“Nicky Bats” was an “old school” kinda guy. He was “street” thru and thru. He was a hard bark tough as nails S.O.B. He was a survivor. His definition of “success” in life was dying peacefully at a ripe old age of natural causes, not dying on some frozen blood-soaked battlefield in Korea after being over run by a human swarm of Chi-Coms. Not winding up in a landfill dead of lead poisoning and not dying in some filthy gutter with your innards spilling out from a gaping knife wound.
I once asked Nicky what he thought the “secret” to real world survival was. Now “Nicky Bats” WAS the “go to guy” on matters concerning “reality based” violence. He boiled it down to these words, words which carry a GREAT deal of wisdom…………………..”Dealing with most people is like dealing with a jackass. Even a dumb as a stump jackass has a brain, but it all depends on which end you’re doing business with. Pick the wrong end and pretty soon you’ll find yourself standing knee deep in a pile of stinking donkey s@#t.” Nicky Bats had a REAL dislike for hard guys, tough nuts, and blustering blowhards. Nicky called these types “hard boiled eggs”…………….seemingly tough on the outside, but easily cracked and all yellow and mushy on the inside. If you didn’t know Nicky Bats, by the time he “introduced” himself, it was usually too late.
It took me awhile, but I eventually realized that what “Nicky Bats” was saying was that REAL survival was rooted in the ability to fully understand human nature and understand how that knowledge could really be put to use to “work the mark”, as he would say.
So-called “self-defense” at its core has far more to do with watching, studying and understanding all of the varied components of “human nature” than it does with ANY set of “techniques”, “system” or “method”.
EVERY single interaction with another individual CAN become a “self-defense” scenario or situation. Think about this. HOW many times during the course of a day, a week or a month does someone run SOME type of “grift” with YOU as the intended “mark”. From the subtle to the overt; from the “sneaky” and the “backhanded” to the OPENLY hostile, aggressive and potentially violent; these actions range from the snide comment or wiseass crack all the way up to and including a full blown lethal physical assault. AND they occur EVERYWHERE all the time in EVERY SINGLE “interaction” you have with someone that winds up with you muttering to yourself “what an ASS” or worse, you have in point of fact just engaged in a scenario of “self-defense”.
Every time your head pounded, your heart raced, your guts churned, your teeth gritted, or you clenched your fist in anger because of another’s actions you have just experienced the “jump street” of SELF-DEFENSE.
In the same way that we strive to deal with violent PHYSICAL attack, we should strive to “know” how to deal with these less overt intrusions into our personal space and lives. REMEMBER the MOST subtle of actions can open the door for the most dangerous of encounters and the MOST VIOLENT of outcomes!
The ANSWER lies right there in the “philosophy” of “Nicky Bats”. From the simply annoying and peevish traits of the human condition RIGHT up to the MOST detestable, ugly and violent actions the ANSWER remains pretty much the same. IT’S THIS SIMPLE: Realize from JUMP STREET that you are dealing with the WRONG END of a JACKASS, that NOTHING GOOD will stem from this and that sooner rather than later you are most assuredly going to be CRAPPED UPON.
So the question BEGS to be asked……………………WHY in the world are YOU dealing with the rear end of a JACKASS in the FIRST PLACE!
There any number of “cues” that will alert an astute observer of “human nature” to the intent, mind-set and type of character you are dealing with. USE THAT. Don’t molly-coddle. Don’t make excuses. Don’t “look inward”. Don’t equivocate. DON’T BE SUCKERED and DON’T BE STUPID.
If it looks like a JACKASS and it ACTS like a JACKASS……………………………………..well you can figure out the rest. Never PLAY the other mans game. Never fall for the “grift”. NEVER allow yourself to set up as a “mark”.
REAL SELF-DEFENSE AIN’T JUST ABOUT KNOWING HOW TO STOP THAT BASEBALL BAT DESCENDING UPON YOUR SKULL!
IT IS FIGURING OUT WHY YOU DIDN’T SEE IT COMING IN THE FIRST PLACE!
And if you’re wondering about “Nicky Bats”, as I just found out earlier this evening, his wish came to fruition, he’s finally a “success”.
RIP my dear Brother. In a world of “hard boiled eggs”, the “ones that count”, will remember you as the REAL DEAL!
©2005 www.thetruthaboutselfdefense.com
Carl Cestari began his study of the martial arts with judo at the age of 7 under the direction of Yoshisada Yonezuka. During the past forty plus years Carl has dedicated his life to studying the martial arts, hand to hand combat systems, history and religion. What makes Carl unique is his combination of martial arts, law enforcement and military and real world experience. Carl has been exposed to a multitude of people with a wide variety experience. The following is a list of some of Carl’s ranks and honors.
Shinan (Founder) Tekkenryu jujutsu
Ryokudan (6th degree) Koshinkai Karate under John Burrelle
Godan (5th degree) Jujutsu under Clarke of the World Jujutsu Fedaration (now defunct)
Sandan (3rd degree) Nippon Kempo under Narabu Sada
Nidan (2nd degree) Judo under Masafumi Suzuki
Shodan (1st degree) Judo under Yoshisada Yonezuka
Shodan (1st degree) Shukokai Karate under Kimura, Kadachi and Yonezuka
Shodan (1st degree) Daitoryu Aikijujutsu
Instructors Certificate- Charles Nelson System of Self Defense under Charlie Nelson
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