5:00 PM PST
One Friday came the fateful day that could be a matter of life and death for Martin McFly. The Martins were in the saloon, with Jennifer and Juniper, when a group of tough looking men ran in - and they ran up to Martin, who was ordering some raspberry cordial for himself and his friends.
'Take a look at what we have here,' sneered one of the men. 'I'd say he's the runt of the litter.'
'Take a look at that dawg ugly hat,' sneered another member of the gang.
'Just leave me alone, you big bufoons,' pleaded Martin, scared.
'Mighty strong words, runt!' sneered the gang leader. 'You're just some, duded-up, egg sucking, guttertrash.'
Marty then marched over, and yelled, 'You punks heard what he said. Leave him alone. He never did anything to any of you, so why do you feel the need to harass him like that? Are you just so insecure of yourself, that you feel the need to pick on other people, just to make yourself feel better?'
'Oh, look at that,' sneered one of the lackeys. 'There are two of them! It looks like we have another runt here.'
'Look here,' Marty said, quietly, 'I don't know what you guys want, but just leave us the bloody hell alone! We never did a bloody thing to any of you. Also, why don't you go pick on someone your own size - if you think you're such a tough dude?'
'Because where's the fun in that?' sneered one of the lackeys. 'Do you runts think we give a durn what you think of us? I bet you're not so tough yerself.'
'There are a lot of ways a person can have fun,' argued Martin, 'without it being at someone else's expence. I have been taught to love your neighbours as yourself - and to treat other people in the same manner as you would like to be treated. I try to like Jesus did.'
'We don't all have to live by your standards, Bible Boy,' sneered the gang leader.
'You would, if you want to go to heaven,' protested Martin. 'Jesus taught us to be kind to everyone - and to love one another.'
'Oh, yeah?' sneered one of the lackeys. 'well, look where that got him. That got him hung on the cross. So his so-called wisdom didn't do him any good, did it?'
'Jusus died for us,' Martin said, firmly. 'He died for our sins, because He loves us. He was not the weakling that you like to make Him out to be. Would you have a courage to die such an agonizing death on the cross? I highly doubt it.'
'He also did not pick fights with people weaker than Him just for the fun of it,' Marty added, nodding. 'He stood up for those whom it seemed that everyone else hated. He even taught us to turn the other cheek, and to love our enemies - which is why we refuse to fight with you punks. We refuse to lower ourselves to your level.'
'What's wrong, dudes?' sneered the gang leader. 'You yella?'
'No,' Marty said, defiantly. 'It's just that we have standards, unlike you. It has absolutely nothing to do with courage - and everything to do with wisdom.'
'Aye,' agreed Martin, 'We are upstanding, God fearing folks, unlike you. If you don't repent from your evil ways, you might end up in hell. You guys are the spawn of Satan.'
'Hey, quit yer preachin', runts,' the gang leader sneered. 'It ain't Sunday, ya know.'
Then Lester, the bartender, had enough - and he marched over to the gang. 'Hey, you dudes leave these fine young men alone.'
Lester then punched one of the men out. The Martins then helped Lester punch the men out.
'Hey, somebody go fetch the police,' Lester called out, to some of the old-timers - who were only more than happy to comply. 'Someone please fetch me some rope, so we can tie these men up.' Then one of the other patrons grabbed for the rope.
Lester and the Martinshad tied up the four gang members around a pole, and made sure that they were snug - so that they couldn't escape.
'Where these the men who were supposed to stab me with a knife?' Martin whispered to Marty.
Marty wasn't sure, although he guessed that they were. He figured that Bart Needles, at least, wasn't as bloodthirsty as these men appeared to be. 'They might have been,' replied Marty. 'I still wouldn't let my guard down, though.'
'Thank you for helping me stand up to them,' Martin said, blinking back tears. 'I mean, I was so scared that they might hurt me. I don't understand why they decided to pick on me.'
'I guess our height makes us an easy target fo the likes of those men,' Marty said, shrugging. 'They like to pick on people who are weaker than them. They like to act tough, but they really are not as tough as they like to think they are. I mean, why do you suppose we never see bullies without being accompanied with their lackeys?'
'I guess you have a point,' replied Martin, sighing. 'I reckon the police will take care of them, now, though.'
Then they walked back over to Jennifer and Juniper. Lester walked over to the quartet, and pured them huge glasses of cordial.
'Thank you, Lester,' the Martins said, simultaneously.
'This is great cordial,' remarked Juniper, taking a sip. 'Raspberry cordial is my absolute favourite drink.'
'I never drank cordial before,' said Jennifer. 'This is really delicious.'
'Are you sure it's not currant wine?' Marty asked, jokingly.
'You think Lester would give us the wrong kind of drink?' Juniper asked, laughing.
'Naaa, I'm just kidding around,' Marty said, winking at Jennifer.
'Let's head over to the Olson Candy Shoppe afterwards,' suggested Martin, 'and buy some more lemon drops.'
'Sure, that's a good idea,' agreed Marty. 'Maybe we can jump in the swimming hole for awhile, tonight. Then we can maybe take a little walk, and enjoy the scenery.
'I would love that, uh, Michael,' replied Jennifer. Juniper nodded her head in agreement.
Juniper than turned to Martin, and said, with admiration, 'I am so proud of you, Martin. You did a really good job of standing up to those thugs. Now they're in jail, right where they belong.'