When I worked on the Railway and in Security in the UK,  I often had to face up to conflict. There have been times when I was nose to nose with guys who felt the need to play the macho BS card, and there's a LOT who carry that particular card in the west of Scotland, let me tell you. Now, I'm not a big guy, never been a body builder or someone who could dominate on looks alone (not that I ever wanted to either), but neither was I ever afraid of these guys or these situations. And that is the key!

These guys who grow up and learn that invoking fear in others makes them feel good or big or gets them what they want. Then they come across a small chap like me who isn't afraid of them at all and they are confused and lost. In their experience it doesn't compute so they never knew how to handle  me or the situation. The result was that in almost every case, the conflict ended through peaceful means rather than violence. It might help to add that I was trained in Home Office restraint techniques too so I was pretty confident that I could 'take down' even the biggest guys if need be, without harming them or myself in the process. Thankfully, I was only ever involved in restraining people on three occasions and that was for different reasons entirely.I'm not sure if the neanderthals that wanted to fight could sense something in me which suggested that I wouldn't back away or not but, suffice to say, the last fight I was involved in was whilst I was a young recruit in the RAF (and that was hardly a fight), but the less said about that the better. lol 

For the greater part of my life, I lived and grew in Glasgow which, latterly, is known as the Sick man AND the murder capital of Europe. Never a week goes by but there are a number of slashings, stabbings, shootings, muggings, fights, rapes - then there is the weekend too. :p Seriously though, it's a typical big city environment with too many people and too easy access to alcohol. A volatile mix!
Growing up in this environment, you either learn how to adapt to it, you get out of it, or you become a part of it. I never got entrenched in the criminal/ drugs side of the place because that was just never me. I have watched things going on around me though, like the time I left the hospital at 6am on a sunday morning after a night shift and the first people I saw was a guy being chased by two others - who also happened to have a machete. Needless to say, I got out of there sharpish. I'd done my shift and didn't want to clean up more blood........! Many people might think that such a situation would have been frightening, intimidating even. My only thought was that I wanted them to keep running and get out of my way so I could go home to bed. It may sound like a blase' approcah, but that is the Glasgow 'mentality'.

Some of you may have read about the attack on Glasgow airport last year, in which the "terrorists" were stopped by the quick actions of a policeman and a worker from a nearby construction site. The worker later became a local Hero for his actions but he is best remembered for saying, (QUOTE) "Dinnae come tae Glesga cos we'll jist set aboot ye!"(/UNQUOTE) For anyone needing an interpreatation, he basically said that Glasgow people will simply kick the sh*t out of any terrorist who comes here. And they would too! I can guarantee it. Again, that is the Glasgow mentality. However, Glasgow people, generally speaking, ARE the best friends, the most warm, welcoming, friendly people you could meet. We dont suffer fools gladly and we're not 'into' being politically correct. We call it like we see it. If there is fear in Glasgow of anything, it is most probably finding yourself sober on a friday/ Saturday night! lol The other infamous aspect of Glasgow is its humour. We love to laugh, mostly at ourselves, but the English come in for a fair whack too.

This is a brief glimpse of where I come from and I include it here to, hopefully, offer an insight into who I am and why I am the way I am. I grew up in a place where it was expected of the males to swallow fear and be a 'hard man'. Men stuck together like a herd of MCP's and drank and smoked  each other under the table or into their coffin. Women would sit at their wndows or gather in the launderette to gossip amongst themselves - and ne'er the twain would meet. Everyone dressed up in their good clothes though to go to church or chapel on a Sunday. I have come from a hard working, hard playing, hard drinking, pious community, whose origins stretch back into the 'old country' (Ireland) and also as far back as the Vikings. The old ways are in the blood, maybe even in the genes but it is a fascinating history to be proud of. Were we back in those days, I have no doubt that I would be a 'bard' or a soothsayer rather than a warrior because if I have learned nothing else in this lifetime, I have learned that my brain is far more powerful than brawn and that Love and Compassion are far more important than any negative aspect you care to name.

I started this blog with an idea in mind of going somewhere with it, but I'll leave it here instead while I have a senior moment, (hence the title now) :p

Peace all.