Go! Bark if you have to.
April 23rd, 2008 by Blue Collar Goddess
Children sitting in playground
Back in the days of running amok on the playground during recess, I was known as “The Dog”. Debby, The Dog; to be precise.
I was “that kid” that many of you will all remember. The one who was never picked for kickball, the one who wasn’t invited to the birthday parties and the one with the least Valentines.
The weird one? The one who never combed her hair, wore miss matched socks and the same outfit three days in a row? Yeah, that was me.
In defense of my classmates, I will heartily admit I was nuts. My mother was clearly out of her mind as well so she didn’t offer up much advice or care or … well, much of anything.
My “weirdness” followed me through grade school, Jr. High and into my sophomore year of High School. Something happened to me between 16 & 17 years of age, however; and suddenly I wasn’t on the outside looking in. My Senior year of High School was the best year of my life.
It wasn’t that I was one of the “popular” girls — but I was well liked. The torment was over.
From third to tenth grades, I was “the freak”. That’s nearly 8 years of dodging insults and worse. Some of those kids would follow me home when I was in grade school and they’d throw rocks at me!
Here’s the point, which kid were you? Were you the one tormented or tormenting? Why? Did you witness the horror or did you cause it? If you could change anything about it at all, now that you’re all *groan* up, wouldya?
And by the way, I’m not angry or hurt any longer. I view those years as giving me the strength of character to maintain what sanity I’ve got left. This isn’t a pity party — I’m 42 and I’ve got grown children of my own — life moves on. I’m just curious what others have to say about children and how cruel they can be to each other.
Do tell.
~woof!~
Hey Rufus…
Got to say I was the weird one…had the rocks, my arm broken, regular bullying, etc.. I was even used by one of the teachers who new my unpopularity as a punishment to the popular kids… If you dont behave you’ll have to sit next too…. can you imagine….
It wasnt until year8/9, thrid form High school that things changed…. people would say your weird or call me freak and I would say thankyou…
some one would try bully me, I would take it.. stand there… and when they finished tell them thank you…. after a while they would ask what for to which I replied for proving I am a better than you… after a while it stopped…. even to the point where I had the popular girls talking to me…. which I ignored….
I had good friends all the girls who suffered like me there was 5 of us… we would sit together… after a while they started to stand up for themselves too…
I had my arm broken, then rebroken..
my knee dislocated,
teasing, bashing and the general name calling etc…
The kids I could handle it was the teachers and other parents general lack of concern and discipline when they saw it that really hurt….my mum would do what she could but it didnt help even made things worse at times…..
These days though Karma got most of them… most were the rich and upper class kids and I was certainly not, the ones expected to be dr’s, lawyers etc… most ended up pregnant, on drugs, gay, or died… so I am extremely glad they didnt like me….
aussiecynic’s last blog post..Anzac’s, The birth of a nation.
My goodness Aussie! Between you and Rufus I can’t imagine how you managed to leave childhood behind without major emotional scars.
So am I right in thinking that being bullied in childhood means new age hippyness in adulthood, wonder what you become in the afterlife? Let me check my chakras - b0llqcks!
AC, is being gay something that you see as being bad? Sounds like you and the fundamentalist religious nutters have something in common. Should they be put to death or just be exiled in their own reservation, a bit like the Ozzie Abos?
And what is wrong with being pregnant?
What the blazes are you on about bread….
or what are on?
Have no problem with gays..
where the heck did that come from…
you have no idea matey…
They actually threw rocks at you? That’s some pretty horrible s***. I always thought I was kind of unpopular in school, had a thing for courdoroy, strips and wearing sweaters in warm weather and my hair always looked unkempt, it still does :), but no one ever physically attacked me. Now a days I think they’d call that aggresive bullying and send both sides to professional therapy for a few years.
See when I was at school, everyone used to call me a short, fat, poofter they did!
So no change there then Elt, ahem! Welcome back luv…
Rufus - Bon Courage for posting this - Jim here..
Honestly?I was one of those restless ‘ just kidding’ kids who used to tease (without realising any long lasting effects on the recipients) and be pulled apart from others in the classroom….not in the physical bully sense but trying to see the lighter side all the time….pretty much like I do now but without the mockery :0)
I wasn’t known for my size and was called skinny, skinbod, Cambodian and on occasion the heavy weight champion of Belsan - what a ‘problem’ that would be to have now as metabolism slows - hee heee! During my teens I had a real issue being asked to speak in public and read out loud - I used to hesitate and really struggle to get my words out….now I love public speaking and giving presentations and have the other issue - often talking too much….
I got back and gave out pretty equal amounts but it always ended in fun - even with the teachers!
All part of the journey……who knows what’s next but ALWAYS keep on smiling…even if it’s trapped wind.
Hello - What a great post! I was the one who always provided that “bridge” between the tormented, geeky, awkward, unpopular and misunderstood classmate and the so-called “cool kids”. I was never much a part of the popular group, either, though. I was well-liked. I was very social. I guess I had a lot of courage because I wasn’t afraid to make friends with whoever. I could make friends easily and it seems like I was always paling around with the new kid. Like I said, I provided that bridge and I probably made a few kids’ lives easier. One thing that effected me a great deal was my little brother. He was awkward, weird, strange and not accepted. I always felt bad for him because I was a social butterfly. More than a few times I excluded him, and I still feel bad about that to this very day. But mostly I stood up for him and tried to protect him.
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HUZZAH to the “Bridge Builders” of the whirled. In retrospect, I think it WAS someone very much like you who stepped into my life and created that bridge for me.
So … thank you!
———
In regards to little brothers, well … you get a “Go!” card, because EVEN IF he were the most popular and amazing young man on the block, you still get to torment him a wee bit. He’s kin! ::grins::
Rufus’s last blog post..I’m not fucked up, I’m just complicated.