Even though there is greater scrutiny towards bullies, it still seems to be rampant. I think we hope that kids will be less inclined to bully each other nowadays due to all the campaigns in schools to stamp it out. However we are definitely programmed to prey on the weak. It's something we have to unlearn as we grow up.
Bullying when I was in grade school was all about who could pound who and where you ranked in terms of toughness on the playground. This is a story I wrote about my first experience with a real bully. This story is true. I changed the names as always to protect the innocent.
Enjoy!
How I Became a Bully for a Day
By: Christopher Mackenzie Glover
His legs were moving as fast as they could over the hard sidewalk. He could feel his heart pounding in his ears. His lungs were trying to see what the world was like on the outside of his body.
“Don’t let him get away!” yelled the ever nearing voices behind him.
Chris was terrified. He was sure he was running for his life. If caught he would get pounded for sure. Grant Drake, better known as Drake the Snake, the most terrifying 11 year-old in the history of Ormond Drive was hot on his heels.
Chris tried to jump over a big puddle, but he fell short and got a big soaker to his left foot that slowed him down a bit.
Drake and his two evil sidekicks Randy ‘The Rat’ Rundle and the ugly kid who never washed himself and always smelled a little like dirty feet, had almost caught up to him.
He rounded the corner and was only a few steps from safety. His beating party was so close he could smell the ugly kid. He gave one final lunge and he made it onto his front lawn and bolted for his door panting like a dog.
He looked back to see the terrible trio standing on the sidewalk.
“We’ll get you next time Glover. Keep watching your back you wimp,” shouted Drake.
Chris watched the bullies leave through his front window. He had only been living there for a few months since January of 1982 when his parents got divorced. He was a little shy and he hadn’t made a lot of friends yet. Now the neighbourhood bully was getting on his case. He had never actually fought Drake but all the kids at school were scared to death of him.
The next few weeks Chris lived in fear. Every day he went to school as late as he could. He was even late for class a few times. Cautiously he scanned the playground to try and make sure Drake didn’t see him. He even hid behind trees, terrified to play with the other kids and make new friends.
Each day after school Chris got on his shoes quickly and sprinted home. He was getting in good shape, but he was very upset about how scared this bully was making him feel.
His mom noticed a change in him too.
“Chris, why don’t you go outside and play?” asked his mother one day. “You, you used to go outside all the time when we first moved here. Is there something wrong at school?”
“Nothing is wrong. I just don’t feel like going out.”
“Well you can’t stay in here all day. Go get your hockey net and go call on your new friend Jeff that lives down the street.”
“Aww mom, I don’t……”
His mom cut him off, “Get outside NOOOOWWWWWWWWW!!!”
Chris grabbed his stick and his net and headed down to Jeff’s house. He knocked on the door but Jeff’s mom told him that Jeff was at hockey practice. Chris then started off for home dragging his net and stick.
Then, there they were right in front of him on their bikes; Grant Drake and his evil cronies.
“Whatcha doing Glubber Blubber butt?” Drake asked with a sneer.
“Nothing,” was Chris’ weak reply as he checked out the scuff marks on his Kangaroo running shoes.
“No, you’re not doing nothing loser. You’re getting your face smashed by me right now.”
Chris had nowhere to run. Before he knew it Drake was running at him. Chris could stand and fight or do the biggest turtle impersonation of all time.
Chris put his arms up and locked hands with Drake. Before you could say, ‘Pac Man’ it was over.
Chris had twisted Drake down with one quick throw and was sitting squarely on his chest while he held his hands down. Drake tried to struggle, but Chris barely had to try to keep him down. He was a total weakling. He looked in Chris’ eyes with total fear. Randy the Rat and stinky poo smelling kid stood there with their mouths hanging open.
“I knew I could take you all this time,” lied Chris through his teeth. “I was just waiting for the right time to embarrass you in front of your friends. If you ever come around me again, I’ll knock you out, you little fart face.”
Drake got his on bike and rode away without saying a word.
Chris nearly tossed his cookies as they left, but he learned two big lessons that day.
Don’t judge a book by its’ cover and sometimes a dog’s bark is worse than his bite.
-------
Over the next several days the word spread that the new kid had taken down the hated Drake the Snake. Mainly because Chris was bragging about it and Drake was hiding in his house. The fear in the neighbourhood had lifted. Kids came out into the sunlight, ran free and reclaimed the local park. Angels sang and old women wept with joy. Okay, the stuff about the kids was true.
Chris was the new hero on the street. All the boys tried to be his friend and some of the girls wanted him to be their boyfriend. Chris was still scared to death of girls though.
He began to brag about how cool he was for defeating Grant Drake even more and was feeling good about himself. He was even acting tougher than he really was sometimes. Unfortunately 11 year-old kids are not very humble and never know when to quit while they’re ahead.
One day a few weeks later Chris was walking home from school by himself and accidently bumped into another kid not much bigger than him. The kid was walking home with his younger sister.
“Hey kid watch what you’re doing,” Chris replied in a snotty voice.
“Sorry man, it was an accident,” said the kid.
“Yeah, well if you do it again, I’m going to beat the crap out of you.”
“Oh yeah” the kid shot back as he stepped toward Chris.
Just then the kid’s little sister pulled on his arm, “Don’t Jason, let’s go home.”
“What, are you afraid that I’ll beat your brother up?” a cocky Chris replied.
“No, I don’t want him to hurt you,” she said.
“Yeah right! This little wimp couldn’t beat up my …………………………
KABOOM! SPLAT! THUMP! BAM!
Next thing Chris remembered was looking up at the sky and thinking that one of the clouds looked like his old pet rabbit Pinky.
That day Chris relearned the lesson about not judging a book by its’ cover and he learned three important new lessons.
1) Kleenex was also good for soaking up nose bleeds and not just boogers!
2) Concrete was not good for cushioning heads!
3) There was always somebody that was stronger than you, somewhere!
And that’s ‘How I Became a Bully for a Day.’
Actually it lasted for only for two minutes and never happened again.
The End
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