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Singled out as the means to demonstrate his rated best test for personal bravado, it's hard (when I've done nothing to pick a fight) I'm indited thus for pugilistic performance. With normal behaviour suspended, I still endeavour to sever my connections with violence, pinning it to minimal level and holding back. In battle, I'd batter opponents from a full arsenal of weapons. But he kept boasting thereafter we'd been on a par as scarred gladiators - a subject he found roundly to merit self-congratulation, but a matter impinging on my own dented pride.      It never was (and never could be) fun      to be a man with notches on his gun.