Todd was at a diner eating a sandwich, uploading a video to Social Media. He'd worked hard on it and could wait to see the comments from his fans. Maybe it would even go viral.
Suddenly, a man sat across from him. "I bet you didn't think I'd show up, huh?"
Todd and saw the man. It was a man he'd had a Social Media feud. What was he doing here? "Oh..."
"You talk a whole lotta shit on Social Media a while ago," the man said. "I'm here to see if you can back it up." He stood. "Let's go outside and find out."
Did this guy want to fight? "That was months ago," Todd said. "I don't even remember what I said."
The man laughed. "So you don't watch your own videos. I do and I remember everything you said. You said if I every showed up in your town, you was gonna whup my ass. Well, I'm here in your town. I'm standing right in front of you. Come whup my ass!"
Todd looked around to see everyone was looking. "Why didn't you come when I made the videos?"
"Because you conveniently left out what town you're in," the man answered. "I had to do some serious research to peg you down. Then, I saw you walk by a landmark and realized something. I've got family members who live in your town. I shared some of your videos with them and they told me they see you around a lot. How do you think a found you at this diner at this exact time?"
Todd looked around again. Were they here? No one really stood out. He did, however, notice a police officer sitting there, just watching it happen. "Officer! There's a man harassing me over here."
"I'll stop him when he breaks a law," the officer said. He stood up and started walking away. "In the meantime, I'm going to take a piss. I'll be back soon."
Was this real? A police officer refusing to protect or serve? "What kind of lousy cop are you?"
The man walked over to the door. "You got an ass-whuppin' coming! Come outside and take it."
Could that police officer really be trusted? Todd whipped out his phone to call the police only to see his battery was dead.
"You might as well stop delaying the inevitable," the man said. "Come take this ass-whuppin'!"
Todd stayed for hours, watching customers come and go. The man was sitting by the door, just waiting. The police officer was there as well, eating a sandwich and drinking coffee. "Officer! That man is still here!"
"You're still here, too" the policeman said. "He has every right to be here, just like you."
A waitress came over and plopped his bill down on the table. "We close in twenty minutes."
"That man sitting by the door was threatening me a few hours ago," he said. "Do you have another exit I can use?"
"Sorry," she said. "It's only for employees."
Twenty minutes later, the man got up and left. Todd wasn't an idiot. He'd be waiting for him outside.
The policeman was still there. "Can you take me to my car, officer? That man is waiting outside to attack me."
The policeman looked at him. "Why would he do that? I'm sure if you talk things out with him."
That's not the impression Todd got. "Why can't you do your job? I'm being threatened with violence and you're acting like Barney Fife."
Yeah, that'll motivate me," the policeman said sarcastically.
The waitress came over. "It's time to go."
"But I can't go out there," Todd said.
"You can't stay in here," the waitress said. "Don't make me call the police...oh, wait. There's one right here."
Todd looked at the cop.
"You heard the young lady," the policeman said. "Everybody out."
It looked like it was time to go out and face the music. He went outside, where the man was standing. "Hey, man-"
"I ain't come to talk," the man said. "I came to see if you're as tough in real life as you are online. There ain't no computers or keyboards to hide behind. Just two men and their fists, out in the street." He spread his arms. "Come whup my ass like you said you would."
Todd looked to the police officer.
"Just hang on," the policeman said. "I have to let my supervisor know that there is situation. It might take a while but assistance should be on the way."
It looked like that officer wouldn't be any help.
The waitress came out. "Beat his ass, uncle!"
It was the waitress? She was the family the man was talking about?
The waitress ran over to the police car, where the officer went. "Dad, can you give me a ride home?"
The cop, too?
Todd looked around and made a break for it.
The man gave chase. "Come back here and get your ass beat!"
Could Todd outrun him. He pray he could. "I want my mother!"
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