Defending your Hat

[Lefty]

Well done.

 

[Mahagonny Bill]

Thanks for the support gang . I'm not usually a violent person, but I do walk all over the city so I try to be aware of my surroundings and ready to react to trouble. In this case however, I think I was as surprised by my quick reaction as this kid was.

Just noticed you're in Seattle, too. Was this in Pioneer Square by any chance?

No, this was up on University Ave. Not the most dangerous place in town, but there are a lot of gangers and street kids around. This kid had to have been from out of town because the regulars would never have acted that way.

 

[ScionPI2005]

If somebody were to decide to just grab a hat off the head of a stranger, they should expect no other action than what you just described. I can't believe he did that. Sounds like a case-example of someone not knowing any boundaries.

Hopefully you taught him a good lesson.

 

[Orsini]

You got away with it and that makes it right.

You don't want to hit anybody with your hands and you don't want to leave any marks.

Hip throw. "Gee, he fell..."

 

[avedwards]

You reacted perfectly I think, not violently but assertively under the circumstances.

In my school we had to wear a suit a few months ago for a mock job interview. With mine I naturally wore my hat. While I was queuing to buy a sandwich someone behind me snatched my hat to annoy me. I snatched it back and just to make a point I gave the idiot a "friendly" punch to teach him a lesson (the only way with him, he's tried similar things in the past). Promptly a teacher came and asked me why I had hit someone. I explained that he had stolen my hat which I consider rude and that I was teaching him some manners. The teacher then told him that under the circumstances he deserved it and walked away.

 

[KeyGrip]

Yours was the last hat this kid will snatch off anyone's head.
Lesson learned.

My sentiments. No physical harm done, but a clear message sent.

 

[Fresno]

I thought Washington was a concealed weapon permit state? Oh well, you did the best you could with what you had available.

 

[Belegnole]

I agree with the rest of the gang. You reacted quickly in a situation in which you had too. Then showed you meant business but showed restraint.

I don't believe that many people know the value of a hat or the violation they are committing when pulling one of these pranks. Unfortunately sometimes we get to teach them....

 

[jazzncocktails]

Do you think I overreacted? Has this kind of thing ever happened to you?

This hasn't happened to me lately, Bill, but it happened with an old fishing hat I'd sometimes wear waaay back when I was in 7th grade. One kid would come up behind me and take it off my head, and then they'd play keep away. Used to irritate me to no end...and it continued until I lost patience and pushed the kid who had it onto his ass. Neither of us knew I had it in me, and from that point on any hat I wore was mine.

Sounds to me like your reaction was appropriate and reasonable...and I like the image of that John Wayne roundhouse winding up. I'm betting he never takes a hat off someone's head again.

 

[jazzncocktails]

Just noticed you're in Seattle, too. Was this in Pioneer Square by any chance?

Splitcoil, being a UDub grad, I imagined this scene in Pioneer Square, too...

 

[jazzncocktails]

...this was up on University Ave. Not the most dangerous place in town, but there are a lot of gangers and street kids around. This kid had to have been from out of town because the regulars would never have acted that way.

Yeah, University Ave would have been my next guess...in any case, nice reaction.

 

[rrog]

If somebody were to decide to just grab a hat off the head of a stranger, they should expect no other action than what you just described. I can't believe he did that. Sounds like a case-example of someone not knowing any boundaries.

Exactly. There's a youth at church who doesn't see any problem with trying to take my hat off my head and placing it on his own. At first, I didn't say anything much. After all, I'm a minister at my church! But with each new "touching" experience, I'm getting increasingly impatient and ticked. I took a picture of him wearing it with my camera phone and sent it to his parents with the message that he looked so good in it they needed to buy him one of his own. And we were over at their house for lunch this past Sunday when he reached up and touched it again. I know he's just a kid and I'm probably making too bid a deal out of it, but it's bugging me more and more. I'm really feeling like I'm ham strung because of my position at the church. Talk about your boundary issues... :eusa_doh:

rrog

 

[Carlisle Blues]

You may have over reacted. As a matter of law the self-help you used would get you an over night stay in the pokey. I am sure you know why they call it the pokey. By the way, the cops would have inventoried your hat so you could not even have it with you when Bubba came a-callin in the wee hours of the morning.

I could imagine the next morning before the Judge...You would say your Honor the boys at The Fedora Lounge thought I reacted with restraint. The Judge would sentence all of us to a class in civilized behavior.

