One evening after work a couple of the guys I work with said they knew a good place to get steak tips. I love steak tips so we all went out to this pub not far from where we work. I have to admit the tips were really good. The first guy bailed out about 9:30 and the other shortly there after. I wasn't ready to go back to my room so I went up to the bar to have a beer and a little conversation with the bar maid. It being a Wednesday evening the bar wasn't too full and she seemed to have time to chat with her customers. I've always enjoyed meeting new people and bar tenders almost always seem to be nice and talkative. They are also usually a good source of what's going on around town.
I had only been sitting at the bar a few minutes and hadn't yet been able to engage the bar maid in conversation when I heard a bit of a ruckus behind me. I turned around to see a guy arguing rather vehemently with the woman he was with. The woman was living up to the reputation that red heads are fiery and was hotly yelling back at him. I didn't have any idea what their argument was about but he kept poking her in her chest with his finger as if to make a stronger point. I was actually wrong about this as she had only highlighted her hair red but the low light gave the effect. The woman, on the other hand, would back of a step and then move right back into the guy's face. I could tell she didn't want to let him get the best of her and I admired a woman like that. I liked it because it shows a certain inner strength that I admire. This annoyed me greatly. The guy was about five feet six so I figured he had the Napoleon complex, a little man who got his kicks by picking those smaller or weaker than him. I thought to myself that this was the type of guy who always started fights in bars to assert just how masculine he was. I have no patience for such people. But aside from being annoying this guy was someone I could usually ignore.
But then he did something I have absolutely no patience for nor will I abide by. I heard him yell "You bitch!" and then slap the woman across the face. Now I'm six feet tall, am in good shape and weigh in at about 205 pounds so people don't generally both me. I jumped up from the bar stool and inserted myself between the woman and the man pushing the man backward as I did so. Now this is something I've never done but I was angry. It was a little scary because I'm not one who likes fights at all.
"Whadda you want motherfucker?" The guy yelled at me and to make his point he pushed his hand into my chest and shoved me a little.
I briefly thought of responding verbally to him but quickly decided that this type didn't respond to logic and reason so I did the only thing I could think of that I felt pretty certain would allow me to totally gain control of the situation. With all the force I could muster I rammed my knee into his groin. My aim couldn't have been better as the guy collapsed to the floor and seemed to be gasping for air although I knew he was just writhing from the pain he felt in his balls.
"Listen asshole," I said as strongly as I could, "you don't ever touch a woman. Now get your sorry ass out of here!" I brought my foot back as if to kick him in the balls again but that was something that I wouldn't do. The guy flinched again and then about as fast as he could he got to his feet.
He stared me in the face and said, "Fuck you man! And fuck you too bitch! I'll see you again."
Though his threat was veiled I knew his type. He wouldn't stand up to a man but he'd easily go after a woman and I could see him going after her again. "No you won't." I said giving him my best angry look. "If you see her again I suggest you cross the street. If you so much as say boo to this lady I'll hunt you down and you'll think this little incident was nothing. You don't want me pissed off at you any more than I already am understand?"
"Fuck you!" That was all he could come up with of course. He stared at me and then the woman behind me briefly before beating a retreat from the pub. I turned around to see the woman behind me.
"Are you all right?"
"Yeah, I'm fine but why'd you do that?"
"A man doesn't hit a woman that's why."
"Yeah but he loves me."
I couldn't believe she said this but it seems the battered woman syndrome is unfortunately alive and well. I was hoping this wasn't really her case but that she was simply the victim of her own bad judgment.
I took a breath and said, "My name's Peter. What's your name?"
"Mandy, my name's Mandy."
"Hi Mandy, pleased to meet you. I was brought up that a man never hits a woman no matter what and that love isn't delivered with the slap of a hand or a fist. How well did you know this guy?"
"Well," she said and paused, "actually it was our second date."
"Well, I think it should be your last date with him. He's not worth it."
"But . . ."
"No buts! This guy is all about power and control. He won't be happy until you're kissing his ass and in a way you won't like."
I came across a lot more strongly than I would have with someone I'd just met but we were talking about a subject I had obvious and very strong feelings about. Mandy lowered her eyes and said, "All right."
I felt quite attracted to her which surprised me a little. The sharp tongue I had heard a few minutes before had quickly faded into a very soft and sweet voice. We were quiet for a minute and I as I looked at her she'd look up at me briefly, smile and then look back down.
"Mandy, let me take you home okay? If that guy's lurking around I don't want him bothering you."
"Okay but I'm staying in a hotel here."
"Oh, which one?" I asked and when she told me I found she was staying pretty close to my house. "Well, that makes everything much easier. I live pretty close to there."