Ring-Around-the-Collar
“What’s the view like from up there?”
I stiffened.
“I bet you’re already taller than your parents, huh?” He laughed, and the others echoed him. They reminded me of hyenas.
I was taller than my parents. At least, I was taller than my mom, and had been for the last year-and-a-half. I was taller than the teacher. I was the tallest girl in the whole school. The only person taller than me was Andy*, but he was weird. He wore tucked in t-shirts to school and was kind of a know-it-all in class. No one teased him for being tall.
I didn’t know why they teased me so much, just because I was different. My friendship with Kaylen, who was cute and well-liked at school, spared me from daily torment, but days like these when she was absent would end with me running away behind the main building in tears.
“Do you know what you look like?” Dean, always the ringleader, asked. “You look like a daddy-longlegs!”
I don’t know who first picked up the nickname in the crowd, but pretty soon everyone shouted along, “Yeah, she’s a daddy-longlegs! Daddy-longlegs!”
Dean of course was the loudest. A scrap of a little boy, he was popular because he was good at sports, wore No Fear t-shirts and all the girls agreed he was “cute.” I knew he couldn’t read very well and he always got C’s in math. He wasn’t cute to me.
In fact, as the laughing continued, my vision centered on him until he was all I could see. He looked like a weasel, with a narrow face and squinty eyes. The red inside me boiled like a kettle. Who did he think he was, picking on me? I was at least a foot and a half taller than him!
I guess the crowd saw the anger in my face, because by degrees the shouting stopped. Except for Dean, he still howled at his own joke, high-fiving his buddies and not really paying attention to me anymore.
That’s how I was able to grab him by his shirt collar and lift him clear off the ground.
Letting out what felt to me like a battle cry, I swung him around in a circle twice, then let go. He flew through the air in slow motion, his puny arms and legs flailing. He landed on the ground with a satisfying thud.
Everyone went silent. Dean scrambled to his feet, his eyes wide and his face bright red.
Then, everyone hummed with excitement.
“Did you see her lift him off the ground?”
“Oh my gosh, she actually threw him! He went flying!”
A few people chuckled, but this time their laughter was not directed at me. The crowd thinned out, and I guess he was too embarrassed to tell on me, because I never got in trouble.
No one at Fern Elementary ever teased me again after that day, either.
– – –
*Some names have been changed. I’ll let you guess which ones.
46 Comments
Enchanted Seashells, Confessions of a Tugboat Captain's Wife
As the shortest girl everywhere I go, even now, I am so jealous of you!
Enchanted Seashells, Confessions of a Tugboat Captain’s Wife recently posted…Male Menopause: How I’m Supporting My Midlife Husband
Natalie the Singingfool
Haha, it all evened out in a few years – I stopped growing, and a lot of them caught up with me. 🙂
Erin
I love this! When I was in school, I was teased for being too short. (Proof that kids are, if anything, fickle.) Finally, after being subjected to one too many insults, I got up and slapped one of my bullies across the face in the middle of math class. While my timing was a little inappropriate, he got the message and left me alone.
Erin recently posted…11 Reasons I’m Not As Smart As I Think I Am
Natalie the Singingfool
Conquering tormentors is the best thing a victim can do – it worked wonders for my self-esteem, lol.
Chris Plumb
Love the new site design; really professional.
Gotta love grade school. I just got offered a job at Fern Ridge Middle School. (How’s that for coincidence).
Those “No Fear” kids were always jerks.
Chris Plumb recently posted…Why So Angry? Oh, You’re A Youngish American.
Natalie the Singingfool
Thank you!
And that’s wonderful news! Congrats! Good luck with those “No Fear” kids – the t-shirts may be gone, but there will always be one or two of those kids.
Karen
Hahaha! I love your response. It was so confident. I bet all of the kids thought you were a total badass.
Karen recently posted…Chasing Rainbows
icescreammama
fantastic! i was right there with you in that school yeard. you go, wonder woman!!
icescreammama recently posted…My Call of Duty
Natalie the Singingfool
Pow! 🙂
Suzanne
Damn girl! You are my hero. What an awesome ending to your real-life story! Way to stand up for yourself — and I hope that Dean fellow learned his lesson.
Suzanne recently posted…Revolution
Natalie the Singingfool
He did. He actually became very nice to me, after that, lol.
zoe
THis reminds me of finding out my bf in college was the six foot son of little people. He had moved out after college and we went to their home one weekend. He didnt know they had gotten rid of all the traditionally sized furniture when he moved. He always said it was like going home to Barbie’s fun house. I love your story …there is nothing like a grammar school triumph story!
Natalie the Singingfool
Those are defining moments in life, definitely!
that cynking feeling
Wow! I didn’t have the guts (or physical strength) to stand up to those who picked up me.
that cynking feeling recently posted…Wordless Wednesday: Somebody’s gonna need a bath
Natalie the Singingfool
You know those stories where mothers lift cars to pull their babies out of danger? It was kind of like that – the wrath took over, lol.
Emily
Yup, I gotta say I used to be against fighting back, but when it comes to bullying, sometimes it’s the only way. You’ve got to be a bad-ass to stand up to a bully. Good for you!
