Fight Breaks Out at Ricky’s on the River

by Ben BeEssen

Ricky’s on the River is a Valley staple, and it’s a very popular spot this time of year. People flock there to feast on crawfish, drink beer, and enjoy the awesome Valley and river vibes. They also have a popular crawfish eating contest each year that we’ve written about before. Things were going great this Tuesday night at Ricky’s until an out-of-towner showed up.

Witnesses said an out-of-towner that no one recognized came in around 5:45 pm, and he sat at the bar alone. About 5 minutes later, Billy Brawlar, an amateur MMA fighter, and his girlfriend, Kim Swift, walked in and sat by the gentlemen. They were seen having a little small talk with the out-of-towner, and everything seemed to be going fine. Things made a turn for the worst around 6:15. Brawlar was heard raising his voice, and the out-of-towner and Brawler stood up chest-to-chest. They could be overheard using some language you wouldn’t hear in Sunday School, and things got physical.

Brawlar said, “Look, I was trying to be nice to the guy. He told us he was from New York, and he was here on business. But, he was kind of a know-it-all. He kept talking about how great the Yankees are. He heard my girlfriend say crawfish a couple times, and he started correcting her telling her that they’re pronounced cray-fish. I told him that we don’t say that here. You may say that up in New York, but we say craw-fish down here.”

I talked to some Ricky’s employees including the bartender, and they said the guy was a bit of a jerk. One said that you could tell he thought he was a little haughty, and you could tell he was looking down on people in the restaurant. They said he just couldn’t understand why we love these crayfish.

Brawlar added, “What really did it was when he started making fun of me for saying y’all. In a fake southern drawl, he said, “Y’all hicks love these crawfish.” I couldn’t take anymore of his crap after that. I stood up and told him that he needed to go back where he came from, and I told him some other things that I can’t repeat too. He was a lot bigger than me, but he didn’t scare me. He pushed me first, and then it was on! I let him know what’s up!”

The sheriff’s department was called, and a couple deputies showed up soon after. Things had settled down by the time they’d arrived. The New Yorker left with a black eye and bloody lip before the deputies arrived. No charges were filed. As the New Yorker was leaving, the diners gave Brawlar a standing ovation for his efforts.

Folks, we’re serious about our crawfish here in The Valley. It’s not advisable to make fun of us Valleyans concerning our crawfish and our language. I’ll add you may not want to make fun of our college football or baseball either.