Hey All, I know that many of us participated in athletics in school. In our home that was another thing that was not permitted............we could get hurt and we had no insurance. I had asked Mom............Dad was on the road as usual.
I frequently walked or ran home from school if the weather was nice. I would make it running almost as fast the bus route would take. Mr Wood was a coach and had asked me if I would like to participate in Track or Cross Country. Of course I knew that I wouldn't be allowed to.....................just as I was denied permission to play football.
I was a senior and would walk the long hallway along the parking lot on my way out of the building to run home. If it was too cold or bad weather, members of Track or XCountry could be seen running the halls after school let out....................this led to my introduction to the Track Star. I would walk along the wall and he would clip me from behind with his shoulder as he ran by, but never said a word or stopped. I usually was lost in thought and at first just thought it was accidental......................I'm a slow learner. After this occurred a few times, I finally got a good look at this guy and then paid better attention so as not to be caught off guard again, except from behind. I still didn't know who he was. It turned out that we shared a lunch period together and I inquired with a few friends to discover his identity. Mark was junior, someone I had never noticed, talked to or interacted in any way...........a complete stranger.
I would glance around the lunch room and find Mark staring at me. I tried to understand what I had done to this guy to attract his unwanted attention...............I had enough trouble to deal with when I got home everyday. Once he realized that I recognized him as the Track Star, he became openly hostile and aggressive with threatening comments. I tried to go about my business and ignore him.......................but he wasn't going to let that happen. He was physically more muscular than I was at the time and maybe he had something to prove.
I stood at the corner outside of the library after the last bell rang. I was going fishing with my friend Joe this afternoon as it was a gorgeous day. We agreed to meet here and take off to our spot and I tried to look through the crowd for Joe.........................when I heard my name called. Before I could turn in the the direction from which the voice spoke.....................a hard blow landed on my jaw from my left. It took me a few seconds to recover and when I did, there was Mark, his fists clenched, dancing like he was "Rocky" and challenging me to fight. Mt temper flared and all I felt was rage..................I followed him into the near empty library and I was very close to making a bad decision. I was able to get control of myself and then shouted at him.......................I told him he was a coward. That he felt safe hitting me from behind, when I was looking the other way, always the "sucker punch" with this guy. Instead of fighting him, I told him I was going to the front office. His punch had caused a chipped tooth and as I have said, we had no insurance. My tooth is still chipped, but the following conversations with the principal ended Marks' obsession for me.
Graduation came and went as did Arny basic training. I went back to visit the ladies of the high school library that very next year.........................as fate would have it, Mark was in the library. He seemed nervous and spoke to me about my military training, particularly hand to hand combat training. I suddenly realized that he was afraid. He was no longer bigger than I was and I had military training..............he thought I was going to come after him. Suddenly, I felt sorry for him.................for I was well versed in fear. I informed him that I had no interest in him and that I had nothing to prove, to him or anybody else. I told him that he was wrong for his what he had done...................... that he was just a bully, a real man meets another one, face to face. The relief could be read on his face and heard in his voice.............................he even apologized.
Why me? Was it the color of my eyes or the way I walked? Something had drawn attention to make me a target. What about me says, "I'm vulnerable"? How can I change this? How do I protect myself? What's wrong with me? That's quite a few questions and the answer is the same for all of them. Nothing. The problem is not you. It's not something about you or because of you.....................it's something inside the bully. What makes a person enjoy hurting others for sport? I wonder who hurt them. What causes them to be so insecure that they have this unfulfilled need to prove to themselves that they are some how better than someone else............by embarrassment, ridicule and physical harm? Those answers are as individual as the bully.
Just because you have authority, money or a physically stronger presence.......................doesn't give you the right to use it as a weapon on another human being. If anything, it's the other way around. You should have the strength of morality and character to use your assets to lift those up who have fallen and need a hand..........................or a kind word. It won't hurt....................I promise.
Until the next time.....................................God Bless.
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