The little guy

When people look at me today, they see a 6'5" giant of a man.  Confident, strong, and the life of the party. When I was a kid, that wasn't so much the case.  Heck, when I was a kid, I got beaten up all the time (which was probably why I eventually got into law).

I remember this one group.  They thought they were the cock of the walk and would shake kids down for their lunch money. No kid dared to tattle on them because, as we learn from television and government in general, people who tattle end up wearing cement shoes.  So, the rein of terror continued.  

One day, I was playing marbles with a friend and this group of thugs came over and started pushing him around. Honestly, I don't know what came over me because I stepped my 60 pound, 4 foot nothing frame between the bully and my friend and told them to push off.  

You'd have thought an atomic bomb went off because the entire playground froze.  Kids hundreds of yards away felt a disturbance in the force. Teachers stopped smoking in the lounge.  Heck, even the janitor (who always hid in his cubby) came out to see why everyone suddenly went silent.

Electricity in the air, bully declared that I was dead, demanded I meet him after school, and the group left.  My friend patted me on the back and asked if he could have my bag of marbles (presuming that I would be dead by morning). 

Suffice it to say, I did not keep my appointment with death/destiny.  No, I did not.  

Instead, I did the one thing I knew would guarantee my demise - I tattled to the front office and told my parents what was going to happen to me when I got to school the next day. To my utter amazement, within a week the bully was transferred out of school and the whole group got suspended.

Huh!  I was sure I was dead meat.  Turns out when you appeal to a higher power, sometimes things turn out for the better.  These days, when people tell me their kid is looking at dealing with bullies on the playground, I suggest they look at

• Education Law (Lexis)
• The Rights of Students: the basic ACLU guide to student rights (ACLU)
• California School Rules: a school-smart parent's guide to advocating for your child (School Wise Press)

True, I eventually did get my face smeared on the asphalt weeks later when the bullies caught up to me.  No good deed goes unpunished, right?  

In any event, when next you are facing down your bully of the day/week/year, know that your local county law Librarian is around to watch your six. We'll be here to help you pick-up your marbles and get on with life.