The Terrorisation Of Me

‘twas a couple of nights ago I felt hungry and quite fancied some houmous. After checking the fridge to realise I’d run out I trudged to the local Tesco Express over the hill and along the road. As I approached the shops I could see a cohort of teenage boys wearing hoods over their heads and scarves wrapped round their faces. At least three of them were playing music aloud from their mobile phones causing a mish mash of beats and rhythms that could only offend my ears. They seemed to be enjoying three different songs playing at the same time and bobbed their heads out of sync with each other. I walked past them feeling them sneering behind me as I made my way through the double doors. When I entered inside on my left stood a rather weary looking security guard with his arms folded and with a stern gaze, I could tell this look was a front because his eyes looked tired, and they are the things that give away your emotional state. I wondered if he was weary due to his many clashes with the next generation of Blazin’ Squad on the other side of those double doors. I gave him a smile and straight away he dropped his act and a relaxed look came about him. Happy in letting him know not all everyone is a dick in the world I made my way over to the houmous. After deciding on buying roasted pepper instead of lime and coriander flavoured I made my way out.

As I passed the gathering of males I thought I heard a ‘fucking dick.’ I didn’t think much of it, there was five of them and one of me. Even if they were 14-16 year olds they could still probably take me down. I carried on walking nonchalantly when I felt something hit my back. I turned around and saw a muddy tennis ball on the floor. I looked up and saw the gang all looking the other way. A complete admission of guilt in my eyes. I don’t know why, I guess the male testosterone overwhelmed me but I threw it hard and straight back at them. Bang! Right on the side on the head of the tallest. I cracked up slightly but soon realised that I better get ready for a fight as they all came running over.

I expected them to start punching me straight away and I got this strange exciting but also scared feeling in my stomach. Were they going to knife me? Was I going to appear in the next edition of the local newspaper as a victim of yob crime? Yet when arrived they just circled me. I didn’t know who to focus on until one of them pushed me. I knew he was the leader. I pushed him back. As I was awaiting the first cowardly punch to hit me round the back of my head I heard an ‘Oi, stop it!’ Everyone turned around including me to see the weary security guard in full flight charging towards us. The group of teenagers dispersed as soon as they realised who it was. Perhaps they too had battle wounds from the confrontations with him. When he got to me I thanked him for his help and told him that I’d probably have been a bloody mess if he didn’t turn up. He said not to worry and that those boys are nothing but trouble and are constantly abusing customers. I thanked him again and then said my good byes realising that security guards actually do more than stand there trying to look mean or try and chat up attractive till girls.


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And with that Tammy walked off. Charles watched her disappear through the bushes tentatively putting her foot down after every step in case she fell over. He then turned back to see Yannish standing in a forlorn stance. He was expecting him to start shouting abuse at the woman, or maybe even throw stones at her. At least punch a tree or kick the ground. But he doesn’t he just stands there. Silently. He calmly takes a drag from his cigarette and sits down on the ground, his arms holding his legs together. Charles can’t believe that he hasn’t got angry, he showed this woman his secret hiding place and all she does is tell him that she’s going to tell some guy called Alan which will mean it being banned. He can’t but help a sense of awe run through him and a little shame. He knows that if it had been him he’d be hurling abuse at her maybe even threatening her but all this young boy is doing is slowly watching the smoke drift higher and higher from his mouth into the air where it gradually evaporates. A buzzing sound rings in the air, Charles immediately looks to his phone but there’s no movement, he looks up and sees this Yannish boy pulling out his mobile and holding it to his ear.

“Hello Keith, what can I do for you?”
…
“Yes, it is true, I finished it with Karen today.”