| Have you ever heard of a Kubotan, mini-stick, or | | | | somehow lose the strength necessary to stand. |
| self-defense keychain? Whether you have or | | | | Though he tries, his body seems to be completely |
| haven't... | | | | out of his own control. |
| Imagine a night, like any other night. The cool air, | | | | Across from him but intimately connected through |
| perhaps a light breeze, with only the sights and | | | | responding actions, the defender's face changes from |
| sounds of the city for company. A solitary figure | | | | its initial look of surprise at the change in |
| walks alone along an apparently empty street. Until, | | | | circumstance to look of contempt and intense |
| out of the shadows, another figure appears and the | | | | commitment. As she digs a small, metal bar, no bigger |
| unthinkable happens. An assault is about to occur to | | | | than a marker into the small bones on the back of |
| another innocent, peaceful person seeking only to | | | | her assailant's hand, she watches his legs give out. |
| get where they're going. | | | | That's all the confirmation she needs to tell her that |
| In another story - in another time and place, this | | | | the technique she learned so many months ago in a |
| situation could have a very different ending. But, this | | | | self-defense class was working perfectly. As they |
| is not just any night. It's not just any place with any | | | | assailant struggled to regain control of his own body, |
| characters. At least, not as far as the attacker is | | | | the defender suddenly changes tactics and slams the |
| concerned. | | | | blunt end of her small, almost hidden weapon into her |
| No, tonight should be just any other night. The | | | | attacker's temple, sending his head back and to the |
| criminal assailant, skilled at what he does from the | | | | side. |
| experience gained from countless other nights, | | | | Recognizing a new target open up as his head moves |
| assumes that his victim will comply like all the rest. If | | | | in response to the bone-jarring strike she just |
| they resist, as others have tried, they will simply be | | | | delivered, she drops the weapon, known as a |
| beaten or worse as compliance is necessary. In fact, | | | | Kubotan, or self-defense keychain, down into his |
| in this attacker's mind, it's demanded! | | | | shoulder, just behind the attacker's collar bone. |
| But, unbeknownst to this subhuman, bent on taken | | | | Hooking the tiny weapon behind the clavicle, she pulls |
| what he wants rather than working for it with | | | | toward herself, grinding the metal implement into the |
| respect and honor like the rest of us, his world is | | | | thin and highly sensitive bone. |
| about to change - his illusions about his own | | | | The assailant, once weak in the knees from the initial |
| superiority or ability to be in charge of these | | | | attack to his hand, is now reeling in pain and dazed |
| situations, crushed. | | | | from the powerful shot to the side of his head. The |
| Imagine, as the assailant is doing, how the poor, | | | | overwhelm caused by the combination of attacks |
| lonely victim, surprised by the sudden appearance of | | | | and the resultant short circuiting of his nervous |
| this unknown stranger, is overtaken be fear and a | | | | system causes him to drop to his knees before his |
| sense of panic and bewilderment. Imagine how they | | | | assumed victim. Now firmly in control of the situation |
| must feel as their heart sinks - their breathing | | | | and standing over her damaged and confused |
| changes - their heart begins to race and pound | | | | would-be assailant, the defender, with a final look |
| ferociously in their chest. | | | | that says, "how dare you even think that you could |
| Can you imagine what being in a situation like that | | | | do this to me!", delivers another bone-crushing strike |
| must feel like? Can you? | | | | to her attacker's face with a well-place knee before |
| The assailant can. Because he's planned for it. He | | | | running off into the night and back into her life. |
| knows how little attention people in general give to | | | | Imagine, seeing a lone, solitary figure, sprawled out |
| the world around them, to say nothing of the | | | | on a dark street. The now motionless figure, a man |
| attention they give to their own safety and | | | | who once had the misguided notion that everyone |
| self-defense until it's too late. | | | | else in the world was a victim from which he could |
| So, he steps from the darkness and confronts his | | | | take what he wanted without respect or concern, |
| victim. He watches the rather bland, but calm, look of | | | | lies unconscious and still. |
| a person doing what they always do, change into the | | | | Sounds like a commercial, doesn't it? Except it's a |
| startled, confused, and contorted shape that he's | | | | scene that has been played out more than a few |
| looking for. He senses his own elation and rise in | | | | times involving a small, simple, and easy to learn and |
| confidence as he sees the signs that tell him that his | | | | use weapon known as a Kubotan, or simply a |
| ploy, like so many times before, is working. | | | | self-defense keychain. A powerful little weapon that |
| But then, just as he takes hold of his would-be victim | | | | can turn even someone with little to no formal |
| - just as he's spitting the commands for money and | | | | self-defense training into any attacker's worst |
| the threat of punishment for not complying, he | | | | nightmare. |
| senses a strange feeling unlike any he's ever felt | | | | This simple story shows how the lives of two |
| before. At least not in this situation. | | | | people, would-be attacker and victim, experienced |
| Suddenly there is a crushing, almost burning-like pain | | | | firsthand the power and effectiveness of this |
| focused in his grabbing hand and radiating up his arm. | | | | inconspicuous little weapon. And the results changed |
| He feels his knees unconsciously bend as they | | | | both of their lives forever. |