Theme Week 14 "The Bullying Stopped"

April 26, 1991 has gone down in Kaynor Tech High history. That was the day that the bullying stopped. Playing the memory back in my mind, I could remember the scene as vividly as it was just two seconds ago.

It was 2:45 in the afternoon and the school buses haven't pulled into the parking lot yet. Everyone was either hanging around the tree, by the exit doors, or in the gym playing ball. The girls were double dutching and braiding hair, the geeks were doing homework. The situation was very typical for that Friday afternoon.

LL cool J just had his new album released and so Hollis had the tape bumpin nice and loud on that 4 speaker box of his. All of sudden people started moving towards the lobby, a trickle at first, then it was just an all out stampede.

"Fight! Fight!" somebody yelled out.

There was a circle gathered, next to the trophy case, in the lobby. The circle seemed to move as one unit, out the exit doors and right outside to the tree. I pushed my way through to see what was going on. I was a little scared because just last week somebody got into a fight and ended up getting shot at Hamilton Park later. I was able to make it through the crowding and get myself a front row view of the action.

"Oh no!" I thought to myself, as I saw who was getting in to it.

Melcom Robinson and Lamont Copefield were squared up and you could tell it was serious. Melcom was the school bully, always picking on everybody; teachers, students, substitutes, it didn't matter he was just bad and probably would end up in jail or getting shot. Lamont was real tall, quiet and kind of clumsy. He tried out for the basketball team but made a better mascot than a center. You could hear Melcom shouting, "What the fuck! YO! you just stepped on my Jordans. These shits cost a hundred dollars!"

"Whoa!" the crowd said.

Lamont was just quiet. Melcom jeered, "What's the matter bitch, you mad because I am going to make you lick the shits clean in front of everybody?" "Say something punk."

Lamont was just standing there, quiet, taking it.

Melcom was pissed and started shrugging his shoulders at Lamont to make him jump back. That's when it was all over. Melcom said, "Naw fuck that, I am going to have your mother come down here and clean my sneakers for you. I'll give her some money for it too, with her broke ass. She's so poor that she can't even afford the "o-r" she is just PO."

"OOOOOOOOHHHHHH." everbody in the crowd said; some people squinting and putting hands to their mouths like they just ate a sour "now and later".

Lamont lifted his head and just came to life. I realized that nobody was getting shot today, just shot down. What happened next couldn't even be scripted. Lamont busted out with something that would shut Melcom up for good.

"My mother isn't poor, your mother is...She's so poor that she had to put FOOD STAMPS on layaway.

Your mother is so nasty that everybody knows when she is having her period, BECAUSE SHE IS ONLY WEARING ONE SOCK!

Your mother's ass is so big that when she farts it won't clear up until NEXT WEEK.

Your mother is so stupid that when you told her that you came out the closet, she said well go back in there and get my slippers."

Everybody was laughing and snickering by this time and you could tell Melcom was stunned. He had that look of surprise and embarrassment mixed with anger and shame. Lamont was relentless and didn't let up.

"Your mother is country that she makes you BIRTHDAY CHITTLINS.

Your house is so small that your welcome mat just spells WEL.

YOUR MOMS IS SO FAT THAT WHEN SHE JUMPED IN THE AIR SHE GOT STUCK!"

OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH!

Everybody, including me, was in the parking lot running around, holding our stomachs cracking up. Melcom just stood there looking stupid.

The buses had pulled up by then and we all got on and to our seats, still laughing. Lamont just went his way like usual, as if nothing happened.

Melcom went through the rest of the school year like a little punk, trying to run his mouth but nobody listened. Eventually he just gave up and went into obscurity.

When any of us get together, we still talk about that day. The day the bullying stopped.