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He went to hiainst the table Our glasses tipped and spilled over our food Even though Joel was near Borden’s height, he didn’t have his mass Fear shone in Joel’s face, and I knew there would be no way to get out of this without Borden getting his way

"A man dines in my restaurant, eats my food, insults my waitress, and has the audacity to call me a lunatic," Borden stated loudly to everyone at their tables

I stood up, helplessly watching the situation unfold in stunned silence Everyone was staring in awe as Borden then dragged hi the back of his neck I snapped out ofa bit inthe way

By the time they were outside, Borden threw Joel effortlessly onto the pave in pain as his flesh scraped against the sidewalk But instead of leaving hiain

"Stop," I yelled hysterically "No noredup the sleeves of his dress shirt, staring gravely at Joel "You call me a lunatic and I’ll show you what a lunatic is," he said, raising his voice no further than usual

He bent down, grabbed Joel and stood him back on his feet The doctor was too dazed to knoas going on

"Call ly "I didn’t mean –"

Borden interrupted him with a punch across the face Blood flowed freely out of Joel’s nose as he fell back

"Call h clenched teeth, standing over hisdeceptively calain, and all at once rabbed his shoulder, screao of hi up at the passerbys as they slowed "So who he was, I frantically grabbed at his arm and stood between him and Joel Borden went tofor him to stop

Joel’s face was a bloodyfor another blow I couldn’t allow that to happen

"Leave hirabbed his face with both rily,my face so that I was only a few inches away from his He’d have no choice but to look at me now

Borden’s blue eyes flickered for a round, and then to ain

"Look atthis His wild eyes looked overroused from a dream

"Look at me"

His face relaxed a little

"Leave hi full eye contact so that he wouldn’t fly off the handle again "Leave hi horrible and the waitress didn’t deserve that, but it’s done now Just leave him alone Hell, let’s talk about it Just you and me We’ll sort it out I-I can talk for him and we’ll sort it out but just… don’t hurt hih"