There is a common theme on this site about size being intimidating. The punch line is often, “He was secretly big!” However, being tall isn’t everything; your center of balance is also high.
When I was in high school, I was on the wrestling team as a small, timid young woman. I wasn’t great at it because I didn’t want to be “rude.” This story is not about high school, but it is relevant that I spent hours every single weekday drilling skills such as throws and pins.
One day, I’m walking up the street at 11:00 pm in an area known for mugging. I’m wearing a short skirt and carrying a large purse. (It only contains a pair of dance shoes, $5 for the dance I’m headed to, and my ID.) I’m also feeling a bit down, so I’m just trudging along looking like a good target.
I hear the sound of footsteps running behind me. I think, “Either I’m about to die, or that’s a jogger.” Since I am depressed, I am so unfazed that I don’t even bother to look.
Moments later, the “jogger” catches up to me. The following all occurs in less than thirty seconds. I feel an impact of a puffy jacket, and I feel an arm wrap over my left shoulder and another around my ribcage. Without thinking or breaking stride, I throw the guy over my hip. Due to his momentum, he slides a few meters with me on top of him.
Because this guy is much bigger than me, he is essentially a sled for me. When we come to a stop, I already have my arms around his collarbone in a half-nelson. He can’t get up, and we stare at each other, both having bitten off more than we can chew.
Unfortunately, there is another guy to come to the rescue. He tries to pull me off using my very sturdy and thick purse. I may be small, but I know how to use leverage, so it isn’t going to happen. To my surprise, the purse strap breaks and the guy runs off, leaving his buddy.
I speak to the dude I have pinned.
Me: “There are only dance shoes in the purse, but I want them back. Let’s chase your friend and get my shoes back?”
The guy nodded, and I let go to take off running. He was slightly faster and didn’t actually intend to give my shoes back, but I chased them for about twelve blocks before losing sight. I kept shouting at them to just drop the shoes. My walking shoes had fallen off during the scuffle, so I can only imagine what bystanders thought.
I did find my ID in a gutter a few days later, though, so maybe they did dump the broken purse and shoes and I just didn’t find them.
They weren’t expensive shoes, but a decade later I still haven’t replaced them, and I still don’t like when people run up behind me.
However, I’ve never found someone intimidating just for their size. Brute force with strength or weight only gets you so far. This wasn’t the only time where I was able to humble a big tough guy as a result of being the worst member of a high school wrestling team.