Chapter 11 That’s Not Possible (1/2)
Laz looked at his grandpa and wondered what he meant. Laz never really had to fight before. The only time he had gotten into anything that could be considered a fight would be when he had been assaulted that night. But he couldn't really call that a fight. He never stood a chance.
Looking at his grandpa, he had no idea what he meant. He would soon find out though.
After lunch, he grandpa told him to go get changed into something he could move around in easily and meet him by the car. Laz couldn't help but get a bit nervous as he knew his grandpa shouldn't be driving, but he did it anyway. Slipping on an old, faded tee and some sweatpants, he went outside and got into his grandpa's old Chevy pickup. Grandpa didn't say anything as he started up the engine and put the old truck into gear. Although it was a bit rusted and kinda loud, the truck still worked well and never broke down.
Getting on the main road, his grandpa headed south towards the highway, his driving smooth and steady.
”Laz, what do you think is the most important thing about fighting?” His grandpa asked in a curious tone.
”To be the strongest,” Laz replied, somewhat confidently.
”Hehe, really? ”
”Yeah, cause the strongest guy wins right?” Laz looked at his grandpa.
”Hardly. Strength can mean many things, but one fact remains the same in any fight: the one who loses their cool loses the fight.”
”What do you mean?”
”Alright, think about it for a minute. You have one guy who is stronger than the other and one guy who is smarter, or faster and more agile. What do you think will happen if someone loses their cool and goes nuts?”
”Uh... ?”
”They screw up. If the guy you are fighting messes up, you can take advantage of that. If you mess up, they will take advantage of that. Sometimes, even the simplest tactic of evading can lead to victory, because it causes people to get angry. Let's say some guy is going after you. He's bigger than you, stronger than you and thinks you are an easy target. What happens when he can't touch you?”
”He gets mad?”
”He gets insulted and that makes him mad. At that point, piss him off more. The more pissed off he gets, the more likely he will look down on you and make a mistake. Then, you just need to act on it.”
”But grandpa, how am I suppose to be calm like that?”
”Well, that's why we are here, isn't it?”
”Here?”
His grandpa had turned off onto a dirt road and took the way down slowly. The massive ruts and potholes would have made a car bottom quickly, but the old truck with its higher suspension seemed to run ok.
”This is the place of an old friend of mine. He's... uh... a little out there in a different way. Don't ask him any questions about his past and if he says anything, I didn't say anything either.”
”Yes grandpa.”
”Alright, lets go.” His grandpa put the truck into park and pulled the parking break before getting out of the truck. Laz followed behind him and began looking around. The area was pretty spacious with an old, run down trailer off to one side of the clearing and a big barn over on he other. Laz had no idea what they were doing here.
”Hey Bill, BILL!!” His grandpa called out towards the trailer.
”WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT YOU OLD ASSHOLE?” Came the response from inside the trailer.
”Friend?” Laz said, smiling at his grandpa?
”I didn't say he was a good friend now did I?” His grandpa smiled back and made his way over to the small fence surrounding the trailer. He didn't walk past the front gate. Laz noticed there was a sign that read ”Warning: Active Mines.”