Practice What You Preach

Yesterday, just before dark, I committed a cardinal sin. I heard my neighbor's wife yelling for help and I went out to see what was wrong.

About the same time she came running out the house with her husband in close pursuit. He got hold of her hair and pulled her to the ground. By then I was over the 1 meter fence and dragged him off her. He took a pot shot at me and missed but I did not. I thought he was hysterical liar and gave him a good smack with the open hand; not too hard though.liar

She went back into the house to calm the children and I left the fuming husband in the backyard; going out by the front gate this time. I could hear them arguing until late night.blah

A bit earlier today I went out to the backyard and saw them sitting under the tree, next to the fence, cooing like doves. I greeted but got no response and after showing my weekly garden help what I want done, I went back into the house.tip hat

After a while I was called to the fence by his wife, sporting a bruise on the cheek, telling me what a pig I am and that her husband said that if I don’t apologize, he will lay a case of assault against me.scold

This does not sit well with my own words of just a few days ago. Do I practice what I preach or do I apologize when I am not really sorry at all? If I don’t, it is going to be hours in the police station and days wasted in court.doh

Why can’t I just mind my own business? I think next time I must sell tickets to the other neighbors for a ring side view of the fight.laugh
cats meow cats meow

Have a great day and try not to fight.wave
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Comments (73)

Hi Cat! I hope you slept well...laugh laugh teddybear

I don't think you should apologize...they should... for disturbing their neighbors! Shame on them...hug
Oh Mr. Cat, please add on a another commandment to preach and practice, love not thy neighbour shall thou.rolling on the floor laughing professor
@ Cat - If you don't already own one, buy a big 12 guage shotgun and sit on your back porch or somewhere whereby he can see you and just spend time polishing it while staring at him..... he will soon change his mind about charges..... laugh rolling on the floor laughing rolling on the floor laughing rolling on the floor laughing .... grin cheers
Apologise for what Catfoot? You did nothing wrong. I think the husband should be the one to apologise to you and to the wife. A man pulling a woman's head of hair and pulling her to the ground is so manly. NOT. You should have slapped him harder in my opinion.
There is another alternative, you witnessed an assault & went to the aid of the victim, perhaps if you point out to the wife that it's your duty to report this to the police, complete with the identity of the assailant, I'm sure there's a name for that move in chess laugh rolling on the floor laughing
Cat, Cat... when will you learn ... in situations like this, smack the woman ...grin
I am so sorry to hear this, and as the rest I ask why should you say you are sorry, you did nothing wrong! You try to help a lady you thought was hurt badly and I can not understand why they want to drag you to court for that... but then again, you live in SA, while I live in Norway, which is a much more quite place and the police don't even bother to show up if you hit your wife...sigh
Enjoy your day, my hero friend.yay teddybear
No disrespect dear friend, but is this a true story, or an imaginative scenario designed to bring about debatable responses?
Hi Ushu,
New on my blog? Very welcome.cheering

I think it is more a case of Love thy neighbor and not his wife.doh

I should have left her at his mercy but he was hitting her with the fist. I would have been very upset with myself today had I done nothing.
hug wave
Hi Hans,
I have one of those. I inherited it 30 years ago but It had not been fired for the best of 50 years. I'd be too scared to use it; it is bound to explode in my face. The ammo is probably no good as well.doh

But I have a very nice .22 hunting rifle with a telescopic sight that needs a bit of polishing. I wonder if that will do?
laugh laugh laugh
@ Cat - Noooooo don't shoot anyone, just sit there polishing it, that should send the right message.... laugh rolling on the floor laughing .... grin cheers
Hi Doc
I don't think I did something wrong either but technically I was trespassing as well. My lawyer suggest that I apologize and hope that is all that is required.
dunno doh
Hi Catfoot.wave Well I guess an apology would be the best thing to do, followed by staying on your side of the fence. Wouldn't want to see you get into anymore trouble.
Hi Zman
Yes, it is called a schwissenzug. I think that is the way it is spelled. Have not read any chess books for 40 years. It refers to an unexpected intermediate move.

