Dear Abby,
I read this news item from the Associated Press in the paper today:
Heisman Trophy runner-up Darren McFadden was handcuffed by police and then released without charges after being involved in a "pretty rowdy scene" at a piano bar early Thursday.
Arkansas' All-American running back and at least four others were at the downtown bar when a disturbance broke out shortly after midnight, police Lt. Terry Hastings said. A bouncer was hit in the face as he was trying to get the group to leave, Hastings said. A police report did not specify who hit the bouncer.
"There was a whole bunch of people there," Hastings said. "They were inside and it spilled out into the street."
Outside, McFadden was handcuffed by a police officer "because he was agitated and was provoking aggressive behavior inciting the incident," according to the police report.
"We handcuffed him for a few minutes because he was rowdy," Hastings said.
McFadden, who was the only person handcuffed, was released after he calmed down. Hastings said it was routine procedure to handcuff a person to gain control of a situation.
Now, McFadden's mother said her son was not fighting and was only trying to protect his younger brother, who suffered a bloody nose during the scuffle. So other than the fact that it involved a famous college football player, there's not much of a story. However, I'm really confused about something and I hope you can help.
Dear Abby,
I read this news item from the Associated Press in the paper today:
Heisman Trophy runner-up Darren McFadden was handcuffed by police and then released without charges after being involved in a "pretty rowdy scene" at a piano bar early Thursday.
Arkansas' All-American running back and at least four others were at the downtown bar when a disturbance broke out shortly after midnight, police Lt. Terry Hastings said. A bouncer was hit in the face as he was trying to get the group to leave, Hastings said. A police report did not specify who hit the bouncer.
"There was a whole bunch of people there," Hastings said. "They were inside and it spilled out into the street."
Outside, McFadden was handcuffed by a police officer "because he was agitated and was provoking aggressive behavior inciting the incident," according to the police report.
"We handcuffed him for a few minutes because he was rowdy," Hastings said.
McFadden, who was the only person handcuffed, was released after he calmed down. Hastings said it was routine procedure to handcuff a person to gain control of a situation.
Now, McFadden's mother said her son was not fighting and was only trying to protect his younger brother, who suffered a bloody nose during the scuffle. So other than the fact that it involved a famous college football player, there's not much of a story. However, I'm really confused about something and I hope you can help.
What I’d like to know is, why were they at a piano bar? Have you ever been in a piano bar? There’s a piano, and someone’s playing it and people stand around singing. I can’t imagine rowdy young people at a piano bar. Or any young people, for that matter. They’re usually in dance clubs or rock clubs or sports bars.
And how on earth does a fight break out in a piano bar? Is it something like, "I want to hear 'Memory' from 'Cats.'""No, play Billy Joel's 'Piano Man' instead." "Memory!" "Piano Man!" "Memory!" "Piano Man!" (fisticuffs ensue)
Please, Abby, help me understand.
Sincerely yours, Perplexed in Philly — Joe Guckin
