My bar room brawl over the stolen election of 2000.

[Cyrano]

The "brawls" I had during my army years were enough to last a lifetime. And while I was very young, it didn't take me long to realize that it's a "sport" for idiots. Nonetheless, I started one today, if you want to call two guys going at it for a short time, a "brawl."

About twice a week, I'll do happy hour. It's not alcoholism so much as a taste for the best bloody mary mix in the world which they serve.

But to get to the point, I was talking to an acquaintance about -- ta-da -- politics. We were discussing whether or not this current California scam by Republicans to divide up electoral votes by district would come about. And, if it did, how it would be another Republican theft of democracy.

Some guy who overheard us, and whom I had never seen before, was sitting near me. He turned around and said something to effect of how "... you and your type will never get over President Bush's 2000 Florida victory, will you?"

I'd had only one drink, but I could feel my blood pressure hitting the danger zone. That's not a statement that a rational person would want to make in Palm Beach County. My reply was not polite and was something like, "That was a stolen election and most sane people know it. And anyone who doubts it is either a moron or an asshole. Which one are you?"

To the best of my recollection, that's when the fists starting flying. I ended up with a cut lip and he ended up with (what I hope was) a broken nose. The other people there broke it up fairly quickly. He got thrown out, I sat there stewing for a while, finished my drink and came home.

As a strong advocate of nonviolence, I feel ashamed. And I also feel that I should have swung harder to punch this screaming asshole into the middle of next week. It's sad when our emotions overcome our values. But sometimes, it sure as hell can be satisfying.