Stopped going to bars for that very reason. And then quit drinking altogether.

Had too much fun, too much pain. I found two things guaranteed to lead to trouble.

1: In an argument, saying "I'm right, you're wrong!" every time the guy starts to talk. After the third time there was invariably physical violence. By then I was in such a state I usually lost, and often didn't know it until the next day. Have some scars from that.

2: A sternum thump. Tends to be regarded as a challenge by many insecure people. This usually happened when I was in better shape than in #1, as it would have been a joke then. Again, the outcome was mixed, but I always was able to talk my way out of it after everyone had a few face-saving swings or kicks. Was close, though. It helped if the other guy was as drunk as I but not too drunk, either.

A hint. If the guy wants to go outside, go through the door first. Then turn and clobber him as he comes through. I never did that myself, never would leave the place, but saw it done a number of times, and it always worked well.

But no matter how tough you might be, someone, somewhere is gonna get you. And I wasn't that tough. Just noisy.

I knew a peaceful, quiet guy named "Cash" McCall, who was just watching a fight in a tavern in rural Oregon. He was simply standing around the perimeter, taking no sides. I was sitting at the bar, watching it in the mirror. I didn't see exactly what happened, but Cash went down and the two guys fighting left the place running.

Turned out someone had just pulled a knife and immediately got hit. Cash got cut. It wasn't deep, but went into the heart in the worst possible spot, and he died then and there. Took about 20 seconds. That was 1973, and it got me to thinking, a lot.

I essentially quit drinking then. My last drink was in 1977.

Arf