There are various activities out there, with different aims and sets of rules in mind. So sometimes when people do not like how things are developing, they get a sudden urge to overcome their opponent by moving to an area where these rules do not apply or are different, for example, to the gym.
It is just that one’s opponent might accept the challenge, as this Redditor did, and demonstrate they might have been better off in their previous circumstances.
More info: Reddit
An attorney took the threat by a colleague literally and they set up a meeting at the gym, yet the aggressor didn't show up
Image credits: Jeremy McGilvrey (not the actual photo)
After a pre-trial hearing that went okay for both parties, the opposing counsel rushed over to the man
Image credit: u/MeowSchwitzInThere
Image credits: Karolina Grabowska (not the actual photo)
Image credit: u/MeowSchwitzInThere
Without specifying what was wrong, the opposing counsel threatened to "kick the s**t out" of the man
Image credits: Los Muertos Crew (not the actual photo)
The man with an impressive background in various martial arts immediately said "sounds good" and asked when
A man has recently brought his story to the Reddit MaliciousCompliance community online, which contains stories about people “conforming to the letter, but not the spirit, of a request.”
The story starts in a small town court as both agents from the story are attorneys. As the OP explains, during the pre-trial hearing, another attorney of the opposing counsel did not react strongly positively or negatively, which for him made sense, because neither of them was a big winner or loser, and the decision was made for a 60/40 split.
Yet the demeanor of opposing counsel changed drastically after the judge dismissed them, as he stomped up to the man and without any small talk threw something like “You think you can just act like that?” his way. The OP wasn’t trying to antagonize his opponent, and honestly asked, what exactly it was that he did during the hearing.
The question set the opposing counsel off, as he went immediately to threatening to “kick the s**t out” of OP if he saw him outside the court.
However, little did he know that the man not only enjoys fighting but has impressive experience in this field, which starts from karate classes in childhood, judo in high school, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in college, and an attempt to fight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship after college, until he settled down for a graduate degree.
Contrary to his expectations, the opposing counsel agreed to meet in the gym, and the colleagues set up a time and place
Image credits: Zachary Caraway (not the actual photo)
On the agreed date, though, the opposing counsel was a no-call no-show and only met his opponent next time in court
So quite naturally, the OP’s answer was “Sounds good”, clarifying that they just needed to sign some forms first, and inquiring about the form of fight the opposing attorney wished to undertake and the suitable time to meet at the gym.
While the OP expected his colleague would make up an excuse, to the man’s surprise, he agreed and they set up a time and place. It is only that the opposing counsel was a no-call and no-show then, leading to the snarky comment by the judge next time they met in court.
Similarly as in other areas, competing in martial arts may be fair by being consensual and adherent to the rules. Contrary to how it may seem to someone unfamiliar with the field, according to the literature on the topic, people practicing traditional Asian martial arts are not more likely to adhere to violent, aggressive stereotypes.
Quite on the contrary, principles of martial arts, philosophy, and techniques have been successfully applied in clinical settings to improve physical well-being and modify the attitudes, emotions, and behavior of troubled adults and teenagers.
Martial arts have become increasingly popular in the West where they tend to be practiced for self-defense, mental discipline, harmony of body and mind, physical fitness, and sport; and having the OP's story in mind, these can come in handy in places where one would least expect them to.
Redditors applauded the OP's way of handling the situation
