Getting Even
A repost as I consolidate my many publications (I had two by mistake, substack is confusing...)
I am a sensitive adult, so of course I was a sensitive child. I was overweight by the time I was 8 and that was fodder for the bullies in our school, especially when I reached my teens. I was bullied and taunted by both male and female bullies.
One female bully was Keitha — poor thing, she was as homely and manly as her name. She was built like a tank— square, squat, solid. One of her bullied emissaries came to me to inform me that “Keitha wants to fight you.” I had no intention of fighting her or anyone and I fled home to escape her.
A group of older girls started calling me “Pig Perry” (my maiden name was Perry) and then snorting at me like a pig. This was bad enough but if they did it when my friends were around I wished I could fall off the face of the earth.
I wouldn’t fight them, but I was mouthy. Once a girl who was rumored to be fast with the boys said to me, “Perry, you have a fat ass.” I immediately quipped, “Maybe, but at least mine is private property,” and man, I hightailed it out of there as fast as I could.
A boy named Wayne jumped on the “Pig Perry” bandwagon. He would hoot and holler the horrible name while snorting and oinking away at me and it made me miserable and embarrassed.
I was with several of my friends once, when we decided to go the town bowling alley. It was tiny, maybe 6 lanes, and it also had a pool table as you entered.
As we approached the front window of the bowling alley, I could see inside where the dreaded Wayne was playing pool with some guys. My heart dropped into my stomach. I felt like I was walking into a trap and I couldn’t think of any way out of it.
We entered and as quick as I could, I rushed up to Wayne and pinched both his cheeks with my hands, then kissed him on one cheek and declared, “Wayne! I am SO GLAD to see you!!”
He had a look of astonishment on his face and he couldn’t seem to utter a word. I walked past him like it was all the most normal thing in the world to me.
The next time I saw him in school, however, he did utter some words. He said….. “Hi, Nancy.” And that’s all he said. He never teased me again.
Even now it makes me smile.