I PUNCHED OUT A DRUNKEN BULLY IN 1974

Tap Root Pub
Chicago
1974

It was a Saturday night back in 1974. I was 25 years old and out to dinner with my fiancé Debbie and another couple .There was a guy named Al who I used to play racquetball with. I met him at the sports club in the building I lived in. This was into the time that I was constantly anxiety ridden with OCD because I had this feeling that I was not brave like my brother Jack always told me to be. I had disappointed him because he had seen me chicken out of so many confrontations and fights. I never stepped up when it was time to punch someone who was bullying me or others. Jack couldn't stand that. I was a chicken.

But, this night at the Tap Root Pub near downtown Chicago would be different. At the table behind us was a group of six 25 to 35 year old loud, rowdy guys. The group's loudest guy was a drunken big, fat faced brute who was yelling out profanity and embarrassing our adjacent table. I felt like I should tell this guy to hold it down considering I was trying to impress Debbie.

I sat there frozen in fear as usual. Meanwhile, that old familiar call to action was triggered with each fuck and bitch that I heard this ape blurt out. I looked at their table and I realized that waiting them out until they left would not work. They were only into appetizers and alcohol. After another blast of foul mouthed profanity I arose and leaned over their table. The fat faced ape and the others looked up at me. I said "Hey guys, would you hold down the bad language. The girls are getting embarrassed and uncomfortable. We just want to have a peaceful dinner". There were about six guys at their table and they all nodded or murmured ok. Except one. The fat boy making most of the noise spoke. He pushed forward in his chair and looked at me and blurted out a good old fashioned “fuck you". I lunged into their table and hit the loudmouth with two short rights to his chubby face. It really took him by surprise. He got out of his chair and ready to fight. "You want to take this outside" he said?" Before I could answer, several of his friends jumped up and started making excuses. "Hey man, he's just loaded. Just forget about it would you?" I was scared shitless and only too happy to oblige. One of the more sober buys said "Come on boys lets go across the street and get Jim some coffee. There's no bar there."

My buddy Al thought I was superman and later told all the guys at the sports club about my heroic actions. I think Debbie didn't even see what happened because it happened so fast. I did not hit this guy hard because I didn't want to hurt him. I saw fear in his eyes.

That was one situation where brother Jack would have been proud of me. I was on top of the world answering questions for weeks about how I punched a guy out at the Tap Root Pub,