I was assaulted in broad daylight: Lessons

Time: Right around 12 noon.
Place: I was exiting a commercial, nondescript, small building, in your "typical", *regular* neighborhood. The parking lot was empty save for two other cars.

As I was heading to my car about 10 feet away, before I got to it I stopped and took out my phone and turned it on. (it was off while in the building). I looked at the messages and decided to place a call -while still outside. 
Out of nowhere, a skateboarder came to me, got off his skateboard, jerked the phone out of my hands and violently tried to hit me in my lower left ab site. The phone was on the ground. He struggled with me trying to push me to the ground, and he had me in a headlock.(We were still standing). We struggled for a few more seconds until I managed to escape his grip.

He then decided to flee and got on hisskateboard. I didn't pursue. But I realized I came close to my own death.

ATTACKED. FOR NO REASON. BY AN UNKNOWN ASSAILANT.   

I had another appointment that day, in 25 minutes, I had to be somewhere else . I didn’t call the police, I didn’t have time for that. Sure, I thought , good that there were no weapons involved, that this guy didn’t have any or chose not to use them. The attack lasted a minute ? Two ? 33 Seconds ?

1. I was not in the “wrong side” of town. (but neither was I in the rich people’s section, to be clear).
2. I wasn’t coming out of expensive stores with any bags full of stuff or anything.
3. I wasn’t coming out of nightclubs, or restaurants. In fact, it was the most mundane daily trip.
4. I am virtually unknown, not a public face. I can assure I never met or seen that scumbag before. Or he me.
5. He was as well dressed as I was, he wasn’t anybody in old or dirty clothes.
6. He never said a word as he assaulted me.
7. He was muscular and -unmistakably – had a body wrestling skill.

Why me ?

I asked myself that, as many people in similar situations would ask. But I now realize it’s the wrong question. I don’t consider myself low-hanging fruit for street thugs to fuck with me…yet…

You are always a target.

There’s always one who hones his skills on your lower skills.

The dirtbag skateboarder was a younger dude. Swift, efficient, ruthless. We like to think the young value the older (and I am not old). Well, perhaps on college campuses. But in reality…

Age is seen as a weakness.

The young preys on the old. The skateboarder was a guy in his early 20s. So if you’re in your 30s: guys in their 20s will see you as weak. If you’re in your 40s, guys in their 20s as well as those in their 30s will perceive you as weak. In you’re in your 50s: guys in their 20s, 30s, and those in their 40s will see you as weak. If you’re in your 60s…so forth.

No reason is needed.

As I said, somebody was honing his skill. You either match it or get outmatched. You’re either prey or predator.

On this blog, we posted several videos of martial artists. Many readers have posted links to videos or pictures. I will thank those who did so, because, as you can see, life is not a walk in the park.