As I'm sure is occasionally pretty evident, I grew up in what I'll call an "unsophisticated"

neighborhood. At least among the boys, status was determined in pretty simple and straightforward ways.

You were either a "snitch" or a "stand up guy".

You either "told it like it was" or you "peddled bullshit".

And, when push came to shove, you would either stand and fight or you would run away.

If you were a runner, you got a lot of practice at it, because making you back down elevated the status of of anyone who did it. But, once it was known that you were a fighter, you found yourself in fewer dust ups.

Even the biggest baddest bullies would think twice before taking on someone they KNEW was going to stand and punch it out. It came down to "Is it worth a black eye and a bloody nose just to prove I can kick Billy's ass?" And, Billy, even if he got trounced, made it clear fo other bullies that there was a price to be paid for picking on him.

Sometimes, who will stand and fight is just as important as who will win a particular fight.

And, every now and then, it was Billy who "kicked ass".