The Meeting In The Girls Room

It was an ordinary day for Dee Dee, as she climbed the first floor center staircase of Nathan Hale Elementary School to the girl's bathroom after lunch. And who would be standing there on the door, but mean old CC Cugno. "Not again," Dee Dee said under her breath. CC Hugo was a 6th grade girl who was mean to all the 4th grade girls, and Dee Dee and her friends hated her.

Dee Dee had enjoyed going to school up until this point. She loved learning, and was active in chorus and she was president of the Spanish club. The dilemma with CC Hugo was something, big and Dee Dee did not know how to get around it.

CC Hugo was a big ugly white girl, with huge bulging eyes. She had: yellow dog fanged buck teeth, dirty blond stringy hair, and big knock knees. She would talk loud to the 4th grade girls and hold her fists up and say, "if you don't like I'll just knock you out."

It was clear to everyone that not only was CC a bully but a tomboy as well. Yet she always wore dresses and horrible scuffed up brown and white saddle back shoes. On the other hand Dee Dee was average height for a 4th grader, she was a light skinned colored girl, with nice hair and she had shinny silver braces on her teeth. Her brother would tease her and say they looked like train tracks... of course she didn't like that description. Dee Dee loved coordinating her school outfits with colorful sneakers.

Every day after lunch, CC would position herself at the girls bathroom and scare the mess out of the 4th grade girls. "Where do you think you are going girlie girl?" She would bark. "Bathroom", Dee Dee said, starring down at CC's scuffed up shoes. "Well unless you give up a quarter, you ain't getting in." And CC put her hands on her hips and her big old ugly shoe on the bathroom door. Dee Dee fearfully reached into her pants pocket and pulled out a dime. "This is all I have." She said . "This will do. I'll let you slide this time, but remember it's always a quarter to get in." Dee Dee rushed past CC and gave her a nervous smirk.

She felt bad about giving her the money every day, and she and the other girls were frightened of her. Dee Dee's best friend Marsha would give her fifty cents. Marsha was very tiny and really afraid of CC. Marsha always had extra money, her parents were rich, Dee Dee thought.

CC Hugo sure made life hard for Dee Dee and her friends at school. She made sure she had enough money to pay CC to use the bathroom, so she wouldn't have to deal with the thought of getting a beat down.

One day, Ma told Dee Dee she did not have extra money to give to her and her little brother this week. And they would have to do without money for snacks. Dee Dee was very upset and quickly told Ma, " well I can't go to school today! I am afraid if I don't give CC Hugo bathroom money she is going to do something to me!" Ma said, " excuse me, what are you talking about Miss Dee?" ( Miss Dee is what Ma called her when she wanted to get her full attention)

Dee Dee told Ma about what was going on with the bathroom situation and having to pay money to CC. Ma asked if she had told the teacher and Dee Dee said no because she was afraid CC would really beat her up then. She told Ma how CC would let Lucy Williams in the bathroom without paying, because she was big and bad and had brothers and they would whip CC's butt!

Ma grew very quiet and calmly said, "well Miss Dee in order for her to stop pushing you around, you might need to push her around, and that will let her know that you are not afraid and you have a right to use the bathroom without paying one red cent."

Dee Dee said, " she's bigger than me and all the girls are afraid of her as I am." "Well tomorrow after lunch you go to the bathroom and tell her that you are not paying her any longer and if she doesn't like it to see you after school on the playground. Dee Dee you must be brave and bold and stand up to her in front of the other girls. Be prepared to fight after school." She said.

Dee Dee could tell Ma was getting angrier by the minute, when she said," You have a right to use any bathroom without paying someone....those days are over!! If you have to fight her remember to pull her hair, if she wears glasses pull them off, and keep your face away from her face. As a matter of fact put vaseline on your face so you won't get scratched. Also kick her in the knees, that will make her fall. Sometimes in life you have to stand up for yourself in words or deeds...you might as well learn this now." Dee Dee was shocked about what her sweet, mild mannered Ma was telling her to do....yet she took it all in and was prepared to stand up to CC Hugo.

The next day, Dee Dee dressed just right for a fight. She put on a pair of old pants, her good sturdy Converse sneakers, and pulled her hair back in one braid. She told her cousin Betty what was going down. Cousin Betty was in the 6th grade and she knew that CC Hugo was a bully. Dee Dee could depend on Betty to be there in the background if she needed her. All day long Dee Dee could hardly concentrate on her school work. During lunch she was not hungry. She also told Marsha and her other friends that she was going to stand up to CC during the bathroom break after lunch.

After lunch Dee Dee approached the 2nd floor and turned the corner towards the bathroom, her heart began to pound, she felt afraid because she knew she was going to get in CC's face. Sure enough there was was CC leaning up against the door as usual. ""You got my quarter girl?" Dee Dee forcefully stepped up and said in front of the crowd of girls, " I am not giving you a cent today or any other day, I have a right to use the bathroom and if you don't like it we can fight this out on the playground after school." The crowd of girls looked and couldn't believe that Dee Dee had the courage to be brave and step to CC. She was in her face, with her hand on her hip telling her NO! They started to laugh at CC and she was caught off guard. CC said, "Ok, I'll let you in but we will settle this on the playground after school and I'll get my money from you later, you little pip squeak, 4th grader!"

Dee Dee could hardly believe she had stood up to CC. Back in the classroom her friends gave her high fives!

They told her they were afraid for her to fight after school and maybe she should tell the teacher.