(1955) In the sixth grade, I was bullied. There were these older Uptown Kids (Todd and friends) that would constantly harass me. I tried to get them to stop, to leave me alone. But instead of getting better it got worse.
One day after school I was walking home and they decided to follow me. I was confused, Uptowns never came to the east side. Either way, I didn't think anything of it because they were probably here to do some stupid Uptown thing. I got suspicious as they started to take every turn that I took, and they seemed to pick up their pace and were slowly gaining on me. As I turned onto my street I started to run, and they started to run too. I knew that I could never outrun them, but I only had a little ways to go until I was home.
As I neared my house I could see my little brother Peter looking through the window and waiting for me to get home, this made me run even faster. The final steps up onto my front porch seemed like they were a mile. But when I got onto my porch and turned around, the Uptowns were nowhere to be seen. When I walked inside the house Peter greeted me with a loud scream and a hug, I was glad to finally be home.
The next day at school I did not see Todd and his friends so I did not have to worry about anyone tripping me in the middle of the hallway or hitting my books out of my hands. It was the first day of school that I had actually enjoyed in a very long time.
As I was walking home from school I did not have to worry about hiding any more bruises that I had gotten during the day, But I should have known it was too good to be true.
I first saw Todd’s friend walking down the street opposite me, as soon as he saw me looking at him he looked away and stopped walking. I was still looking at him as I ran right into Todd’s other friend, I bounced right off him. As soon as I saw who the person was that I had bumped I knew that something was up. He tried to grab me but I slipped away and sprinted off in the other direction. Then I saw Todd, and he started chasing me too. Luckily, I knew where I was so I could take shortcuts, they soon disappeared from sight. I turned into an alley to catch my breath. Then, the light disappeared from the alleyway. Todd and his friends had found me.
“Nowhere to go little Eddy,” Todd said. This got a little snicker from his friends.
The truth was that I was stuck and had nowhere to go. They started walking towards me and I started walking backward, soon my back hit the wall. I started to cry because I knew what was going to happen. Tod pulled something out of his pocket but it was blurry because of the tears in my eyes, It looks like something that you put on your knuckles.
The first blow hit me right in the stomach, I doubled over and they started to kick me. I covered my face and scrunched in a ball but they kicked and kicked until I could not even cover my face anymore. I hazily saw them walking out of the alleyway laughing. They just left me there all bloody and moaning in pain.
I woke up in a hospital bed with three broken ribs and a fractured collarbone. Peter was by my bed and looked happy to see that I was awake, the smile soon left his face when he saw how much it hurt me when I tried to move. I vowed to never let this happen again.
(1959)Four years later, and I am now sixteen years old. I am almost fully grown and have put on muscle playing football and working out. I never will forget the day that I was almost beat to death in that alleyway. Every time I work out or play football I do it so things like that never happen to me again. At this time Todd was the leader of the local Uptowns and I have commanded the respect of the local Downtown Kids.
The Uptown Kids and Downtown Kids never really get along, there are lots of fights called “Rumbles” between the two gangs. I personally have never been a part of the fights that happen between the two gangs, even though I am one of the biggest guys in the gang; but, I have never really “full on” fought anyone in my life. I am saving it for Todd.
One day I saw Todd and his rich Uptown friends driving by in their expensive clothes and their expensive cars. I ran up to the car and called to Todd.
“Hey, remember me Todd?” I said.
A look of recognition went across Todd's face, and maybe a hint of intimidation. “Yeah” Todd replied casually, “You’re that kid that we played with in the alley.”
“You did not play with me I said angrily,” “You beat me to a pulp and left me there to die.”
Todd just laughed at this.
“Meet me,” I said, “Meet me on Friday at the park and we can settle this once and for all.”
It was Thursday evening and I was nervous but excited. I had never been in a fight before, that night I got about three hours of sleep. When I woke up the other members of the gang plus Peter and my youngest brother Gary were ready to go.
“Stay,” I said. I have to do this alone.
They all protested but it was just something I had to do by myself.
By noon I was out the door and on my way to the park I was practically bouncing up and down by the time I got to the park. As I got to the park I saw Todd arriving too.
We walked up to each other and he started talking.
“Look who it is,” he said, “I'm surprised you showed up.”
“Do you really think that I would pass up the chance to beat the crap out of you,” I replied.
“You come here thinking that this will be different than before?” He asked.
“Yes,” I replied, “I've been waiting for this moment for Four years.”
“Bring it on kid,” He replied
The beginning of the fight was just us circling around each other throwing weak punches that we both knew weren't going to connect. Then Todd landed a punch, Not a very powerful one, but one that was just enough to startle me.
“You like that,” he said.
I said nothing but kept my hands up. He was getting cocky. I was waiting for the perfect time to strike
At last, he threw a sloppy punch and I hit him with a big uppercut to the chin. He instantly fell to the ground. I wanted to start kicking him but I couldn't bring myself to do it, I couldn't lower myself down to his level.
When I walked into the house and the guys started cheering, I really felt a sense of victory. I had proven that I could defend myself and that I was a better person.