At school, when I was young, all the other kids had their STAR WARS, Scooby Doo and G.I. Joe lunchboxes.

I had my "Great Writers of Russsia" Lunch Box.

One day at school a bully tried beating me up, and I told him to stop a moment, and think about how his actions at that moment would forever alter the course of his future.

I explained to him (paraphrasing Tolstoy) that all great movements, events and lives were simply the result of the grand ebbs and flows of events and decisions beyond our control, but at any given moment, a single decision WE make, can alter that ebb and flow.

He stood staring at me, slackjawed, looking like the proverbial wild beast tamed by a melody of haunting beauty.

Then he slugged me in the face.

I got up off my ass and proceeded to bash his skull in with my metal Russian Writers lunch box.

He never bothered me again, nor did anyone else.