By the Power of Greyskull

I meant to tell you about this when it happened.

I went to a Southern Culture on the Skids show two weekends ago. Shells flew out just to go to the show (and surf and visit). She found them because she fell in love with the opener, Los Straightjackets. They were pretty fun: they're a surf band in Mexican wrestler masks. Yeah.

Anyway, the largely aging-hippie crowd was channeling its inner redneck for the SCOTS show. We saw one fight almost break out 10 feet ahead in the crowd, but they got calmed down. Everyone settled down to some more ironic Southern music.

And then another fight started to break out -- 2 feet in front of me. I don't know what Guy 1 did to Guy 2, but Guy 2 was not about to take it. There was some chest-baring and some posturing, but Girlfriend 1 (there was no Girlfriend 2) calmed down Guy 1, and they turned back around to watch the show. So Guy 2 shoved Guy 1; he was itching for a fight. Guy 1 turned back around, more posturing, more talking-down-from-the-ledge by Girlfriend, and Couple 1 exits stage right. Crisis averted.

And then I notice something squirrelly from Guy 2. I see that he has a beer bottle in his right hand, and he shifts his grip on it ever so slightly. (He's holding it at his side -- not like he's going to drink from it.) He then shifts his weight forward and is looking intently at Guy 1. He is about ready to bash Guy 1 over the head with the beer bottle.

I don't think about it. It just happened to me. I said in my very best teacher voice, "Hey! Hey!" Guy 2 looked at me. I looked back at him with my very best teacher look that says, "No, you are not being an jackass in my classroom". And you know what? It worked.

I stopped staring at him once he backed down. He looked at me a couple more times. I didn't get in a staring contest -- I didn't want him to come at me with a beer bottle, but my body language remained tall and stable. I didn't back away or turn away; I stood my ground. After a couple of minutes, he wandered off to the bar. No fight. I stopped a bar brawl with my voice and my glare.

By the power of Greyskull... I HAVE THE POWER!