--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I felt a strange tightness coming over…" description: "\"I felt a strange tightness coming over me, and I reacted instinctively – for the first time in a long, long while – by slipping my notebook into my bel..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04f/hunter-s-thompson-278_belts_i-felt-a-strange-tightness-coming-over-m_1652338.jpg" --- # I felt a strange tightness coming over me, and I reacted… ![“I felt a strange tightness coming over me, and I reacted instinctively – for the first time in a long, long while – by slipping my notebook into my belt and reaching down to take off my watch. The first thing to go in a street fight is your watch, and once you’ve lost a few, you develop a certain…” quote by Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04f/hunter-s-thompson-278_belts_i-felt-a-strange-tightness-coming-over-m_1652338.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04f/hunter-s-thompson-278_belts_i-felt-a-strange-tightness-coming-over-m_1652338.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04f/hunter-s-thompson-278_belts_i-felt-a-strange-tightness-coming-over-m_1652338.jpg) > “I felt a strange tightness coming over me, and I reacted instinctively – for the first time in a long, long while – by slipping my notebook into my belt and reaching down to take off my watch. The first thing to go in a street fight is your watch, and once you’ve lost a few, you develop a certain instinct that lets you know when it’s time to get the thing off your wrist and into a safe pocket.” [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. In dangerous situations, instinct drives you to protect valuable items, like a watch, by securing them quickly. **In simple terms:** Instinct tells you to hide valuables in crisis. Key Takeaway Act swiftly to safeguard essentials. Themes survival instinct risk management Mood cautious alert Type advice narrative When to use this quote - street altercations - travel safety - emergency preparedness - law enforcement encounters - adventure sports Key Concepts psychology self-preservation combat awareness Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards can replace instinctual actions? - When might preserving an item hinder safety? A Different Perspective Reliance on instinct can lead to impulsive decisions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belts/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Fighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighting/) [First time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-time/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instinct/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-long/) [Lost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost/) [Notebook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/notebook/) [Pockets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pockets/) [Reaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reaching/) [Reaching Watch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reaching-watch-668101/) [Reacted Instinctively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reacted-instinctively-668102/) [Safe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safe/) [Slipping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slipping/) [Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strange/) [Streets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/streets/) [Thing Wrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-wrist-668103/) [Tightness Coming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tightness-coming-668105/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Watches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watches/) [Wrist Safe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrist-safe-668104/) [Wrists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrists/) ## Related quotes > [Imagine if it happened to you: All of a sudden you find this thing on your wrist and people are telling you it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yancy-butler/imagine-if-it-happened-to-you-all-of-a-sudden-you-find-this-thing-on/) [Yancy Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yancy-butler/) > [“We can’t have all these people seeing that thing on your wrist, can we?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-day/we-can-t-have-all-these-people-seeing-that-thing-on-your-wrist-can-we/) [Kristen Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-day/) > [Piglet opened the letter box and climbed in. 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And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/there-is-a-reason-people-in-america-are-disappointed-and-restless-if/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [Why does pouring Oil on the Sea make it Clear and Calm? Is it that the winds, slipping the smooth oil, have no force,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/why-does-pouring-oil-on-the-sea-make-it-clear-and-calm-is-it-that-the/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Seriously, I think it is a grave fault in life that so much time is wasted in social matters, because it not only takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-larkin/seriously-i-think-it-is-a-grave-fault-in-life-that-so-much-time-is/) [Philip Larkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-larkin/) > [Losing is the bane and bugbear of every professional athlete's existence, but in baseball the monster seems to hang closer than in other sports,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-angell/losing-is-the-bane-and-bugbear-of-every-professional-athlete-s/) [Roger Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-angell/) > [You can't lose what you serve. That's the secret. What you serve, you can't lose. What you don't serve and what you try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/you-can-t-lose-what-you-serve-that-s-the-secret-what-you-serve-you/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [Go for broke. Always try and do too much. Dispense with safety nets. Take a deep breath before you begin talking. Aim for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/go-for-broke-always-try-and-do-too-much-dispense-with-safety-nets/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I feel domesticity just slipping off me. It is a choice. Either one can let it go or one can intensify it. The people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-townsend-warner/i-feel-domesticity-just-slipping-off-me-it-is-a-choice-either-one-can/) [Sylvia Townsend Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-townsend-warner/) > [A good movie can take you out of your dull funk and the hopelessness that so often goes with slipping into a theatre; a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-kael/a-good-movie-can-take-you-out-of-your-dull-funk-and-the-hopelessness/) [Pauline Kael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-kael/) > [Im a farmer. I always will be a farmer. When I die, Ill be a farmer. Its something that Ive wanted to do since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-tester/im-a-farmer-i-always-will-be-a-farmer-when-i-die-ill-be-a-farmer-its/) [Jon Tester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-tester/) > [She watched the prairies the rivers, the towns slipping past at an untouchable distance below - and she noted that the sense of detachment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/she-watched-the-prairies-the-rivers-the-towns-slipping-past-at-an/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) ## More by Hunter S. Thompson > [“There was also the fact that sending a penniless writer to get $135 worth of beer was — as Khrushchev said of Nixon —…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-was-also-the-fact-that-sending-a-penniless-writer-to-get-135/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“Cases of champagne and scotch lay broken in the street, and everyone I saw had a bottle. They were screaming and dancing, and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/cases-of-champagne-and-scotch-lay-broken-in-the-street-and-everyone-i/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [No music + Bad TV = Bad mood & no pages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/no-music-bad-tv-bad-mood-no-pages/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [By