Heroes and Bullies
Heroes and Bullies
by michael ploof on 11/13/12
Heroes and Bullies
When I was in second grade there was an alley behind my rural grade school. Every morning my friends and I would get off the bus and take that route into school. One day I noticed that two other 2nd graders were bullying kindergartners in the ally. One of the bullies was a huge kid for his age and had been held back a grade, to us he was like a high-school kid. The other bully was our size. No one said anything to the bullies that day, or the next, or the next. Finally I got four or five of my friends together and decided to do something about it. I held a top secret meeting next to my locker and recruited the help of my friends. The plan was to approach the bullies the next day in the alley and make them leave the little kids alone.
The next day we got off our respective buses and took the ally. The bullies were there as usual pushing around the terrified little kindergartners. I nodded to my friends and together we marched down the ally to confront the bullies.
"Hey!" I yelled.
The bullies looked my way.
"Leave those kids alone!"
The huge bully let go of the kid he had been teasing, the little kid scrammed.
"Who is gonna make us?" asked the normal sized bully.
"Me!" I answered defiantly.
The bullies both laughed. "Yeah. You and what army?"
I turned to point to my backup "These guys..."
They were gone. Not even walking away, just gone. I stood there astonished. They had all bailed out. I turned back to the bullies who were now fast approaching. The small one grabbed me from behind pinning my arms. I panicked and backpeddled as hard as I could. In my defense I inadvertently pinned the kid against the wall causing him to slam his head.
His buddy grabbed me by the jacket, slammed me down on the ground and punched me in the face.
When I woke up one of my not-so-there-for-me friends was kneeling over me crying.
I got up and proceeded to class and was soon called to the principals office. When I got the the room there were the two bullies. I had a seat and was asked by the principal what happened. I guess he asked me first because I was the only one in the room sporting a brand new giant shiner.
I told him my side of the story and the big bully started crying and blubbering like a baby. I was excused from the office and went back to class with a huge smile on my face to match my huge shiner.
I was only in second grade and 60 pounds if I was lucky, but I knew right from wrong, even then. Though I was small, what I did was heroic.
At times in my life I have done things that are less than heroic, in the quest to look "cool" I have been the bully. I have come to regret those times. To learn from them.
Within each of us there is a hero. One that knows right from wrong, and does what they know is right.
The world is full of unsung heroes. Those that face fear with courage. Those that sacrifice for others. They are the mothers and fathers, whose many deeds go unnoticed and unappreciated. The cancer patient fighting bravely against an unseen enemy. The soldiers that stand up and volunteer to fight, because they believe they should.
We all have a chance to be heroes. Both of my books Whill of Agora and The Sock Gnome Chronicles revolve around heroes. Whether you are small like my Sock Gnome hero Billy Coatbutton, or as powerful as my warrior Whill, it is not your size or strength that make you a hero, but your decisions and deeds.
Thank you. To all my heroes.
Michael Ploof
Authof of Whill of Agora and The Sock Gnome Chronicles
Www.whillofagora.com
by michael ploof on 11/13/12
Heroes and Bullies
When I was in second grade there was an alley behind my rural grade school. Every morning my friends and I would get off the bus and take that route into school. One day I noticed that two other 2nd graders were bullying kindergartners in the ally. One of the bullies was a huge kid for his age and had been held back a grade, to us he was like a high-school kid. The other bully was our size. No one said anything to the bullies that day, or the next, or the next. Finally I got four or five of my friends together and decided to do something about it. I held a top secret meeting next to my locker and recruited the help of my friends. The plan was to approach the bullies the next day in the alley and make them leave the little kids alone.
The next day we got off our respective buses and took the ally. The bullies were there as usual pushing around the terrified little kindergartners. I nodded to my friends and together we marched down the ally to confront the bullies.
"Hey!" I yelled.
The bullies looked my way.
"Leave those kids alone!"
The huge bully let go of the kid he had been teasing, the little kid scrammed.
"Who is gonna make us?" asked the normal sized bully.
"Me!" I answered defiantly.
The bullies both laughed. "Yeah. You and what army?"
I turned to point to my backup "These guys..."
They were gone. Not even walking away, just gone. I stood there astonished. They had all bailed out. I turned back to the bullies who were now fast approaching. The small one grabbed me from behind pinning my arms. I panicked and backpeddled as hard as I could. In my defense I inadvertently pinned the kid against the wall causing him to slam his head.
His buddy grabbed me by the jacket, slammed me down on the ground and punched me in the face.
When I woke up one of my not-so-there-for-me friends was kneeling over me crying.
I got up and proceeded to class and was soon called to the principals office. When I got the the room there were the two bullies. I had a seat and was asked by the principal what happened. I guess he asked me first because I was the only one in the room sporting a brand new giant shiner.
I told him my side of the story and the big bully started crying and blubbering like a baby. I was excused from the office and went back to class with a huge smile on my face to match my huge shiner.
I was only in second grade and 60 pounds if I was lucky, but I knew right from wrong, even then. Though I was small, what I did was heroic.
At times in my life I have done things that are less than heroic, in the quest to look "cool" I have been the bully. I have come to regret those times. To learn from them.
Within each of us there is a hero. One that knows right from wrong, and does what they know is right.
The world is full of unsung heroes. Those that face fear with courage. Those that sacrifice for others. They are the mothers and fathers, whose many deeds go unnoticed and unappreciated. The cancer patient fighting bravely against an unseen enemy. The soldiers that stand up and volunteer to fight, because they believe they should.
We all have a chance to be heroes. Both of my books Whill of Agora and The Sock Gnome Chronicles revolve around heroes. Whether you are small like my Sock Gnome hero Billy Coatbutton, or as powerful as my warrior Whill, it is not your size or strength that make you a hero, but your decisions and deeds.
Thank you. To all my heroes.
Michael Ploof
Authof of Whill of Agora and The Sock Gnome Chronicles
Www.whillofagora.com
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