Whose Fight Is This?

If you saw a fight break out between two of the most asinine people in town, and one fighter was much bigger than the other, would you run across the street and cheer on the smaller jerk? Even though the little guy had poked, prodded, and violated the personal space of his opponent and provoked the attack, would you hand him dubiously effective weapons like a broken bottle or maybe your belt to help him injure and defeat his larger enemy?

Most people would not. I certainly would keep walking because I have seen and been in more than my share of fights and I am way past running to a fight that does not concern me in the least. However, if the smaller fighter was your partner in a criminal enterprise that is extremely lucrative, perhaps you would be compelled to get involved. What an awkward position that would put you in. 

Should you fully engage, knowing the two of you together could handily defeat the big guy? Probably not prudent, especially since the big guy has this Huge Chinese Dude behind him that he has been drinking with lately. You and the mouthy runt could have your hands full. 

You like to think you are still the tough guy you used to be. Like the de facto town cop, people expect you come to the aid of anyone who has been seemingly unjustly attacked. Back in the day you stepped into to large gang fights and kicked ass, ended the fights and restored order. You were the Man. Naturally onlookers at this fight expect you to eventually use your considerable clout to end the nonsensical debacle. They act like they want to help but they stay out of reach. Such an awkward position you find yourself in. You really have no idea whether or not you have what it takes anymore.

The bottle and the belt didn’t faze him much. You have a wicked knife in your pocket. At what point do you slip your partner the real weapon that could do the job? Have you considered that the big dude might have some weapons he has held back, which might be turned on you? Have you considered that it might leave you relatively unarmed once you have funneled everything into this fight? What will happen to YOU (and your family) if you get your skull cracked by the other two, and everyone realizes that you are not The Man any longer?

It would have to be a really, really lucrative and ugly enterprise you and your partner have going to have allowed yourself to be drawn into this quagmire. Not only the loss of ill gotten money, but the potential loss of face concerns you deeply. If the onlookers learned that you were not kindly, only just greedy and corrupt to the core, well, that would not be good. Your family would find out, too.

So you continue to put yourself and your family at risk by scraping around and handing your partner just enough in the way of weapons to keep the fight going. The onlookers (and the runt) think you are not doing enough; your family is horrified at your behavior and the lack of concern you are showing for them. Such an awkward position you put everyone in. 

The Huge Chinese Dude just stands back, watching with his arms folded, a smug look on his face.