Confronting people

[Tomkat]

I'm not a very confrontational person - even when drunk. I find that most situations can be solved by just being polite and civil to people.

This experience really tested me though. I really didn't know what to do. I'm curious to see how other people would have reacted, in my place.


I was getting a train from London, back to Exeter, after my interview for the job. This was in June or July.

The train wasn't due for another half hour or so, so I bought a newspaper and one of those small packets of biscuits (Hob-Nobs).

The station was kind of busy, so I sat on a four-seater circular table, opposite another guy. The other two seats were untaken.

I put the biscuits down, my newspaper down, and made a quick phonecall to my friend to tell him when I'd be arriving roughly, and to organise plans for later that evening.

Getting off the phone, I started to read my newspaper. I opened the biscuits and munched one slowly.

I was on the second page, when I noticed some movement from the guy opposite me.

Glancing up, I saw that he had put his hand out slyly, and taken one of my biscuits. He was now chewing it, and finishing it off.

I watched him wipe his mouth, and thought to myself.

I had no idea who he was.

He was about the same size as me (although I wasn't exactly going to start a fight, so it was irrelevant how big he was).

I'd heard stories of fights being caused for less than this.

He could be violent - and it was only a biscuit, right?

By the time it took me to process "what should I do", it had moved beyond the reasonable amount of time I could do something about it.

I couldn't very well say "hey, you took one of my biscuits 2 minutes ago - why?".

I decided to pass it off - it was only a biscuit.

I took another purposefully, and moved the packet nearer to me.

About a minute after I had finished mine, he moved it back towards him - and not even slyly, this time.

My mind raced again - I wasn't even reading the newspaper now. How could someone be so blatantly cheeky?

If I made a fuss now, it would be stupid.

I'd already allowed him the one biscuit - how could I justify that, and make a big deal out of the second biscuit?

I, as I mentioned before, don't like confrontations, so I left it.

I took another biscuit and munched it.

He took another and munched it.

Now there was only one biscuit left. I was damned if he was eating my last biscuit. I just took it and ate it purposefully, trying my best not to glare at him.

About 5 minutes later, his train must have been ready to go, because he rose from the table and walked away.

I shook my head and went back to my newspaper.

5 minutes before my train was due to leave, I put on my jacket and picked up my bag.

As I picked up my newspaper, I noticed something underneath, lying innocently on the table.

It was the packet of Hob-Nobs I'd bought.