disgracing and degrading the presidency of the United States, by fleeing the White House like a diseased cur, Richard Nixon broke the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/by-disgracing-and-degrading-the-presidency-of-the-united-states-by/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [No one holds command over me. No man. No god. No Prince. What is a claim of age for ones who are immortal? What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/no-one-holds-command-over-me-no-man-no-god-no-prince-what-is-a-claim/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“The person who doesn't scatter the morning dew will not comb grey hairs”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/the-person-who-doesn-t-scatter-the-morning-dew-will-not-comb-grey/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Hope rises and dreams flicker and die. Love plans for tomorrow and loneliness thinks of yesterday. Life is beautiful and living is pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/hope-rises-and-dreams-flicker-and-die-love-plans-for-tomorrow-and/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [If we get chased out of Iraq with our tail between our legs, that will be the fifth consecutive Third-world country with no hint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/if-we-get-chased-out-of-iraq-with-our-tail-between-our-legs-that-will/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [At age 22 I set what I insist is an all-time record for distance hitchhiking in Bermuda shorts: 3,700 miles in three weeks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/at-age-22-i-set-what-i-insist-is-an-all-time-record-for-distance/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Paranoia is just another mask for ignorance. The truth, when you finally chase it down is almost always far worse than your darkest visions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/paranoia-is-just-another-mask-for-ignorance-the-truth-when-you/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“No doubt they all Got What Was Coming To Them. All those pathetically eager acid freaks who thought they could buy Peace and Understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/no-doubt-they-all-got-what-was-coming-to-them-all-those-pathetically/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“For several months they'd been drifting toward political involvement, but the picture was hazy and one of the most confusing elements was their geographical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/for-several-months-they-d-been-drifting-toward-political-involvement/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [He wandered into the Newsroom and asked for a job the same way he’d walk into a barbershop and ask for a haircut, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/he-wandered-into-the-newsroom-and-asked-for-a-job-the-same-way-he-d/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [There's no point in getting into politics at all unless you plan to lash things around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-s-no-point-in-getting-into-politics-at-all-unless-you-plan-to/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [There’s a lot of things wrong with this country, but one of the few things still right with it is that a man can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-s-a-lot-of-things-wrong-with-this-country-but-one-of-the-few/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) [Explore all 765 Hunter S. Thompson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) ## More Belts quotes > [In our society we have hard nerds and soft nerds. The hard nerds are the ones who used to have the slide rules at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-kay/in-our-society-we-have-hard-nerds-and-soft-nerds-the-hard-nerds-are/) [Alan Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-kay/) > [The tie's a multi purpose accessory, y'know, belt, school boy, Rambo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-fielding/the-tie-s-a-multi-purpose-accessory-y-know-belt-school-boy-rambo/) [Noel Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-fielding/) > [I find it frustrating when people wear belts with braces. That's an interesting one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olly-murs/i-find-it-frustrating-when-people-wear-belts-with-braces-that-s-an/) [Olly Murs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olly-murs/) > [A lot of the time, if I have samples, I can't tailor a sample. Or, I might have just bought something and I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-palermo/a-lot-of-the-time-if-i-have-samples-i-can-t-tailor-a-sample-or-i/) [Olivia Palermo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-palermo/) > [There's an expectation these days that novels - like any other consumer product - should be made on a production line, with one dropping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-tartt/there-s-an-expectation-these-days-that-novels-like-any-other-consumer/) [Donna Tartt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-tartt/) > [Yes?' Joe Solomon sounded like someone with far better things to do. 'Is there any homework?' she asked, and the class turned instantly from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/yes-joe-solomon-sounded-like-someone-with-far-better-things-to-do-is/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [What is golden is miles under your belt, miles, miles, miles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/what-is-golden-is-miles-under-your-belt-miles-miles-miles/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [I don't just want the belt, I want every one of their heads on a plate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-mcgregor/i-don-t-just-want-the-belt-i-want-every-one-of-their-heads-on-a-plate/) [Conor McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-mcgregor/) > [To pray only when in peril is to use safety belts only in heavy traffic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corrie-ten-boom/to-pray-only-when-in-peril-is-to-use-safety-belts-only-in-heavy/) [Corrie Ten Boom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corrie-ten-boom/) > [In his study of Atlanta over the last 60 years, Kevin Kruse convincingly describes the critical connections between race, Sun Belt suburbanization, the rise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-carter/in-his-study-of-atlanta-over-the-last-60-years-kevin-kruse/) [Dan Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-carter/) > [I have ten marathons under my belt, including four New York races and one Boston.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/i-have-ten-marathons-under-my-belt-including-four-new-york-races-and/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [Microsoft is still not a black belt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kutaragi/microsoft-is-still-not-a-black-belt/) [Ken Kutaragi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kutaragi/) > [It makes my skin crawl to think about the violent ways snakes, lizards, alligators and other exotic creatures are raised and killed for boots,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-brook/it-makes-my-skin-crawl-to-think-about-the-violent-ways-snakes-lizards/) [Kelly Brook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-brook/) > [Sorry,” he said. “Let me drop the belt-" “No.” She held on when he would have pulled away. “Don’t. I like it.” Again, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/sorry-he-said-let-me-drop-the-belt-no-she-held-on-when-he-would-have/) [Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/) > [How'd we come up with the robe? Was some guy just like, 'Hey, I've got an idea! Why don't we make a coat out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/how-d-we-come-up-with-the-robe-was-some-guy-just-like-hey-i-ve-got-an/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) [Browse all 497 Belts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belts/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I felt a strange tightness coming over me, and I reacted instinctively – for the first time in a long, long while – by slipping my notebook into my belt and reaching down to take off my watch. 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