Bullies

Think of an item of clothing from your childhood and write a story inspired by it.

               I hate my name. It’s the first day of kindergarten and they took attendance and they discovered my name: Jimmy Offenhartz. Then, one of the kids made fun of my name and called me Jimmy Often Farts and they called me this over and over and I cried. Then, I looked at my shirt. If was one of those shirts with an alligator on the top of the left chest. At first, I didn’t like this shirt and was afraid the other kids would make fun of that, too. But, then, something happened. The alligator shirt my parents got me had a power in it and I saw the thread from the alligator getting bigger. It looked like the threads were spreading in an uncontrolled manner like cancer. Then, it tore itself off and the other kids looked blank, like a rabbit on the road before it’s going to be run over. Then, the kids ran in different directions like people running from a random shooting. Then, the teacher wet herself the way us kids sometimes do and she excused herself. Then, it was just me and the alligator; the alligator and me, but I wasn’t afraid. I was scared of the kids, but not the alligator.

               Then, the alligator introduced herself as Anna. She explained everyone has a set of spirit animals to protect them from bullies and other evil doers. She explained everyone has a spirit animal to protect them when things get tough. She explained unlike wild alligators, Anna would not hurt me. Then, though, after a few minutes, the other kids came back in and the teacher came in with a new set of clothing on. I knew she had new sets of clothes for us, but never imagined she had a new set of clothes for herself. 

               But, the teacher, Mrs. Hann, looked at the schedule and it was time for lunch. It’s hard being a loser in kindergarten.  There’s no one but the teacher to talk to about your problems. But, now I have the alligator, who doesn’t make fun of me. Thank God my mommy got me this shirt. Then, Mrs. Hann has me go first. My mommy had me bring a slinky, but the alligator was more interesting. So, I went to the front of the class with the alligator and I said, “This is my alligator. He came from the shirt Mommy and Daddy gave me for school. They bought me new clothes for school and he came to life when you all made fun of me to protect me. Are there any questions?”

               One kid asked me if he talks and the alligator said he does. Another kid asked why he came here today and the alligator said he came to be my friend and protect me. They asked what he ate and he said he ate wild life like rabbits and snakes. One kid asked what would happen if the kids made fun of my name again and the alligator said he would eat them. The kids screamed, cried, and shook with fear and I smiled and hugged my alligator. The alligator gave an alligator smile. One kid asked if the alligator would wind up back in my shirt and the alligator replied, “Someday”. The first day of kindergarten went well after my alligator friend arrived. 

               Then, though, there was recess and nap time. During first recess, the alligator played tag with me and sometimes the alligator was it and sometimes I was it, but it was fun. We played tetherball and other games. A few other kids asked if they could join and we let them. See, nothing feels worse than not being allowed to play games with others. Nothing hurts more than being the last person to be picked for a team in gym class, but now I have an alligator, I don’t have to worry about that anymore. 

               But, the rest of the day went past quick. My alligator behaved better than me during nap time and then we were told to go outside and wait for our buses to take us home and we did. I wrote down H77. H77 came and I got on the bus and me and my alligator sat together. This morning no one would let me sit next t o them on the bus, but now, everyone wants to talk to me and my alligator. 

               Then, though, we got to my stop and my mom and dad were waiting for me at the bus stop and they saw a big smile on my face and they saw my alligator. They were happy to see me, but they weren’t happy to see my alligator.

               “What the hell’s that?” my daddy asked.

               “It’s my special Alligator,” I said.

               “Did your teacher give you that?” my mommy asked.

               “No, you two did,” I said, “and thank you”.

               Then, I told them about how the other kids made fun of me because of our last name and how this magical alligator came out of the shirt they game me and that this was the best thing ever. 

               They each sighed, but separately. Then, they said we had to have a family discussion. From my experience in my little life, family discussions are never good. Last time we had a family discussion, I had my favorite teddy bear taken away and I knew they were thinking about taking my special alligator away from me. 

               My mommy said, “Think about it, where would he sleep? What would he eat? Where would he go potty? What if he tore up the carpet or the couch or our furniture. What if he bothers our neighbors? I don’t think it’s a good idea. We’d have to take him to the vet and it seems like a lot of trouble and for what?”

               Then, I told mommy and daddy that no one else would protect me from the bullies at school, play with me during recess, or sit with me on the bus.

               Then, my mom and dad told me I’d have to make real friends and stand up to the bullies and I’d have to let the alligator go back into my shirt. So, I cried and let him go back into my shirt.