I absolutely love telling this story!

I have a very close core group of guy friends. We have all known each other and been friends since we were about 9 years old (we are all 23 now).

One summer ( we may have been 16 or 17 at the time), we were out at the lake for fireworks for the 4th of July. There is a main road that runs by the lake that gets really jammed with traffic after the fireworks are done. So, four of my friends and I were walking on the shoulder of this road going back to another buddy's place. It is probably 11:30 at night and we were just messing around. Picture a group of friends doing general dickery. That was us. My friend Adam turns to us and exclaims, "Guys, I have a great idea! Lets fake mug John right beside the street so everyone sees it!"

Now, what you must realize is that Adam always comes up with pretty outlandish ideas. All these ideas revolve around John being the center piece becuase he was a smaller than a lot of people our age. Kyle and Pete usually go along with Adam as long as John agrees. Just kidding, they'll go along with it even if John isn't down. Back to the main story.

They all agree to do this 'fake mugging' while I decline. I have always been the most reserved out of the group. I'm the one person in the group of friends that parents usually points to as the more responsible one out of the bunch. The guys don't care because they are caught up in how awesome they think this will look to everyone who is sitting in their cars while in traffic. I walk down an alley to wait for them and call up my, then, girlfriend. They hash out the details and I go stand by a light pole. The plan is this: John will run out from the alley and go around the corner of this building into their front parking lot. Adam, Pete, and Kyle will be chasing him and they'll knock him down in the parking lot, throw some fake, but convincing, punches and then stea John's wallet. The 'fake mugging' starts. While they were at the front of the building, I am still on the phone with my girlfriend telling her how I think the idea is pretty dumb. I assume the fake mugging is completed because Adam, Pete, and Kyle come around the building and start walkig down the alley. With their backs turned towards the main street, they didn't see what I did. Two cars of people speed across the alley and into that parking lot. It crosses my mind as odd but I just tell my girlfriend that I will call her later since my buddies were done screwing around. Kyle, at the same time I am saying my goodbyes to my girl, starts walking back towards the parking lot but just before he can get up there, a solid twelve guys come around the corner and, I assume, their ringleader yells, "You think it is funny to beat up little kids?!" It is important to note here that I did not hang up the phone yet so as soon as I see these guys I say, "Oh shit, there are a group of guys coming towards us." To which my girlfriend replies, "Wait, what?" I am in a state of awe as I see the ringleader guy shove Kyle and then land two punches, one right after the other, to each side of Kyle's head. Either Adam or Pete yell run and then they both bolt, each running by me. You have to realize, I am completely stunned and am just at a loss as to what to do. Think of it as daydreaming or zoning out. I literally do not believe any kind of thought was going through my head. So, this guy starts taking off his shirt, getting ready for a brawl, while walking towards me. All he says is, "Are you in on this?!" Let me tell you what, I have no clue how I put those next two words together but I sure has hell spoke. "Uh, no?"

At this time, if you forgot about John, I wouldn't blame you. I am sure everyone, at that time, forgot about him. But, lo and behold, motherfucking John comes around that corner of the building, apprises the situation, and yells at the top of his lungs, "Stop! Stop! They are my friends! It was all a joke! I am ok! Stop!" Everyone freezes and their ringleader just stares and then says, "That ain't funny. You shouldn't joke around like that." And him and his buddies all walk away. It all ended like it all started: quickly.