Bullies

I was a eighth grade student at Grandview Jr. High in Hickory, NC when this other pupil decided to make me his play toy. He wasn't much taller than I was, maybe a couple of inches but he was built like a rock and I was this really thin kid. School was almost over for the year when he started school there. I never saw him after that year either so I am clueless as to whatever became of this kid.

I remember walking into Mr. Caldwell's class and saying hello to one of my friends. This guy just walked over to me, grabbed me by my shoulders and jammed his knee into my thigh. "That's a Charley horse" he said.

It hurt, really bad, really really bad."

I said nothing.

The next morning I came to class and as I started to take my seat, this same guy came over to me, grabbed my shoulders, and kicked me in my thigh.

It hurt as bad the second time as it did the first.

The third morning I came to class and when this guy walked over to me I knew what was coming. He grabbed my shoulders and as quickly as I could I shoved him backwards. He fell over one of the desks but didn't hit the floor. He reached out and grabbed my shirt in his left hand and while holding on tightly, he pulled his right arm back and made his right hand into a fist.

I brought my right leg up and caught his left thigh with my right knee. He doubled over in pain. "I'll meet you behind the gym after school" he said. "Unless you're a coward you'll be there."

I didn't think he would show. I was also hoping he wouldn't show but he was there and with about twenty other students. I don't know if they were there to support him or just to see him beat a little kid up but in any case they were all standing behind him. It would have been too embarrassing not to fight but my fear of being hurt badly made me almost swallow my pride and run home.

I handed my books to my friend and walked up to the bully. I just hoped he would quit hitting me before I was hurt too badly.

He stood there with his fist balled up. "I'm gonna kick your butt," he promised.

"Go ahead," I said.

"No, you hit me first" he shot back.

I did. As hard as I could hit anything or anyone.

He really wasn't expecting me to hit him. He thought I was going to play the game of "No, you hit me first" with him but I decided to get this fight started and over with. I honestly thought that first punch would be the only one I would get in during the fight. It was.

He turned and walked away from me, tears streaming down his face, while his supporters just stood there in shock. Slowly, without anyone uttering a word, the pupils who came to watch me get beat up hung their heads and walked away.

I never saw him again but I learned a valuable lesson from him that day.