Emily recently posted…A Tribute To My Mom: April 21,1938 – April 29, 2013
Natalie the Singingfool
I didn’t know any other way – also, I just got so angry it was like a fuse blowing.
Ericamos
Oh my gosh, this is the best story ever!! I’m so glad that little twerp got what was coming to him and that you didn’t get in trouble. So funny!
Ericamos recently posted…Cold Showers
Natalie the Singingfool
I still can’t believe I didn’t get in trouble – physical violence was a no-no, even in public schools in the 90’s.
TriGirl
Standing ovation with fierce clapping here!! I *never* had the courage to stand up to tormenters, not that I would have been able to do anything effective. But this made me feel good, that there was some redemption for some of us.
TriGirl recently posted…What Has Two Thumbs and Is Ready to Swim?
Natalie the Singingfool
Anger can be useful, after all – I was really the most timid child, most of the time.
Joe
That made me smile, probably because I was usually the smallest guy in my class, at least until high school when I finally reached the bottom 15th percentile.
Joe recently posted…Double Vision
Natalie the Singingfool
Bullying can be so random sometimes – tall, short, gangly, fat, doesn’t matter.
Jester Queen
YAHOO!! I was SO glad you stood up for yourself. I wanted to pick him up and throw him, too. He was probably jealous of your height, the jerk.
Jester Queen recently posted…The Girl Who Hated (almost) Everything
Natalie the Singingfool
That’s what my mom always told me. 😉 She, and you, were probably right!
mediumSuccess
Oh I so wish I was tall and strong like you in school. I could think of many people I had wanted to send flying. Sometimes you really have to take things in your own hand. I loved this post!
mediumSuccess recently posted…How I went from the L-word to Love.
Natalie the Singingfool
Thank you! I think I had to learn to stand up for myself – no adult intervention could’ve stopped the teasing.
N. Likes
Way to go! I did that once to my mother (!), without the throwing part. She really didn’t like it.
N. Likes recently posted…A paean
Natalie the Singingfool
Hah! No, I can see why she wouldn’t…
Gina
YOU GO GIRL!!! I, too, spent time at the “top” of my class so I know how you felt. You were brave for standing up and putting him in his place. He was envious of your good genes!
Gina recently posted…Yeah Write: My Body Was a College Final
Natalie the Singingfool
Funny, how just something so simple as genetics can cause someone so much torment…I bet he WAS envious, lol.
Samantha Brinn Merel
Yes! You are awesome! I can just see you tossing the bully to the ground. Fierce.
Samantha Brinn Merel recently posted…Note to Self: There Is No Such Thing As a Quick Trip to Home Depot
Natalie the Singingfool
I still can’t believe I did that, lol.
IASoupMama
Yes, yes, yes! You go, girl! I’m so proud of that child-you!
IASoupMama recently posted…Fiction: Inventing
Natalie the Singingfool
Aw, thank you. 🙂 I know so many kids who suffer so much from bullying, it kind of makes me wish they would get as angry as I did…
Cheryl Nicholl
Making fun of any girl that was tall was ALWAYS a mistake- she was the one with the long legs. Betcha we all wish we were you NOW.
Cheryl Nicholl recently posted…Purple Rain
Natalie the Singingfool
Everyone evens out, and I must say, I like being tall now and again…
S.J. Faerlind
Back in my day you did just what you did Natalie: you slugged a bully and they learned to leave you alone. These days things are different though. The teachers run anti-bullying campaigns in the schools but my kids still report getting picked on at recess occasionally. When I talk to them about it, they don’t even make the connection between what happens on the playground and what they learn in class. If they ever defended themselves they’d get suspended. I’m left scratching my head over how these anti-bullying campaigns are supposed to be better and more effective than the old system.
S.J. Faerlind recently posted…Stone by Stone
Natalie the Singingfool
They’re not. It’s a way grown-ups try to control everything, which doesn’t work. Sometimes, kids need to learn from experience. Not that I’m against anti-bullying policy, I think it’s important, but I’m in favor of a more integrative approach.
Jen
The little jerk had it coming! I never had the guts to stand up to being picked on, and just spent a lot of time alone instead. I wish I’d been more brave!
Jen recently posted…A Part of My Heritage
Natalie the Singingfool
I spent plenty of time in the years before that alone, reading at recess. I was tired of being scared all the time.
And yes, he did have it coming. 🙂
Michelle Longo
That is fantastic!!
Michelle Longo recently posted…Blocked.
Natalie the Singingfool
One of my moments of triumph! 🙂
Mary @ A Teachable Mom
Who knew you were so kick ass back then? I love the image of you picking him up by the collar – wow! That’s how it’s done then, huh? Great story!
Mary @ A Teachable Mom recently posted…Place Your Bets: The “L” Word
Natalie the Singingfool
I sure didn’t know, that’s for sure! 🙂
Celeste
It’s so weird the things that kids find to use against one another. I’m glad you stood up for yourself and that you didn’t have to run and cry after that.
Celeste recently posted…Week In Surfing: May 11, 2013