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"The Bully"

Seems like when I grew up in the 1950's every neighborhood & school had one. Then, the only way to make friends with someone, especially if you were new, was to fight them first. Maybe it was just that way where I grew up on the East Coast.
I lived on Long Island for almost 26 years. Even into my 20's it was still growing up & learning. I guess that never really ends. I learned alot about people by watching, listening like we all do. It started quite early for me with OUR neighborhood, my neighborhood bully.

As I've heard it told many times, he came home from school one day beat up pretty bad. When he finally got home his father then beat him until he was almost breathless. If he ever lost another fight, his father would beat him until HE was breathless; that's what his dad told him that day.
I became his primary target for over 15 years. Because his name was Sal, he was teased mercilessly. I never did tease him though, I had enough shortcomings for my whole family.
Constantly trying to prove he was stronger, tougher, better than me, I let it go on for too long. Partially, because I loved him as a friend, primarily, because I thought he was a little off his rocker & didn't want him to beat ME till I couldn't breath.
He wasn't a very big kid, but his crazy, boisterous laugh, the fact that he didn't have an ounce of fat on him, & was strong as a bull, along with his bravado, made him a fierce competitor against anyone, even my own Dad. Yep, my dad tried to warn him so he'd leave me alone, and my dad even had trouble holding him down. So, if Sal really needed that kind of attention, even at 8 years old, then I figured I was gonna comply. Not out of fear, but it's my makeup. Being kind comes comes naturally to me. Easier to be nice anyway. Besides he scared the livin' daylights outta me. It wasn't just physically either.
One morning I woke, looked out my bedroom window which was already opened, & saw a cigar butt resting right on the outside ledge. I, of course put of bunch of nonsense together & convinced myself, my family & even most of the neighborhood , that someone other than a kid had been messing around under my window. I was convinced that someone was trying to hurt me. After the whole neighborhood was convinced and watching out for strangers, Sal spilled it. He wanted to play a prank on me, frighten me is more like it.
I was right though, he Was out to get me. After beating on me, pratically ruining my childhood, we moved out of that house

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