission”
“He stomped on my friends head!”

lol….