Foe or Friend

When someone yells "duck", one should lower his head, rather than turn around to see why he should duck! At least that is running through Doug's mind as he recalls the past few moments. Maybe he doesn't trust his classmate known as The Roach who yelled out that one word unexpectedly.

Although the Roach and Doug have been classmates for almost half the school year, Doug keeps his distance from him. It was Doug's first year at a Catholic elementary school. He does not make friends easily. All his classmates have been together at the same school since the first grade. He was warned about the Roach by some of the boys in his class. Even some of the older kids at school warned him to be cautious around the Roach. One kid even said that he is not like the rest of us. Doug pondered that claim "...he is not like the rest of us". What does that mean?

The Roach. How does a kid named Bill get a nickname like that? Doug is not going to ask him directly. He is not even sure he should call him the Roach directly to his face. From what the other boys are saying, it is best just to avoid addressing him at all.

Some of the boys were talking about how Bill beat up another boy when they were in the second grade. The kid was bleeding from his nose, just lying there on the playground asphalt. The Roach was standing over him with clenched fists. A fourth-grade boy tried to help the kid get up, but soon found himself lying on his back. The Roach knocked him down with a punch from one of those fists. Someone at the fight said that Bill hit the kid because of something the kid said.

There was one story after another about how Bill could beat up any other kid his size or even bigger. He was becoming a legend as a bully. Even some of the public-school boys heard about him and considered challenges him if they got the chance. It eventually came about that two of those public-school boys waited for Bill at the cyclone fence bordering the school grounds. It was the wrong day for them to pick a fight with him. The fight ended quickly with the Roach smacking one boy with a thick history book. When the other boy saw that, he swiftly ran down the block and out of site!

For the first half of the school year, Doug has learned to keep his distance from the Roach. It was common sense since Doug is only half the size of the Roach. If he saw Bill coming down one side of the street, Doug would cross to the other side to avoid any confrontation with him. As fate would have it, he would run into the Roach at least several times a week, even during the Christmas vacation. If by chance they met face to face, Bill would nod his head at Doug, but Doug would merely lower his head to avoid eye contact. Neither uttered a word as they passed one another.

The next few weeks at school are nerve-racking for Doug. There seems to be so much more to learn at school. There is basketball practices and games, piano lessons, chores to do at home every day, and required time with his family. Homework takes almost ninety minutes to complete every night.

"What kind of school makes third graders slave away with writing and reading at night?!" Doug quietly complains. "How did I wind up in a Catholic school anyway?" he ponders. He was doing just find in public school-- lots of play time, running with gangs, no homework, beating up on smaller boys, and stealing candy from the local grocery store. After thinking about it a little more, he realizes he has answered his own question.

It is a cold, rainy January. It rained so much the second Tuesday of the month, school ended early. Doug exited the classroom and found himself walking step for step with the Roach beside him as they approached the cyclone fence. He hesitated, then waited a little longer for the Roach to walk ahead a few steps. Doug's pace slowed even more to keep a safe distance between him and Bill. As the Roach exited the school yard, the two public school boys were waiting. Doug knew these two from his days at the public school. It was Russell and Vince, two of the meanest boys in the neighborhood. Doug hung back a little at the edge of the school grounds not wanting to face Bill or the two boys.

"Hey, Spic, where you headed?" one of the boys said to the Roach.

"Spic?" Doug whispered to himself. Why do they call him that? What does that mean?

The Roach did not turn his head to look back at the boys.

"We are talking to you, grease-ball!" the other kid yells.

The Roach just walked away while the two boys kept slandering him. Nothing more happened.

For the first time in Doug's life racial slurs towards another boy became real. He knew the Roach is Mexican, but why say bad things about him? In Doug's mind, Bill is not different than any other kid, except he is a bully.

Doug feels it is becoming a hazard to exit the school yard after a day of classes. Will there be public school boys waiting for him to fight? There is no alternative way home. Merely a week later, the day of reckoning is here. Russell and Vince are waiting on the other side of the cyclone fence. Doug finds himself alone as he exits the schoolyard.

"Hey, traitor, come here!" Russell demands.

Doug's pace quickens as he tries to distance himself from the two boys.

"Jesus-lover, we are talking to you!" Vince exclaims.

Russell finds a rock that fits nicely in his hand and heaves it at Doug.

From out of nowhere, someone yells, "Duck!"

Without thinking, Doug turns his head to look and is struck in the chest by a rock knocking him to the sidewalk, dropping the two books he was holding. He is dazed. When looking up, there, like a super-hero, the Roach fighting with the two boys. Vince is lying on the sidewalk holding his stomach and moaning. The Roach has straddle Russell and keeps pounding him in the face. A few moments pass and Bill lets Russell up. With a bloody face, Russell helps Vince to his feet and the two of them limp in agony down the street.

The Roach heads over to Doug who is still sitting on the sidewalk. He thinks that Bill is coming after him. Doug cringes as he approaches. Bill leans over at him, raising his arms as if to strike Doug. Instead, Bill gathers Doug's books with one hand and with the other picks Doug up from the sidewalk.

"Do you know what the word 'duck' means?" the Roach queries with a smile growing on his face.

Brushing the back of his pants and not giving Bill any eye-contact, Doug responds, "I do now."

The Roach calmly walks away without another word spoken.

"Uh, thanks, Bill, for helping me," Doug stutters nervously.

Without turning his head, Bill yells out, "You can call me the Roach."