One day in 1987 Fallows was standing at a window in a London bank waiting to be served when a would-be robber named Douglas Bath stepped in front of him, brandished a handgun and demanded money from the cashier. Outraged, Fallows told Bath to 'bugger off' to the back of the line and wait his turn, to the presumed approving nods of others in the queue. Unprepared for this turn of events, Bath meekly departed from the bank empty-handed and was arrested a short distance away.
In 1987, author Bill Bryson recounts a striking incident experienced by journalist James Fallows while he was waiting at a bank in London. Fallows found himself face to face with a would-be robber named Douglas Bath, who was holding a handgun and demanding cash from the cashier. Instead of panicking, Fallows boldly confronted Bath, telling him to 'bugger off' and wait his turn, seemingly backed by the approval of others in line.
This unexpected act of defiance surprised Bath, who, feeling outmatched, left the bank without robbing it. He was apprehended by the police shortly after. Fallows' quick thinking not only thwarted the robbery but also highlighted the power of courage in a tense situation, demonstrating how ordinary people can respond to threats with unexpected bravery.
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