My lawyer advised against it. She has a good bruise on the cheek and as they are two and I am one I may just end up in the dock for assaulting her as well.
confused dunno doh
Hi Dedo
No need for that. The fella was on top and did not need any help. The way they are cooing at each other today, maybe it was just part of their foreplay.doh
laugh rolling on the floor laughing
@ Cat - Did your council also mention that by apologising you are automatically admitting guilt..... and if they still chose to take the matter to court you will have no recourse..... conversing ..... grin hug wine
@ Cat - Sorry that should have been grin cheers .... not grin hug wine ..... doh
Hi Wel
These are the things happening here. I should not have interfered. It is so stupid.
wine hug wave
Kinda reminds me of this laugh rolling on the floor laughing laugh


God cat I wish you had been my neighbour 40 odd years agohelp
mmmm I could now go after you all these years later for assaulting my exrolling on the floor laughing
Just ask whether her hubby wanted rolled up hand instead of flat handgrin anything to obligeteddybear
Hi Candykid.
I don't see this as a topic that will solicit too much debate bit it happened alright. And it was not the first time either. Only other times she did not shout for help and it did not spill out the house before.
I am completely unaware of the laws in south Africa so I hope this does not go to court. I think you did the right thing given the fact that you thought she was in danger, AND SHE WAS, ......I would have done exactly as you did regardless of the consequences. You had to make a split second decision. ....let that be your
defense. You did the right thing imho.
Doc
I reckon it will be best to play hardball and call his bluff. If he does report me, I will take my chances in court. I think under the circumstances I may just get off with a small fine or a suspended sentence if found guilty.
cheers wave
I can see you apologizing, I certainly wouldn't & I don't think many of us here would either, comes a time you have to make a stand against low lifes like this imo frustrated
Some people don't learn and are just stupid. doh

I don't mean you with that Cat. If ever anyone would hit me, I would appreciate help and make sure he never laid a finger on me again. very mad
Zman
In school we were taught that an hysterical person should be smacked or splashed with a glass of cold water. However it was pointed out that a smack was more practical as it does not require dry clothes afterwards.
rolling on the floor laughing rolling on the floor laughing
Catfoot

your story reminds of this one; about 15 years ago a fight broke out between husband and wife, he was beating her badly, another neighbor called the police, the police officer tried to stopped this madness, then, the man and the woman attacked the police officer, he called for back-up, and both, husband and wife were arrested for agression against a police officer. True Story.thumbs up
professor Just a dash of very good advice. If Barry Roux is not available then pray that Gerrie Nel is moon-lighting.handshake I wish you luck, you gonna need it.thumbs up
Hi Loulou,
Next time I won't lift a finger until she is half dead. But what amazes me most is how easy this old man cleared a one meter fence. Two hands on the fence and over I went.laugh
hug wave
Hi Red
I have no time for a man who hit his wife. A man has hands to work with and by hitting his wife he can hurt his hands. A woman should be kicked.
rolling on the floor laughing rolling on the floor laughing rolling on the floor laughing

Jokes aside, I saw that too; about 40 years ago, at a popular beach, a drunk guy hit his equally drunk wife to the ground and then kicked her twice before some of the other men got hold of him. He needed medical attention afterwards and nobody could remember who was involved.
hug wave
rolling on the floor laughing Zman, the Germans here are recognized by their sandals and socks combination...rolling on the floor laughing
Luke, rolling on the floor laughing that sounds familiar laugh and they say us Brits stick out like a sore thumb laugh rolling on the floor laughing
Cat just take all us along with you grin all expenses paid grin and we will vouch for you intergratyapplause cheering
KN
No, I was the stupid one here. But it happened so fast I did not even think for a minute.doh
hug wave
Cat thumbs up principles can sometimes cost, I'm reminded of an incident when I had a car showroom in London, we sent all the cars needing paintwork to a body shop, I was driving the owner of this paintshop back one day after he had delivered a car back to us & the during the conversation he happened to mention slapping his wife around, that chance remark cost us both dearly as he never got another penny from us & we had to make do with inferior work from another paintshop doh
Hi there,

This one had me in stitches lol...

I simply cannot believe how stupid people can be. My neighbours also fight basically every friday night after they had a barbeque and boozing session. Then the dogs keep me awake till about 2 in the morning. Easter Saterday morning I through a stone and smashed the their bathroom window. But did not mean to. It was supposed to land on their roof. Needless to say, I sat very quite behind the wall and almost froze me buns off grin

hug blushing
@ Cat - If you go to court just tell them that you put up your open hand to indicate for him to stop and he ran into it..... laugh rolling on the floor laughing rolling on the floor laughing .... grin cheers
In Puerto Rico we had learned not to get involved
when a man and a woman are fighting
they will turn against the ones trying to stop the fight
the best thing is to call the police, let them have itlaugh
Hi Bung
After yesterday I can well believe it. I was really stupid.
grin dunno doh
Hi Luke
Quite frankly Ii don't think anything will come of this. He won't go to the police and if he does I'll give it my best shot.
cheers wave
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Catfoot

Catfoot

Around here, Western Cape, South Africa

I know I cannot always have what I want, but that does not make me want it less. Otherwise I’m easy to please, flexible, accommodating and forgiving. I cool down as fast what I get cross. I hate it when people lie to me. I’m hooked to my laptop, but [read more]

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created May 2014
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