I will not fight, hand to hand, unless I have no other option. The reason is simple: I taught hand-to-hand combat in the Army and were I to "engage in fisticuffs" I could very easily go into automatic and engage in "finishing techniques."

"Finishing techniques" is a nice euphemism for "When the guy is on the ground, you drop both knees into his chest or jump up and come down with both heels into his chest. Or maybe you throat-punch him. Or kick him in the armpit. Or stomp on the bridge of his nose. Or kick him in the temple. Or at the very least break his elbows and/or knees."

You can explode the heart, crush the lungs or esophagus, drive bone into the brain. At the very least he won't trouble you much anymore.

And I'd be questioned by police officers.

Too much trouble. Easier to walk away.

But if you put me in a situation where I think that my life is in danger, or if you so threaten another (especially a child or one of my family), I will take you out with whatever weapons I have. Guns, knives, sticks, string, wire, a tie, my hands and feet -- they're all one.