Sweet Talking Your Way Out of a Scrap

Despite some mild qualifications in this week’s introductory post, some of you still seem to be righteously missing the point: Fighting in anger is bad and I’m not saying otherwise. It’s always preferred to walk away from a confrontation if possible—I mean, of course.

But it’s not always possible. Hence, our theme.

So to all of you who mandate a strict policy of cheek turning, what are your best tips for avoiding fights altogether? Humor has worked well for me every once in a while, as has a mewling, preemptive yielding to my attackers’ demands.

Actually, here’s an even better question: If you could say just one thing to someone before they punched you, what would it be?