“Hey CHUBBY!” Mean words follow me down the street. They growl and grind their teeth. Then like a leopard the bite of them chew on my arm. They reach for my throat. I am choking.
“Away!” I say, and they do, for now, until the next time.
I run and run. To the tree that hides me from those calls. Cars race by. They do not hear my heart. It hammers, and hammers like a happy jackhammer on the asphalt. People stop to watch sometimes.
If only it could be like that for me. Not to be called names, not to be chased. And to have people look at someone else.
I want to be like a thin slice of bread. A piece of paper that goes unnoticed. Simply flying by with the wind, chasing not being chased. That’s me, just me.
“Hey STUPID” melts my bones. “Look at the huge feet. Hey Sasquatch Feet” they say. These words are not songs of joy. They utter disdain. They send signals of discontent. They want to change me. I run. I want to be only me.
Today is a cloud of memory. Pictures from my shortcomings dance in my mind. Their names paint images like graffiti. All see my shame, like a stain on my shirt.
“Why? Why?” I ask in a voice that creeps along the sidewalk. It returns coming through morning mist, like a lion, skulking at first then bounding towards me. I must run. But wait. This is only one more terror, one more opportunity to shrug my shoulders and give up.
I must change. I must. To no longer streak from conflict is my prayer.
Somehow a smile reaches far inside my chest. It massages my heart. It is soothing. I know cats purr from contentment. Is this the way I should be?
Anger flees from my brow. Those names drift away like leaves tumbling to the ground. I stomp on you dire consequences of my cowardice. “Go, with haste!” is my command.
I am no longer afraid. No, I must not run, nor worry about chubby cheeks.
After all, I am only eight years old. And I wish to continue being little ole me.
* * *
(c) Richard & Esther Provencher
Co-authors Richard and Esther Provencher invite you to view their newest novel SOMEONE’S SON written during Richard’s recovery from a stroke, which gob-smacked him in 1999. It is a Young Adult novel dealing with a family crisis. http://www.synergebooks.com/ebook_someonesson.html
Comments
Richard L. Prov... | January 12, 2008 - 04:25
When my wife, Esther and I, went to elementary schools to read stories, we made sure we always read one (I have several) about bullies. Too often in the past this subject was taboo to speak about in the classrooms, and teachers would come up to us and say, "Good for you to bring up the subject, since we can't talk about it, with the students." And that was just back in 1998. Amazing. Thankfully, it is now openly being dealt with. My story is a different approach to this sad situation. I too was a victim of bullies from grade one to seven way back in the 50's, and it has gotten much worse in our schools since then. Let's work with our children and teachers to stamp out the word "bully." (R&E)