Oftentimes fear and respect go hand-in -hand.

In elementary school, there were these four guys who composed the “bully squadron” in school and on the playground. They were feared by the students and the teachers didn’t want to deal with their parents as the parents were worse than the kids.

I kept to myself most of the time and was left alone for the most part.

However , on this one day as they took the basketball away from some smaller boys, I stepped up and took the ball back returning it to the smaller kids. the four of them surrounded me and had their turn punching and/or kicking me. No teacher to be seen. I might have slipped in a punch or two but I wasn’t very big in comparison and was beaten down to submission.

I noticed , after that humiliating event, that none of the four of them alone or collectively would bother me. I guess they figured that I was not an easy target so what was in it for them?

That was about 5th grade. Long story short, I finished the remainder of school becoming know as the martial arts guy, the weight-lifting guy, the guy to be left alone. I lifted weights at a minimum of four days per week and did a variety of martial arts daily.

Didn’t go to college right out of HS, but I worked in a tire shop located in the worst part of town. The owner rented me an upstairs apartment in the same building. I still worked out and trained regularly. One could look at me and tell that I lifted regularly. I fought in several tournaments in the martial arts but won only as much as I didn’t. In tournaments, you fight on a point scale scoring for a well-placed punch or kick to certain pre-defined areas on the body. No one really ever got hurt except for the time I was on the receiving end of a “misplaced” kick to the groin.

I digress.

One evening/night, as I walked up the street, I chanced to meet one of the four from the elementary school “bully squadron.” As he turned around I was there. Right in his face. Mind you now, I had no intentions of revenge, but the look of fear in his eyes was all the revenge I could ever ask for. He looked as though he might have shat himself. Priceless.

After that unexpected encounter (where nothing really happened) I made it a point to look for and “happen upon”each of the remaining three. And I did as I lived in the part of town where they frequented. Each time as good as the first.

I never raised a finger but was just all of a sudden I’d appear right there in from or beside them. I made it a point to startle each of them from time to time just to let them know I could. I even asked the ring leader on one occasion if he remembered me from school. He quickly nodded in affirmation and scurried to the other side of the street.

I left them alone after that. But I say to any bullies out there, be careful, because karma is a bitch. Oftentimes, fear and respect go hand-in-hand.

Cheers.

Edit: I appreciate the views and upvotes. I hope you have found at least some inspiration in this answer. Cheers.