I couldn't think. I couldn't remember. I was wound up like a spring and ready to bust. All I could see was the dead guy in the middle of the room and my gun. My gun! Somebody grabbed at my arm and hauled me upright and the questions started again. That was as much as I could take. I gave a hell of a kick and a fat face in a fedora pulled back out of focus and started to groan, all doubled up. Maybe I laughed, I don't know.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Overwhelmed by stress and confusion, the narrator lashes out physically.
- In plain terms
- Too stressed to think, the narrator pushes someone away and laughs nervously.
- What can you take from it?
- Stress can trigger physical reactions.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What are your stress signals?
- How do you de-escalate tension?
Another view
Physical reactions might escalate situations.
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