James,

Wow, thank you! [For the PDF of Poet.]

I look forward to reading this. I have been enjoying The Combat Space. It’s funny, I have very little experience in combat sports but had been going to an MMA gym that was nearly identical to the one described in, “Running in Circles,” and was starting to suspect it wasn’t a good gym to learn at. 

I have been thinking about an encounter that happened probably late October of last year that ended uneventfully and wondered what you thought of it. 

My work has brought my wife and I to one of the suburbs south of Chicago for a few months. It’s a decent area overall, mostly hispanic families in older houses that appear well cared for. 

We were walking our small dog when we heard a voice calling from behind us. It was a large man (Probably around 6’2-6’4, very broad, and had a bit of a gut) quickly walking towards us. “I’m not a threat! I just need help!” he yells and lifts up the front of his shirt to show he’s unarmed. He had a phone up to his head, “It’s okay! I’m safe, father!” before putting the phone away. I don’t think he said goodbye. 

He told us that his mom was recovering from a surgery and was going to go visit her at the hospital, with some generic Catholic-sounding name. He explained that he had tried to talk to the priest at the church that was across the street but the priest did not speak English. He was asking directions so my wife pulled it up on her phone; it was about 40 minutes outside of the city. We thought that he would get back on the major road and head that direction but then he explained that he needed gas. We explained that we didn't have any money on us but he said he would pay for it. We explained that we didn't have gas cans to transport the gas but he said that he did. I think he even said that his truck was parked at a gas station. 

"So can you help me, please? I'm not a threat. I'm very fat and tired and just trying to see my mom."

At this point, I'm not sure what he's even asking for. My best guess is that he wanted a ride back to the gas station that he walked pretty far from to ask for directions. My bullshit detectors are firing hard. You don't prove you're not a threat by only showing the front of your waistband, he had thrown in that he was a veteran and Catholic (2 groups that are viewed with some degree of respect by polite society), and what kind of non-threat repeats "I'm not a threat" over and over? All I said was "We don't live close to here." and he immediately started walking away. 

What do you think? Was this some type of scam? Was he planning some type of attack? Maybe I'm paranoid.

Thanks for reading all that. You take care, too! 

…

Okay, this guy was a threat. He moved off as soon as he found out that you did not live nearby. He assumed that you walking your dog meant that you were a few blocks from home and that when you agreed to give him a ride, he would locate your car, and your house, both of which would be targeted by smaller, leaner less tired members of his crew. Once your house is under observation, when you are away will be noted so it can be cleaned out, or when you arrived home on Friday with a juiced debit card and possibly cash, you could be car-jacked and maybe taken tot he bank thru the drive thru.

Since he was alone it is unlikely this was an immediate violence threat unless the person on the other end of the phone was not mom—who he probably was not—and he was speaking code to bring in the team, probably a teenage lookout and a vision mid sized dude with a gun or knife.

In case this happens again, continue to detail your wife to be on her phone helping the grifter remotely:

She must be behind you.

She must relay information thru you so that there is no communication directly thru your woman. The female desire among white women to hep out and do the right thing for non whites and for youthful waifs can spark in an instance into communication between her and him. That is the road to disaster as he begins using her sympathies to undermine your protection of her. The more obedient she seems to be to you, the less likely the situation will blow up.

The worst thing that could happen is for your wife to bust his chops and start telling him off. That is a disaster.

If he looks behind himself he is planning an attack.

If he looks behind you he is planning an attack.

If he looks down expect to get hit.

Keep him two paces away so that you can scan the area for his partners, who are within three blocks guaranteed.

The guy showing you his waistband is confirmation that he is an active criminal using gangland and prison yard cant to reassure you. This guy is so deep into criminality that he does not even understand how normal humans view him and his world.

With a dude this fat, if it goes south stab him in the neck or armpit, not the gut. If you have no weapon, finger jab, rake or spear as you step off right in a weak pivot and present the left hand for checking.

Your wife should be trained to keep behind you at all times and never verbally or physically engage the enemy.