Rude Man Cuts Line, Then Stabs Scold

Details are scant on a stabbing at a Brooklyn senior center Sunday, but it merits mention as a cautionary tale for those who would confront line-cutters. According to the Post, 55-year-old Leroy Skette Sr. was displeased when 37-year-old Byron Bells cut the line at a fundraiser buffet at the Fort Greene Senior Citizens Council. But when Skette called him out, the cutter got stabby, throwing a cranberry-vodka drink in his elder's face, then allegedly slashing him with a knife. Skette needed 84 stitches on his face and neck! He tells the tabloid, "I thought he hit me. But I felt my hand, and there was blood." Other than that, the only other salient detail he remembers is "using the word 'manners.'" It's unclear whether Bells is still at large, so today might be a good day to just let civilization decline a little further.

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By John Del Signore in News on December 10, 2008 1:56 PM

Comments [rss]

Brooklynbobby

Let's guess the race of the line-cutter! I'll go first. Samoan. No? Damn.

Papercutninja, hysterical!!! But oh so true!!! Methinks they all have the line-cutter gene. They do it on the bus, in the subway, the store. You name it.

Snoopy

No description of the perp or victim?

Spirit of 76

What Future Taliban doesn't tell you is that the only time he does get into confrontations is when his opponent is a little, old lady using a walker. He always follows the golden rule: don't start a fight unless you're sure you can win.

virgil

Future Taliban,

it takes real creativity to equate a dust-up at a food buffet with bombing of Iraqi civilians. Unfortunately, it's hard to get people to realize what an incredible bad-ass you are when all they can see is a murky avatar and a silly name.

The Edge

I suspect FT and RatherBe hang out together a lot playing GTA4.

Think2wice

Moments like these make me wish I had moves like Beatrice Kiddo aka The Bride aka Black Mamba. Just to clusterfuck a stabby linecutter's day.

At least we know exactly who the attacker is. Hope the victim is okay.

CubanB

I can't abide line cutters, to me it's like standing in front of the subway doors when they open. If that means I get stabbed every once and a while...so be it.

millipede

Mdowning: The original post referred to the 55-year-old man as "elderly." The author kindly deleted that word after my comment.

Sorry to upset you for nothing.

Papercutninja

Let's guess the race of the line-cutter! I'll go first.

Samoan.

No? Damn.

Felix Hoenikker

4

AARP apparently counts those 50+

Trilby16

I have to speak up for line-jumpers at buffets... It is more than a little irritating when you are behind people who are examining every morsel set out before them and picking at things with tongs like they and you have all day. Put stuff on your plate and MOVE ALONG, people. Or else expect some line jumping.

Now there is rude line-jumping (like when you stab someone) and polite line-jumping. I practice the latter.

mdow

Shouldn't someone point out that it's nowhere implied that 55 means someone is a senior citizen?

This was at a benefit for senior citizens, and I suspect it was an all-ages show. I went to a benefit for firefighters a while back, and a majority of the people there had not put out a fire in his or her life--go figure.

FrankMartin

future taliban

being good at halo 3 doesn't count as being tough.

mdow

Um, since when does 37?

millipede

Vindication! I am well under 55, but I spend my days fighting the forces of ageism. Thanks, Mr. Del Signore.

John Del Signore

You're right, millipede.

millipede

Since when is 55 "elderly" to anyone but a 12-year-old?

Future Taliban

American Chicken-Shyts Advice 'Caution': seems like you people only have a pair when it comes to bombing innocent Iraqi children half a planet away but when someone cuts in line right in your face you prefer to shrink back into your turtle shells to hide.

Whenever *I* confront someone I'm always ready to go psycho & do a little stabbing myself if necessary. That's why nobody fvcks with me.

Kyle T

maybe we need a new coliseum... send these animals to fight tigers or polar bears. i'd pay to watch.

Rocknrope

I can't count on all my digits how many times I've bit my tongue when seeing someone cut a line I was on. Although it drives me up the wall not to say anything, this event is exactly the reason why I keep shtum.