Bullies

I've never been one but I have had my experience with a few of them. Bobby Harwell was the first. He, for some reason, didn't like my older brother and always picked on him. My brother took it for five years but one day, at my urging, struck back and beat Bobby's butt but good.

My first experience on a personal level came when I was in the eighth grade. I can't even remember the jerks name but he was an athletically built guy rippling in the muscle department. For some reason he thought I was put on this earth for him to pick one. The trouble is, I fight back.

There is no truth to the myth that bullies back down when confronted by a person who stands up to them. And losing a fight with one only encourages them so if you choose to go this route, you had better win.

One morning I walked into the classroom and before I had the chance to take my seat, he kneed me in the side of my leg which hurt like hell and gave me what we called a Charlie Horse. he wasn't expecting my reaction-I punched him in the nose. he told me he would meet me after school behind the gym.

Unfortunately he was there and so was a crowd of students, or pupils I guess as one properly calls eighth graders. I really didn't want to fight the guy as he was bigger and stronger than I was and my leg still hurt. Faced with the humiliation of back down and the propects of forever being faced with his torments, I faced my bully.

Back then there was a code to fighting and that code dictated that the one who wanted the fight throw the first punch. The chanlleged person could also claim innocence by saying, truthfully so, "he starteed it". But I surveyed the guy in front of me and judging from his muscle tone and size compared to my own, I figutred if he struck first he may have just struck last. At least, I knew it was going to hurt a lot. So, with balled up fists, he challenged me with "you hit me first."

It is tradition that I respond in kind and then allowed him the first hit. I don't hold much with tradition. I landed a good punch and the surprise in his eyes were quite evident. Yes, he hit me too and it hurt ever bit as much as I thought it would. I knew if he hit me again I would not be able to stand and fight but I just didn't want to face the consequences of what losing would mean. it wasn't only the thoughts of being picked on one a daily bases but knowing thatI would be looked at and talked about as the guy who got his butt beat at the big fight.

NBo, I said to myself, that isn't going to happen. I picked my spot, grabbed the guy by the shoulders and kneed him in his thigh just like he did me that morning. He was effectively crippled.

I waited for him pick himself up off the ground so I could hit him again. He crawled away from me on his hands and knees before standing. He turned to face me with tears rolling down his face. I took a sterp towards him and he turned away from me and hobbled off as quickly as he could.

He never came back to school.

I don't recommend handling builles that way.

Teachers and school administractors should take such things seriously.

A better way to handle bullies on a personal level is to put them in a no win situation, like the time a young punk threaten to beat me up. He was twenty some years my junior, 6 inches taller, and much stronger. I gave him a choice of two different scenarios-one in which he beat up a little of man and the other in which he got beat up. In both cases, he ended up in jail and the police were on the way.

He finally decided it was in his best interests to leave me alone.

Once, when I was a seafood manager, I had a young punk brag that he could cut meat better and faster than I could. maybe he was jealous because his Dad, whom he worked for, had needed some help and asked me to fill in one day. He called me up and said that I did an excellent job and his department had not looked that good in a long time. Whether his son was jealous or not, I don't know. I had never formerly met the young man. I just knew he was cocky.

I told the fellow that if we had a cutting contest and he won, the he could only brag about out cutting an old seafood manager and if he lost, he would be too embarrassed to come back to work. He dropped the challenge and the attitude. I took away his reward.