It’s a pretty old subject, so I’ll just say my piece and be done with it

I’ve spent my entire life, for better or worse, being (what I believe is) a nice guy.  It was never an act, I rarely felt like I was being a phony.  I just tried my best to get along with everybody, see their side of things, stand in their shoes. 

There have been a couple exceptions, I’d say the first was all the way back in eighth grade.  One day during fifth period in Mrs. Dascenzo’s class, we returned from lunch and another student (Terrie C) asked me if I’d show her how to draw a horse before our teacher returned. 

(I was known for drawing some, back then.)

After Terrie scooted her desk closer to mine and we began drawing, Jerry E sat down in the desk on my right and scooted closer from the opposite side.  He said “Hey… whatcha doin’” in a throaty sputter (probably from all the moist snuff he dipped, he always reeked of Skoal).

A shudder went thru me as I knew pain was probably forthcoming.  Jerry was bigger, mean & rotten (and I’ve just recently learned, 2 1/2 years older than me).  He should’ve been in high school or better yet reform school, not in my 8th grade class!

Anyway, I calmly said I was giving Terrie an art lesson and he said “Move your hand” and raised the lid of my desk.  He grabbed my wrist then, and while I struggled to pull away, held my hand midway inside then slammed the lid down HARD.  I saw white stars, and he said “Yeah now teach her to draw” and scooted away. 

I remember going to the school nurse (because it was the only time I ever did visit the school nurse) to see if any bones were broken.  When she asked what happened, I told her the truth but knew nothing would come of it; bullies went unpunished then, especially in redneck schools like mine.  My hand ached pretty badly for a couple hours, and I daydreamed some pretty awful revenge scenarios.

In the days that followed, I watched Jerry in gym & Metal Shop, usually as he terrorized someone else.  I’d study his ugly visage and wonder if he was the ‘missing link’ scientists theorized about, as he DID look & act like something between a Neanderthal and human and okay, this ‘standing in another person’s shoes’ was not working because he was clearly more monster than person, and I didn’t see him evolving anytime soon.

So I prayed daily instead for someone to come along and beat the crap out of him or run him over with their truck at least.

Anyway, that was a long time ago and I don’t know what became of Jerry, or care.  He either dropped out of school or was expelled, but he disappeared sometime in 11th grade.  (Maybe he jumped back in the primordial soup.)  I thought (more like hoped) I’d never feel this way about someone again, but darn it, I do.  And the sooner THIS one disappears—be it prison, Russia or with Jimmy Hoffa—the better.