Hit Me
As a kid, Reddit user 8string hated staying over at his mom’s friend’s house because there was this macho man who treated him horribly there. But one day, the guy dared him to hit him in the gut and the 12-year-old didn’t hold back.
“I was about 12 years old, maybe younger. Often had been forced to stay with my Moms friends when she’d go out of town. The father was…. An abusive prick. He’d do things like make tomatoes every night for dinner knowing I absolutely hated them. For a week.
Threw me in a pool when I was small and he knew I couldn’t swim. Classic 70s “macho man”. He literally tortured me every chance he’d get. As an aside if you’re a kid and your own mother doesn’t give a crap how people treat you, it’s pretty much open season. Anyway, we went out to dinner one night.
Me, my Mom, her friends and their kids. We were leaving the restaurant. I don’t remember what preceded it, but he said “go ahead tough guy. hit me as hard as you can right in the gut” thinking I wouldn’t do it because I was scared of him. But this was my moment and I knew it.
He was a small man, 5’6″. I was at least as tall as him already. And as he gave me his crap eating grin I pulled my fist back and effing belted him in the gut with EVERY ounce of strength I could muster. He immediately doubled over. He was PISSED.
He tried to turn it around on me, but his wife shut him up instantly. “You told him to do it. If you ‘weren’t ready’ it’s your fault, not his”. One of the most satisfying moments of my life. And one of the last times I had to endure mr Tough Guy.”