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I sent Oliver an email after exploring his website. I thought that hearing about some his bouncer experiences would be interesting. Two points that I told him I especially enjoyed from his site were:
1) the promotion of the possibility of a peaceful
resolution to a situation.
This enjoyable narrative is what he sent me the next day.
2) the open-minded way of exploring rather than
discrediting other martial arts.
Thank you for your appreciating the effort I have put into conveying the concepts you mentioned:
(1)Peaceful resolution of conflict, and
(2)Learning what we can from all arts.
These have been very important things to me as a martial artist, and I have benefited greatly from practicing these things. Unfortunately, I am only 24 years old and still have a lot of things to learn, and I will be the first to say that I do not know everything. I can only speak and write from what I have learned and know.
If I may, I will share a story with you about my experience as a bouncer at the local sports bar. This job is the first I have ever had as a bouncer, so my experience entering the field was limited to say the least. The manager of the bar is a championship wrestler for the local college, and he did not hesitate in hiring me. But the local bar crowd didn't know what to make of me; I am only 5'8" and weigh only 160 lbs. So I didn't present much of a threat to them, or even a reasonable deterent. But the smart ones always wondered why the manager would hire someone of my stature and never caused any trouble. That is exactly the way I wanted it. Not that I wanted to find the chance to prove my abilities, just that I did not want anyone to be intimidated to the point of being uncomfortable when I am in the bar. So all works out pretty well.
What I have found in my limited experience at the bar is that when drunk people get into arguements, it is usually pretty easy to distract them from each other and the conflict is totally forgotten within a couple minutes; sometimes they even shake on things in the end and all is well. Misunderstandings happen a lot between drunk people. So most of the conflicts I intervene in I get between the two parties and help them talk things out or get them to go to separate parts of the bar so that everyone can be happy.
I have the privilege of carding people in the bar as well. And I have gotten quite good at identifying fake ID's and such. Occasionally I get a tip from someone in the bar that a person slipped by when we were busy that is underage, and I get to go check out the individual and send them on their way if they are underage. Well, one Friday night I got just such a tip, and as usual went to check the person out. He couldn't find his ID, and when I asked him to leave he stood up, displaying his 6'0 height, stuck his finger in my chest and proclaimed that he was going to go get his ID and come back to slap me around a little. He kept jabbing his finger into my chest as he talked, and I simply told him that if he even tried I would kick him out of the bar so fast he wouldn't know what happened to him.
At this point his friend, who was to my left and a little behind me, decided to intervene for him and pushed his way between us. I allowed him to proceed until I saw his right fist starting to arc toward me. As his friend, the one I made original contact with, was to my right and also becoming aggressive, I stepped inside the man's punch and discreetly tossed him against his friend, so that they were now together where I could deal with them. (Musashi - Water Book; many enemies) The other bouncer on duty then recognized what was happening and took the man I threw and put him in a choke hold. The other bouncer is a football player for the local college, and the size of his arm was was enough to paralyze the guy into submission. Now the first man decided it was time to try his luck with hitting me.He began his punch, but I again stepped inside and this time put my left forearm directly against his throat with my elbow on his right shoulder. (Musashi - Fire Book; injure the corners) I grabbed his left shoulder with my right hand and stepped in so our bodies were pressed against each other in case he tried a groin kick. Then, swiftly, I moved into him more and more, lifting up with my forearm on his throat and pushing against his shoulders to keep him off balance. Shortly afterwords, the manager came and grabbed the now hapless offender away from me and promptly marched him out the door while the other bouncer did the same with his man. Everyone was surprised that I stood my ground against two people of much greater stature than myself.
A couple of days later the first man came back to the bar with his ID. He was in fact old enough, he just didn't have his ID on him that night. The other man came back later that week and apologized, saying he was surprised we hadn't really laid into the two of them. He has since been very cooperative.
I know it's not much of a story, but sometimes the best things that happen really don't have much to be told of. I really do not want to hurt anyone. In fact, I have gained the reputation of being the most patient bouncer around. But I am also now respected as someone able to handle situations even against bigger people.
As for strategy, I thoroughly appreciate your comments related to Sun Tzu. I teach basic self-defense here at the college and require my students to read and learn the methods taught by Sun Tzu. They are invaluable. If I were to relate the times I have successfully applied his strategies in conflicts, I would have to write a book. The principles he outlines are engraved in my heart and mind. Perhaps my favorite principle is:
"Fighting and winning a hundred wars is not the greatest good. The greatest good is getting the enemy to surrender without ever having to fight."
Thank you for reading this rambling. It may not be exactly what you are looking for, but I am not looking to glamorize myself or my abilities and so relate experiences to others that detract from such. As a martial artist, I am simply seeking the peace of mind that can come from performing to the best of my ability in mind, spirit, and body. I am never proud to have to injure anyone, but am glad that I am able to prevent others from harming me, using force if I must. There are plenty of stories, I am sure, that will fill the need of others to exalt themselves, and I hope you will appreciate my position in this matter.
It is hard to find other martial artists that appreciate the concepts I strive for, but I look forward to having discourse with you in the future as one who understands the spirit of martial arts.
Sincerely,
-Oliver Pierce
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