THE WOE'S OF CHILDHOOD BULLYING.

Peter just arrived from work. It is seven in the evening. The weather is quite pleasant. He looks tired, sweat trickling down his cheeks. It is quite hot outside. His wife Julie gets him a glass of water. Peter looks around than in a tired voice enquirers about his son. " Julie dear, were is George. I can't see him? Usually when I arrive he is waiting for me eagerly. Is everything fine with him?" 

The wife thought for a bit, than she frowned and said, " Really he was so excited after he came back from school. He said that his best friend was having a big birthday party on the weekend. He was so excited because it was going to be a sleepover party and that he would enjoy all night and come home in the morning. He than called his friend, spoke to him and than went to his room. After that he has not come out."

This really got Peter worried. It was not like his son had to greet him everyday. But George was not the type of kid that would sit in one place for a long time. Something was not right he felt it deep in his gut.

Peter in a worried state went to his sons room. He knocked on the door. A bleek sobbing voice yelled back, " Go away I don't want to talk to anyone. I want to be alone." Hearing these words at first Peter thought that it was best to give his son some space. He said his son in a loud voice so that George could here through the door, " Son come out and meet me. I'll wait for you in the hall for five minutes, if you don't come out I'll come in without knocking." Saying this he went and sat on the sofa waiting for his son. 

Peter was getting restless. He waited for six minutes. After that he marched to his sons room and walked right inside. He saw his son sobbing so hard that wrenched his heart. He went to his son and first tried to calm him down. He gave him a big warm hug and patted him on his head and back. This made George a litter calm. His sobbing also reduced a lot.

Now the mom Julie also came into the room. She had to know what happened to her precious son. When he was so excited, what got him so upset that he couldn't stop crying. She asked him with a gentle and loving voice, " Beta what is wrong, why are you so sad and upset? You were so excited when you came back to school."

Now George started feeling sorry for himself and said in a sad and crying tone, " Nobody likes me. They all make fun of me. And by the way I'm not invited to Dharma's birthday party. And this is all because I were glasses and I'm so clumsy. He doesn't want his parents to know that he is best friends with a clutz like me." Saying this he started to cry again.

Now that Peter knew the problem he just pacified his sobbing son, than made him go to sleep. He than covered him with a blanket and went to the hall. After thinking for some time he called up his supervisor and asked for one day leave. Being with his son was the most important, when he was so venerable. 

The next morning Peter got up in a fit. He was not able to sleep properly the whole night. He had gone back and forth from his bedroom to his sons bedroom. His wife Julie was restless too. The first thing Peter did was, he called up George's school and informed them that he would not be coming to school today. Both the worried silly parents waited for their son to wake up and come out. At around eleven he came out.

When Peter asked him to eat his breakfast, George said he was not hungry. But Peter told him to eat his breakfast than he will tell him a story from his past. This got George excited forgetting all about his worries he ate his noodles drank his milk and said, " I'm done eating, now tell me your story please."

Peter grinned and said, "Well, I didn't realize that my telling a story would get you so excited. If I would have know this than I would tell you my story yesterday itself." George in excitement dropped the glass of water he was holding. He got scared claimed on his dads lap and hid his face on his dads chest. In a whisper he said his dad, " Now mom will come marching in and yell at me." Mom did come marching in, but instead of yelling, she just cleaned the floor and left. Seeing this George's mind went back to his dad. He said, " It's getting late, start the story already."

Peter went back memory lane and remembered his own childhood heartaches and experiences. He said George, " Son when I was your age, I was bullied a lot in school. I belonged to a poor family and your grand mom used to earn by washing utensils at a restaurant. Some days we had little or no food to eat. I still remember the other kids bullying me and making fun of me for not wearing neat or new uniform. I was even picked on for using hand me down textbooks. Every other day I would go home and cry my heart out. But as soon as mom would come home, I would pretend like nothing happened, that all went very well in school. I didn't want mom to worry."

George got sad and said, " Dad that was so mean of them. It was not your fault that you were poor." Peter said, " Well it just makes some people happy when others are sad. So bullying me looks like was those kids way of having fun in life. Anyway, one day the boys saw a hole in my shirt and just ripped it completely. I felt so sad and humiliated that I went home crying. This day I couldn't control my tears. As you know my dad passed away in a road mishap, but mom took care of me and never made me feel like I needed dad. But that day for the first time it felt like if dad would have been there, than, he would be there to pacify me."

Dad did grand mom make you feel better? At this Peter said, " Your grand mom got home and she was so worried when she saw me cry like that. I was very sad. It felt like my heart couldn't take anymore of this nonsense. That mom calmed me down and made me eat food. After that she asked me the problems worrying me. I told her everything."

Dad what did grand mom Do than. Peter with a long sigh said, " She hugged me and told me to never forget that I was precious. She said that I was not precious to the others, but I was the only precious thing that she owned. She lovingly told me to not mind what the world said or did, that I should only concentrate on one thing and that was to study as hard as possible and stand on my own feet. They tore your clothes today, but no problem, clothes can be stitched back together, but just because of this it doesn't mean that you lost your dignity. She reminded me that in my school there are kids who participate in sports. Some of the sports require them to wear sports banyan and in wrestling they don't have to wear any shirt. So this is not something to fret about. But she said she would come to school and talk to the headmaster."

Did she go to the school dad. Peter said, " Yes son she came and told sir about my grievance. After that life became a little tolerable. So today George I'll tell you the same thing that my mom told me. Don't ever forget you are the most precious thing for me and your mom. Don't keep things in your heart. If there is a problem just tell us we will think of doing something about it."

Than Julie chimed in, " If your friend has not invited you for the party there is no problem. We will arrange a pajama party of our own and we will not be your parents. We will be like your friends, play with you whole night and have great fun. So what do you think about that beta."

Peter excitedly said," And the next weekend you can call all your friends for a overnight party at home we will be happy to have your friends here." George got excited he said excitedly, " Really dad, is it possible, you won't be mad with all the noise." Peter said laughing loudly, "I can manage for one night, just for you."

The entire day the family of three made plans for the overnight party. As night came, all went to sleep excitedly. The next day Peter said George," Beta, don't let others words hurt you. Just be yourself, your true friends will like you for who you are."

Hearing these caring and encouraging words George left for school humming some song happily dancing.