Bullies

When I was in grade school there was a kid who I would label as a bully.  I only remember one incident with him however, so I base the label on that.  It was either 2nd or 3rd grade and I was standing up to him.  I don't even remember what he did but I can still picture us, face to face, in the hall.  It must have been during the lunch break because I had my lunch box in my hand.  It was one of those metal ones that all kids use to have.  So as I remember it, I was saying something like "Oh yeah, and what are you going to do?"  Kind of a challenge of some sort.  Actually, maybe I was the bully.  Anyway, he hit me.  Well he hit my lunch box that I was holding up in front of my face and it smack my forehead pretty hard.  I have no memory of what happened after that, if I went to the office or what.  Or maybe I was hit so hard I lost my memory.  What I do remember is that either that evening or the next, my sister went with me to this boy's house.  He lived about 10 houses down the street from us so we just walked on over to his house.  He answered the door and my sister told him not to hit my anymore.  At least that's what I think she told him.  Like I said, I don't remember it all (again the memory loss caused by the big egg sized knot on my forehead).  As we walked away I imagine I felt vindicated.  I still had the sore head but my sister was there to make sure it didn't happen again.

My sister was my protector.

I encountered another bully recently and wish my sister was here to be that protector again.  It is the position that only a sibling or a sibling-like person can have.   I could have come to her with my egg sized knot on my heart and she would have been upset that someone would do that to me.  My sister could have given him a good talking to.   She would say something about how he shouldn't mess with her sister ever again.  She would have stood up for me.   She would have fought my battle.  And I would feel vindicated (justified, made right, redeemed, delivered).

What I have learned about bullies is that they aren't just kids.  The world is full of adult bullies that cause much more hurt then the kid ones.  We need more protectors, people who will stand up for the injustice.  I want to be one of those people who will stand up to the bullies and set people free.