If I had done that I would not be defending my hat. I would defending my manhood. If I was honest with myself that is.

But hey dude that's just me. [huh]

 

[handlebar bart]

Has your hat ever got you into a fight?

I'm walking down the street yesterday when I see two guys and and girl walking my way, laughing, shouting, and doing what two guys and girl do. They were in their early 20's at the most and the way they were acting were probably in the "Big City" for a visit. As I pass, one of the guys reaches up and grabs my vintage Lee Trinity right off my head!

Before the punk could get away I grabbed a fistful of his shirt, spun him around had pulled back for a big John Wayne roundhouse. I also believe I made a comment about carnal relations he may have with his mother. The kid looked at me wide eyed and dropped the hat. I pushed him off. We stared each other down for a minute before I retrieved my hat and walked away. No other words were said.

I would like to think that I taught him a lesson about what NOT to do while walking down the Ave, but he probably only remembers the old man who completely freaked out when he touched his hat. Do you think I overreacted? Has this kind of thing ever happened to you?

In Tacoma we finish off with a backhand[huh] lol lol I am loving your style

 

[Goose.]

... I am sure you know why they call it the pokey...

lol HA HA HA. I never thought of that :eusa_doh:

Exactly. There's a youth at church who doesn't see any problem with trying to take my hat off my head and placing it on his own. At first, I didn't say anything much. ...

Yeah, that's a tough one. My opinion is that it's tougher now since you've let it carry on. Next time, just take the hat back and state, not ask, politely that it's getting old and to stop.

This guy I know, a few months ago, reached quickly for my lid, and asked while in motion, "mind if I wear your hat?". My response was firm but not hostile; "yes, I mind". No problems since. Well, in hindsight, at least he asked. But it was in a sarcastic kind of way, as if "hey, I'm going to take your hat". I have no objection to people asking to see my hat to try it or to check it out. This situation was definitely not the case.

As for some stranger grabbing my lid, like HPG, that only occasionally happens with gals and a bit annoying. I think I would be pretty torqued if a guy ever did that.
So, easy to armchair quaterback, but I think your response was "acceptable" given the situation. It could've escalated, but, fortunately, it didn't.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Good for you! I'm very glad to hear that there's still people who will stand up for themselves. Nobody's snatched a hat off my head yet, but if it ever happens, I will remember this! I have had people try to mess up my hair, and not only have they gotten wolliped or shoved, etc, the reaction when they get a handful of brylcreem and pomade and vitalis.....*priceless!!!*

 

[Charlie Noodles]

I don't believe that many people know the value of a hat or the violation they are committing when pulling one of these pranks. Unfortunately sometimes we get to teach them....

While I fully support scaring some show-off, I think sometimes there's a bit of this too. People admiring your hat and wondering what they'd look like in one. But for whatever reason not having the manners to refrain from grabbing it. I'd say the novelty of the hat can override common sense in a lot of folks.

I hope you gentleman won't mind taking baby-steps when there is no harm meant.

 

[Woodfluter]

Hmmm - haven't had something like that happen to me since junior high.

Now women with whom I am acquainted sometimes borrow my hat for a few moments without asking, and personally, I like that. Gotta love a gal in a hat.

Sounds like a typical unrestrained drinking issue compounded by showing off for the female, and I do try to give them kind of folks a wide berth. But under the circumstances, firm action without injury seems appropriate.

- Bill

 

[Chinaski]

In an urban setting, having a total stranger walk by and grab your hat easily justifies your actions. You "postured" but in the end, no violence was committed.

One never knows the intentions of the other person. I would think this is an immediate "fight or flight" situation with attendant leap in adrenaline. Once you assessed the situation during the stare down and realized you were not going to be jumped and beaten (or worse) you backed off and went your own way.

Completely appropriate.

 

[Macheath]

You may have over reacted. As a matter of law the self-help you used would get you an over night stay in the pokey.

That's hard to say for sure. If you take the events on face value, a grown man grabbing a punk kid by the shirt might indeed be crossing a "legal" line. But in context, our guy was merely acting in response to theft, which is precisely what taking someone's hat constitutes.

After all, he didn't hit him, and I would do no less than try to get my wallet back if someone picks it out my my pocket. A hat is no different: it's property, and other people have no right to take it without permission.