Bully for You!

This is a re-post inspired by Dangerous Linda and a story she told, Underdog 2 Upperdog. It is a compelling story about Linda herself, but also a young girl who took her own life after relentless bullying. The subtext of the story also touches self worth, and finding the strength within to be yourself, heal and grow. It is not easy, but it is possible. I was inspired by Lindas' story. I hope you will read it and be inspired too. After posting this story I read a guest post on Bongo is Me. It is an deeply felt story from the perspective of a bullied child who was also a suicide survivor. This reading is not easy, but it is important!


School bullying is a hot topic in the news lately…as it should be. Creating unavoidable awareness of the problem and seriously putting it to end the best way possible is a very good idea.

To that end, I will tell you a bit about my experiences growing up. I was until mid-high school if not the biggest kid in my school, always big for my age. An advantage you might think…not so much. There were unlimited “smaller” people that saw beating up the big kid as a trophy. There were many who tried, but I have always detested violence and somehow managed in my entire life to have only been in two fights. Both fights started by an opponent; and both of them ending with that opponent having serious regrets about picking a fight with me. That’s all I will say about that. Most of the people who tried to pick on me were mouth-breathing Neanderthal morons and I was able to talk them out of the idea because I would use words and ideas they couldn’t even spell much less understand. I know I was lucky.

The first fight was with a little guy who wanted a trophy. I tried to talk him out of it but he had his eye on the prize and there was nowhere to go with it. Technically it wasn’t a fight because he took a swing at my face which I managed to duck and he planted his fist into the plate glass window of a bicycle shop and cut himself up pretty badly. I dragged him a block down the street to the Police Department who got him to the hospital for 30 some stitches and he never bothered me again.

The second fight was with a fella that was picking on a friend of mine essentially to steal the brand new bicycle my friend had gotten from his parents. I didn’t want to fight with him; I simply wanted to break up his attempt to steal the bike. He happened to be the son of our family dentist. The whole affair wound up with me sitting on his chest, my knees on his shoulders making him promise out loud to a small crowd that he would NEVER pick on anyone…ever again. He did.

Coincidentally I had an appointment with our dentist a week later. I protested with my father who had witnessed the fight but to no avail. With his hands and tools firmly planted in my mouth the dentist said, “I understand you had a fight with my son!” Desperately trying not to be put to death I exclaimed, “I idn’t ant who do it..he sharded it!” At that moment I was afraid the dentist would pull my tonsils out of my throat with hemostats and wrap them around the back of my head. He didn’t. He finished his exam and handed me a bag of candy saying, “I think you straightened him up a bit…and thank you.” I took the bag of candy [coming from a dentist] as a mixed message.

A third fight in my life never happened thanks to my big brother. My brother was always much larger than me and we were walking along a side street one day when one of the trophy seeking morons popped out trying to start a fight with me. I was told later that when he pushed me I started mumbling aloud, “Bad idea, bad idea.” My brother who was easily twice the size of the assailant put a hand on his shoulder and said, “This really is a bad idea. You see, my brother hasn’t taken his medication today…we have no idea what he is capable of…you see…frankly you wouldn’t be the first person he’s killed, and you might want to re-think this whole thing. Me…well I like to watch...and help hide the bodies!”.

The moron took a step back, blinked and moved on.

As a sidebar...the story my brother told the moron spread around and to this day no one has tried to pick on me...and if you will excuse me now...I have to take my medication...buwahahahaa...I mean...excuse me...bad idea...bad idea.

 I was lucky…many people aren’t. Funny stories with an important point. Visit End The Bullying  and support any effort to save lives and end bullying!

I’m just saying…and you should too!