Sometimes you plan the day, other times it plans you

I had some final painting to do today, some trim work and some touch ups, that I thought I would knock out in short order and begin my weekend nice and early. 

I’ve been busting my hump trying to paint as much as I can around the house and some nights staying up until 2AM.  I got a good portion of the windows done too.  I still have to trim around the new windows but I can get that over the next few weekends.

As I said, touch ups and painting the trim was the plan and I had the house all to myself to do it.  I cranked the music up and prepared to get to it.  Then suddenly the day changed.

A friend, who has turned on everyone around him because of drugs, had showed up at my door.  I am sure that he was not suspecting me there today.  I suspect that he was thinking that I would be traveling or at work and that he would not have encountered anyone more than my wife at most.  Was he wrong.

The friend was kicked out of his house by his parents because of the lying, stealing, and the drugs.  The friend had stolen from others too, including from me.  He had warrents out for his arrest.  Everyone was wanting to get him, including me and here he was, at my door and inviting himself in.  I could tell he was on something and who knows what he wanted or had planned.

Several different scenarios played out in my head at the same time.  What was I to do?  What could I do?  What should I do?  How would I do it?

I did what I do best.

In three large quick leaps I covered about 10 feet of room and threw a right punch that I knew he would block with his right which opened up his right side to a hard left to the body.  This suprised him and staggered him back.  I grabbed him with both hands by the shirt and threw my head into his nose three times.  I could feel his blood now against my face.

Not giving him a moment to gain an advantage, I threw two quick rights to his left eye. 

By now he was starting to flail blindly and staggering across my living room.  He was trying to move/run/ get away to his right and I was not about to let him get away.  I kicked to the inside of his left knee causing it to buckle and he fell in pain to the floor. 

He was hunched over on all fours and in pain and I knew I had to end this quick.  I layed it all on.  I kicked and punched and kicked some more until he was not able to get up anymore.

I quickly ran down to my workbench in the basement where I knew I had some nylon clothesline and bound his arms and legs before calling the police.  While waiting for them I called his parents and called my wife.  His parents and brother arrived shortly after the police arrived.  My wife rushed home to find the house surrounded with police and an ambulance.

The police got statements frome everyone.  The friend has a broken nose, lost a tooth, cracked ribs and might have a torn ligament in his knee.  I suffered a few bruises and cuts and my knuckles on my hands are battered and bruised.

The friend will spend the weekend in jail on outstanding warrents in a few states and possible home invasion.  I did not receive anything because I was protecting my home and family. 

His parents are appreciative for having the courage to stand up to him and help to get him arrested and hopefully this will help get him off the drugs.  His parents woulr rather he be in jail then on drugs and living off the street and possibly putting himself or others in harms way.

For me, it has been a long and exhausting day.  I’ve been down at the station for a good part of the day, I’ve had every member of my family calling on the phone, I’ve had the friend’s family calling to thank me and assure me that I did the right thing.  But all in all, and this is the scary part, I found myself enjoying pounding into him a little too much.

I used to be a scrapper.  I used to get into fights all the time and then I learned to control myself.  I only fight as a last resort.  But today, I might have had other ways that I could have dealt with the situation but I chose to fight.  And I enjoyed it.

I enjoyed it.

I need to decompress.  I need to just put this day behind me and not dwell on it.  Writing about it has helped me with getting it out but now I think I need to soak my hands and veg out to some TV. 

Sometimes you plan the day.  Other times it plans you.