I was getting my overcoat from the door.

A man came to me and started to ask about where I work (I work at a ski-resort); I told him where. He asked where exactly I worked.

I presented him with a promotional pen.

He declined. I dropped the pen at his feet.

He then turned to my friend to talk.

After that; without warning, he took hold of my hair.

Not for what I believe.

Not for what he believed.

Only for violence.

Violence was his media.

And I was his object.

Do I feel hate or the need for retaliation?

No.

Why?

Because I could use the legal system to attain cash money. I could acquire wealth.

It is not my goal.

The man will not enter the bar (nor any other bar anywhere I dwell).

That will be my retaliation.

If any customer mentions themselves being a friend of his when I am at work; they will only have the seed to blame.

Strong feelings would be wasted on these individuals.

What would you have done?

I would have been more respectful of the stranger by not dropping a pen at his feet.

Why would you provoke someone like that?

I'm wondering why this is being asked on a public forum...

Deal with it the best way that you'd like. End of story.

It sounds like you got your ass handed to you.

I guess the question is not what someone else would have done, but what did YOU learn?

He was talking down at me.

I only returned the favour.

Just a story of violence.

This is how I deal with it.

End of story.

You certainly showed him a thing or two.

And he resorted to physical violence.

I could see a better option in plain disinterest, humor or debate.

A better option for you, but clearly not for him. Walking away might have been sufficient...

Yesterday some asshole I never met before shoved a pen in my face, then dropped it on my foot, so I made him my bitch.

No matter where in the world you may be, human society is really nothing more than a zoo without bars, and Earth is currently ruled by the monkey house.

Beware: Humans are prone to violence and are known to fling poo.

Personally I would've treated him like I do most. Silence is truly golden.

Then if he would've attacked me, he would be giving me the right to put him on the ground and walk away.

He wouldn't be able to play off my silence as an intention to provoke him.

He would be sitting in jail for domestic violence.

I get to walk free and clear, because I was defending myself, and I said nothing to provoke him.

The point, learn to use common sense.

Well, if you were happy with your decision, you wouldn't even bother asking a forum full of strangers about YOUR problem and wanting the forum's opinion on it.

What you're basically telling me is that you're not quite sure if the decision you made was the best plan of action, so you're going to get a second opinion by random strangers who don't even know you personally and by just typing a few words able to know the whole situation that happened.

For all we know, you could be lying and you could have provoked the guy with some sarcastic remarks.

THAT's why I say "I'm wondering why this is being asked on a public forum..."

I was thinking the same thing as well.

Perhaps, then, you have learned that there are folks out there who resort to violence pretty quickly when provoked. If you are not capable of dominating that type of situation, then it would be best to do your taunting from the other side of a keyboard.

If a gorilla disrespects to you, returning the disrespect is silly if you can't physically back up your mouth - or actions, in this case.

He won, you lost.