Cheerio fellas!
Dark
are the times, dark are the tidings. But first and foremost, somebody
bungled (probably me). My official phone number is: 030-XXXXXXXY.
Sorry for the earlier wrong number, I forgot a Y. I would also like
to apologize for my former use of the word 'cue' which was wrong.
Anyway, limping home last night, with a ruined knee and a lukewarm
kebap in my hands, I was approached by two rather unsavory characters,
and not for a second did I doubt that their intention was to rob and
murder me. You all know this kind of Darth Vader-Hulk-Hogan-in-his-better-days
mix of guy.
So a fight was seemingly imminent. I checked my options and found
that all I had to defend my life was a soggy kebap.
Now, we all know that a kebap is pretty useless in a fight. It tends
to go to pieces in crucial moments and generally doesn't have the
potential to maim or kill. In fact, the only way to use a kebap effectively
in a fight is probably to hurl it at your opponents' feet and hope
that he will slip on a garlic soaked tomato and will fall and break
his collarbone and/or nose, which won't happen unless you are attacked
by the Marx Brothers, or a member of the German national football
squad.
There are, however, certain useful types of food, which might save
your skin when trouble strikes. These are: a coconut, a bottle of
beer, a black banana which is shaped like a gun, and Scottish take-away
vegetable soup (STAVS).
I. Let's start with the bottle of beer. This is a
controversial item, as many of you will argue that a bottle of beer
is not food at all but drink, and you might have a point there. I
included it, however, as it is a classic, and also a highly flexible
help in fighting off the legions of doom.
The first step is to
1. Drink the bottle of beer. This will give you the courage to proceed
to step 2. Careful: it is important not to mix up steps 1 and 2.
2. Hurl the bottle towards your attackers while, in the same movement
if possible, turning on your heels and running away. This should be
done with an almighty curse like 'Remember the Alamo!' but that part
is not absolutely necessary (though highly desirable).
It is a common but absolutely unforgivable mistake to mix up steps
1 and 2, so better double-check the contents of the bottle-to-hurl.
Normally the bottle will miss its target, but the baddies will probably
interrupt their pursuit to check whether you made above mentioned
mistake, which will give you some extra time.
II. The coconut. A coconut is a highly useful piece
of food. You should always carry one and, preferably, a spare if the
first one turns out to be a dud. [If your supply
is running short, they do grow in my garden. Come and visit me in
The Bahamas! -Steve.]
The best way to use a coconut against any attacker but an Italian
is to
1. Hit the guy with the coconut.
If, however,
you find yourself attacked by a bunch of Italians it is normally a
better idea to just roll the coconut towards them. They will immeadiately
start passing it back and forth between themselves for a very, very
long time. At one point one of them will make a mistake and they will
start arguing and finally and inevitably fight themselves for decades,
while you are on your way home, whistling a song (optional).
Careful: this only works with Italians, so ask your attackers gently
to show you their passports before rolling the coconut (if they prove
to be non-italians proceed to 1).
Other nationals might at one point try to shoot or score a goal, which
might result in a broken ribcage on your side.
III. A black banana which is shaped like a gun. If
you happen to be the owner of a black banana shaped like a gun and
you find yourself to be under attack, draw your banana (don't say
things like 'this a real gun,' as it might blow your cover) and force
your attackers to eat their shoes. Don't hesitate to shoot if they
make trouble at this point. This cunning tactic will give you time
to flee, while their pursuit will be slowed down considerably.
IV. The Scottish Take-Away Vegetable Soup (STAVS).
This is a means of last resort and desperate situations. STAVS should
only be used with the utmost care and in absolutely hopeless situations
(or if you feel like it - that's also a good reason). The only reason
that STAVS has not yet been banned by the Geneva Convention or suchlike
is probably that none of those guys has ever been attacked with (or
by) it. STAVS (though only in few cases hot) is a strictly offensively
used weapon. Under no circumstaces is it to be consumed or to be used
like the bottle of beer, as the results might be very, very, very
bad for you (on the other hand, your attackers might be so impressed
by your courage/obvious madness, that they'll flee in panic, which
would give you time to crawl away).
The proper, if slightly inhuman, way to use STAVS is to spray it in
a wide arch over your attackers/victims (don't use a siphon as it
would probably melt before you could use it).
The immediate symptoms of a STAVS attack are, amongst others: possible
blindness, pimples, madness, bad breath, loss of all body hair, unwanted
growth of body hair, uncontrollable shaking, unwanted growth of extra-extremities,
and in the worst case a coma-like sleep that can only be ended by
the kiss of a frog that was born by dwarf in a moonless night. (That
one makes you wonder what they put in that soup, eh?)
STAVS is a very reckless way of defending your skin, and you should
honestly consider whether getting mugged isn't to be preferred to
having such a crime against your fellow creatures on your conscience.
Just having finished these violent thoughts of death and destruction,
I realized that I had already passed the two dangerous looking guys,
who only wanted to borrow a lighter as one of their peace-to-the-world
candles had gone out. I laughed madly, patted their backs and gave
them two euros, for reasons which are still beyond my own understanding.
If any of you guys (frogs and dwarfs, Italians, Scots, Michael Ballack)
feel offended by this little guide to self-defense, or if you think
that I forgot a crucial piece of food, then feel free to send your
complaints or ideas to GeorgeWBusch@thewhitehouse.war.
Brian, I know you have things to do, but read this mail as it might
save your life at one point or the other. Maybe I should have put
these lines at the beginning of the mail.