bullies...



Keaton has encountered the first bully of the school year. It is not personal, this kid is an equal opportunity bully. He stood up for himself and since this seems to be a chosen lifestyle for this kid, his number will soon be called.

Bullies have been around forever and will always be. They are there when you are in fourth grade or 56 th grade. They come in all shapes and sizes. There are bullies who when grown up, still physically push people around but most go on to a more verbal type of attack.

Mr and Mrs Loudmouth are people we all wish to avoid. Sometimes that is possible and sometimes it is not. The truth is we all have the option to stand up to bullies but it seems a more likely option when we are adults.

Recently I had such an option. The bullying had been long time coming, I had let alot slide. When it came time to make a choice, I did and I carried it through. I was firm but fair. The bully was caught off guard. There was an attempt to make amends but I pushed for the whole banana and got it. It was still fair. I imagine it may happen again but now we each know that it won't be one-sided. This isn't the playground of our youth and I will fight back.

So will Keaton. Because of his experience last year, he recognized the bully right away. As the bully wrapped his arms around Keaton's neck, he grabbed said arms and broke them away. Whether big or little, we will have to live with them.

Those who badger and intimidate win, when we let them. I would imagine that we have all been a bully of some degree, at one time or another. Nothing we are proud of and hopefully if you ever encounter one and you do fight back, their lives may be changed. We can only hope...