Event full days

Entry #642
Tuesday, July 15, 2003

Last Friday Lisa and I learned that our landlords are selling the house in which we live. We have a one year lease that expires the end of August, and we'll probably be able to stay a week or two longer. That same day, Lisa learned that she'll probably get laid off come November, since the place she works hasn't received any new grants.

After that double-dose of hefty news, we left for Olympic National Park. We parked at Staircase in the southeast, slept in the Volvo overnight, hiked up to Flapjack Lakes, camped overnight and hiked down in the morning. I'll put a couple pictures up in the near future. 'Twas a good hike.

About the house sitch, we're gonna look for a new place, something cheaper, maybe someplace we can have a dog. We also have a desire to buy some cheap acreage, preferably with a running creek, and stick a geodesic dome on it. You can find some nice super-cheap spots in rural Vancouver, BC or northeast Washington. We don't want to live that far out though.

Been doing lots of computer work. Constant in my life is a desire to greatly reduce my email flow. I don't fret over it, however. I've chosen to walk this path and I'm enjoying the scenery. It's like the hike to Flapjack Lakes -- after six miles I was still enjoying the views, but I was eager to finish the hike.

Oh man, today I got assaulted! I drove down to the U District to check the mail and parallel parked on the Ave when a guy behind me came up and told me to pull into the space in front of me when the people currently in that space left. I was a bit confused so I asked him what he'd said. He told me again, pull into that spot when they leave. I sat for a second, thinking about the logic behind this. He was parked in a spot behind me. He didn't need my spot. I suspected someone had left some time on the meter I was parking in and he wanted that. The people in front of me didn't even have their engine started so I stopped my engine and went off to the post office. The guy talks some shit to me, saying "I'll remember that" and "I'll be here when you get back."

"It's just a parking space. Chill out, brother," I say as I cross the street.

When I come back, the fellow's car is gone but I see him come out of the doorway in the building I'm parked next to -- it's a business that's not moved in yet, they're redoing the inside. I guess that he or his friends are working in there. He starts in with me. I tell him that I'm sorry I didn't understand what he was saying nor the logic in me waiting for people to leave a space so that he can move his vehicle into my space.

"I didn't hear you apologize," he says. "Say it now!"

"Well, I certainly won't apologize if you're being an asshole."

He asks if I would like him to slap me in the face and I tell him that if he feels the need to, he should go ahead but that I would sue him and make his life generally more difficult than it was before he slapped me. We go back and forth a few times, he angry and me questioning his anger and the severity of the situation. He's right up in my face. Suddenly he headbutts me.

I had a sudden urge to punch him in the face and break his fucking nose, but after that primordial split second I got back to my nonviolent tendencies and asked him what he was thinking, why a parking spot can reduce him to this. We got back and forth a bit more and he pushes me at least once. By this time he's been in my face enough that I know he's been drinking and he's told me that he's had a bad enough day already. While walking away, I explain that age old adage that one should respect people in order to be respected.

After that I headed over to Lisa's work to drop off a sleeping bag we borrowed from her coworker Danae. I decided that since I didn't get to break that guy's nose, I wasn't feeling the satisfaction of retribution, a vice I've yet to rid myself of. So I called the police and and hour later when they got there I told 'em the story. They asked what I wanted them to do -- my options were for them to go talk to the guy, check for warrants and give him a stern warning or they could file an actual report and send it to the prosecutor which would involve me testifying in court if they brought charges. I told them I just wanted a stern warning, that I want a little retribution but I don't want to completely ruin his day.

Comment on this entry

Wow. What a bizarre assault story. I can't believe someone actually headbutted you. :o

you always could have pretended you were 10 and he was me. (kicked him in the nuts and laughed.)